GREEN LIVING

How to Rethink Our Vacation Shopping Habits

By Hannah Timm

May 2026

We’ve all been there, a trip that has been on our calendar for weeks, months or perhaps even longer. You’ve made an itinerary, booked dinner reservations, even checked the weather for each day that you will be away. The excitement is building, until a familiar feeling kicks in. You think to yourself, “I have nothing to wear!” 

An incredibly common feeling. One that we have all had at one time or another. Usually right before a big event, one that throws us off of our usual routine. We go about our days and our weeks dressing so routinely that when it comes time for something a little out of our typical schedule, we panic. And when we experience the feeling of panic, we try to alleviate this feeling with one click of a button.

Vacations seem to be the biggest time for panic purchasing. I have seen it firsthand as I have sorted through too many closets to count! When I first work with clients, we complete a closet edit. During a closet edit, we sort through existing items in the client’s current wardrobe. We engage in conversations about pieces, like what they love about the item, what they hate, how to style it, or why they bought it! 

I have heard all too often, conversations about panic purchasing. The women I work with will show me around their closets. They often lead me to items like a bright floral dress or the white jumpsuit they purchased just days before a trip. Typically saying something like, “I needed something, and I thought it would be fun!” Those items are now collecting dust, unworn, in the back of their closet. 

Think about the last time you made a panic purchase before a trip. Were you shopping with a plan in place? Were you purchasing through a lens of reality or fantasy? Or maybe you were looking to relieve an anxious feeling?

This is not to place shame or blame on any of our shopping patterns, but rather to bring awareness. When we shop to solve a problem or to relieve anxious feelings before a trip, it comes at a cost. Most of the time, that fantasy self we are purchasing for before our vacation is not taking into account any of our personal style, lifestyle, or actual wardrobe needs. We lack clarity in our purchasing decisions and without clarity and strategic decision making our purchases will not make sense in our everyday lives. 

You might feel like you have a bunch of well thought out outfits while you are away, but what happens when you get home? Do your purchases make sense in your day-to-day life? Can you style these items for more than one occasion? In my work, this is where I see some of the most unworn pieces pop up in women’s wardrobes. Purchases that are made to resolve a temporary rarely finding a lasting place in someone’s real wardrobe once they have returned home. It’s tempting, I know all too well. We tend to shop for the version of ourselves we imagine we will be on vacation, rather than the person we are in our real lives. The embellished beach sandals that only work with that crocheted dress you wore to a dinner by the water. Or the bright pink top that felt fun in the moment, but never felt like you once you got home. 

Not only are these pieces hard to style outside of the intended environment, they usually don’t quite feel like you. 

It isn’t that the items you have purchased are bad. But the intention behind the purpose was made from a place of urgency rather than calm and clarity. And much like any aspect of life, when we act from a place of urgency, we neglect our actual needs. In this case, we are neglecting our personal style, lifestyle, and preferences.

1. Give yourself some lead time. Sure last minute trips come up all the time. However, a lot of the time, our vacations have been set for quite some time. If you know your plans ahead of time. Schedule yourself a little bit of time, perhaps an afternoon to gather your thoughts on what you will want to pack. 
2. Get real & get clear. Making decisions from a place of clarity will forever change your shopping habits. During your planning session, get clear on where you are going (outings, dinners, excursions, etc.), what you will need, and how you want to feel on this trip. Be realistic. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your outfits, but remember you don’t need to change your whole persona for this one trip.
3. Begin building outfits from your existing closet. Now that you have become clear on where you are headed and what you will need, begin pulling items from your closet that fit your vision. Get creative and have fun with different outfit combinations. 
4. Identify your gaps! This is where you can begin to notice if anything is missing from your outfits. Do you need new swimwear? A pair of sandals? Or something more substantial like a special occasion dress for an evening out? I recommend keeping an actual note of these items - either in your phone or on paper.
5. Make aligned purchases. Before adding any new pieces into your wardrobe, ask yourself a few important questions. These questions will help to prevent unwanted purchases. Does this piece align with my true style? Can I style this piece in at least 3 ways? Can I make this item work beyond my trip?

Travel doesn’t always require a whole new wardrobe (or for that matter a whole new persona). Most of the time, all it requires is a bit more intention, a bit more clarity, and a little bit of time with the pieces you already own. 

When we shop from a place of urgency rather than a place of intentionality, we not only are rewarded with a more thoughtful and personal wardrobe, we take steps away from overconsuming.