Vacation Mood – On a Budget

Have you ever wanted to go on an extravagant beach vacation filled with free booze & food, beach massages & late night dancing? Not to mention the perfect fits to pair with each activity? BECAUSE HI, SAME.

I know what you’re thinking. @Juniper, you’re you’re living in a dream land and that can’t exist without paying thousands of dollars…

Well, I am here to tell you how to make your dreams a reality. It me, your bibbity boppity beach fairy god mother up in here!!!

This February, I took a luxurious beach vacation with one of my best gal pals. We traveled from Kansas City to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico and stayed at an all-inclusive resort all for TOTAL $1000 a piece. Now, I get it. One thousand big ones is not pocket change but for a 5 Day, 4 Night All-Inclusive Resort stay PLUS airfair out of Kansas City…. is a freaking steal in my book.

SO, how did we do it? Let’s start from the beginning. First we went to Groupon and searched for beach vacations in the time frame we were looking to travel. Once we found a hotel that provided us what we were looking for, we price checked the Groupon offer to the hotel offer. Now, this is important people. Price checking & doing your research is KEY to finding the best vaycay deals (& deals in general IMO). 

When we price checked, we found our resort (The Villa Del Palmar Puerta Vallarta) was hosting a winter sale that accounted for a round trip flight and four-night stay for around $1750. So obviously, we had to book.

Now, I will caveat that the hotel we chose ended up being a time share resort… and was not well marketed as such. However, we still had the time of our lives. So in all honesty, if you’re reading this and are loving everything I’m saying but are looking for a crazy party hotel. This is not it. BUT, if you’re looking to relax on the beach, get free food & drinks 24/7 and just hang with your gal-pal… I’d recommend.

NOW– to my fire flame LOOKS. 

I shopped almost exclusively on Amazon to find my beach fits. I started my shopping journey by creating a mood board in my head of my fabulous looks. Picture see-through pants with a drink in my hand all while riding a camel on the beach type of mood. 

Once I had my vision, I went shopping. Now, truthfully, I was short on time when I started shopping and I needed a quick turnaround on shipping (shout out Amazon Prime) to make sure I could complete my vision in time for my vacation. To my luck, I got all of my items on time & they all fit perfectly.

Now, I get it. Sometimes shopping for clothes on Amazon can feel daunting and intimidating because there is a plethora of styles to choose from. So, with that being said, you can manage your #amazonanxiety by following some my simple steps to getting the best bang for your buck on what you’re shopping for.

• Step One: Remember that mood board I discussed earlier? Create one. Have a vision in your mind for what you’re looking for & get real tactical in your searching. Start by using generic words (think “Women’s Strapless Bikini Swimsuit”) and then get more gritty with it if need be.
• Step Two: Once you find some items you like. Click on an item that is closest to what you’re looking for, then scroll to the bottom and look at your recommended items. This will give you even more options of items that will most likely fit into your mood board aesthetic.
• Step Three: READ THOSE REVIEWS HONEY. The reviews are there for a reason. If there are raving reviews and a lot of them, it’s a safe bet to purchase. However, if the product has an under 50% rating, cut your losses and keep looking.
• Step Four: Check to make sure there are free returns. This is super important if you’re nervous about sizing, quality, cut, etc. If you don’t like it, don’t worry, you can always return it and find something even better.

Still have your attention? GREAT. Below I have #blessed you with links to all of my fabulous beach vaycay fits. Enjoy 🙂

• Top Left:
  • $18.99 Strapless Army Green Bikini. I purchased it in size Medium and it fit true to size. 
  • $17.99 See Through Wrap Skirt Cover Up. I purchased it in size S/M and the ties allow you to tie loose or tight. Fits more like a Medium.
• Top Middle:
  • Blue Front Tie Women’s Bikini. I purchased this swimsuit in 2018 so I no longer have the exact link, however, I did link a similar suit for $13.99. 
  • $16.95 Black Mesh Pants. I purchased them in a size Medium. The waistband is tight but fits comfortably on me.
• Top Right:
  • Black Slip Tank Top. This is a vintage piece I purchased from Fetch KCMO for $3. It is one-of-a-kind so I do not have a link. 
  • $17.99 See Through Wrap Skirt Cover Up. I purchased it in size S/M and the ties allow you to tie loose or tight. Fits more like a Medium.
• Bottom Left:
  • Pull & Bear Orange Polka Dot Swimsuit. I purchased this swimsuit when I went to France this summer. They do not currently sell this same suit but I linked their US website here.
• Bottom Right:
  • Blue Front Tie Women’s Bikini. I purchased this swimsuit in 2018 so I no longer have the exact link, however, I did link a similar suit for $13.99. 

XOXO,

your average shrub