My Mom Prepares These 10 Fashion Essentials for Our Next Cruise

My mom has been trying to organize a family trip for years, and the trip finally made it out of the group chat. We’re going on a seven-day cruise to the Dominican Republic, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and my mom makes it her full-time mission to make sure everyone is prepared. She finished packing in March and I rounded up 10 of her non-negotiables for the cruise, including Tory Burch sandals, Spanx t-shirt dresses, Levi’s jean shorts, and more. Check out his picks below.

10 holiday essentials chosen by mothers:

Spanx AirEssentials Long T-Shirt Dress

As soon as this Spanx AirEssentials Maxi T-Shirt Dress arrived at my mom’s house, she knew she would pack it for our next cruise. She says, “It’s super comfortable,” “lightweight” and made from the buttery-soft material that she and Oprah love. It comes in black, brown, and black and white stripes, with sizes ranging from XS to 2XL. It features an easy silhouette that hugs curves, a classic crew neckline, short sleeves, slits on both sides that go up to the knee so walking isn’t restricted, and a length that stops at the ankle .

Faleave Linen Palazzo Pants

My In the style item reviews easily influence my mother, and recently she was persuaded to buy my Faleave Linen Palazzo Pants, so now we will both wear the lightweight style on the cruise. The lightweight pants come in seven colors, including khaki, yellow, brown, black and gray, and sizes range from XS to XL. They feature a drawstring with an elastic waistband, made from a cotton and linen fabric, a high waisted fit, two front pockets and a relaxed palazzo design that falls off the leg.

Dokotoo buttoned shirt

Dokotoo’s button-down shirt is currently one of my mom’s favorite tops, so it’s no surprise that it’s on the packing list. The button-down shirt comes in 12 colors, including black, brown, yellow, pink, and navy, ranging from S to 2XL. There’s a buttoned front for easy on and off, roomy short batwing sleeves, small side seam slits and it’s made from 100% cotton with a crinkle texture. It has a relaxed fit that flows away from the body and hits the hips.

J.Crew Capitaine linen shirt dress

My mom loves a good versatile dress, so she’s considering getting the Captain Linen Shirt Dress from J.Crew because she can wear it as a dress with a cute pair of sandals or as a cover-up over her swimsuit. The dress comes in black, white, navy, light blue, and beige, with sizes ranging from 2XS to 3XL in standard, petite, and large options. It is made from 100% linen and features a button front fastening, a matching removable belt to cinch in the waist and pre-folded sleeves. The cut is relaxed, flows away from the body when not belted and arrives a few centimeters above the knee.

Check out more of my mom’s cruise essentials below.

Tory Burch buckle slip-on sandal

Summersalt Ruffle One-Piece Swimsuit

Calpak Five-Piece Packing Cube Set

Béis Medium Check-in Rolling Suitcase