February in Florida: What to pack and wear this winter in Orlando.
Last winter, my husband and I accompanied my daughter on her Nationals tournament for high school Poms. Enamoured with the "sunshine state" reputation, I was ready to lounge poolside and stand in Universal lines basking in warmth. That was not the case, and I learned a cold lesson: high humidity equates to deceptive temperatures. Simply because The Weather Channel reports 72° doesn't mean one can don shorts, a tank, and flip flops and all is good. I was constantly chilled, and a downpour of rain on the second day didn't help.
So, this year, I'm preparing. While my husband packs his standard four shorts, four t-shirts, and one sweatshirt, I'm planning on the layering method. I can always strip an item off. As always, I have no desire to lug everything in my closet on the trip, and want to keep big, bulky items like shoes to a minimum.
I gather a few staples, and then create outfits, all the while keeping in mind I want to be warm and I will be walking a ton. While most of the items in the pictures you see are not my exact clothes, you get the idea. Please email me or leave a comment if you need any specific details concerning an item. All sets were made on Polyvore. Clicking on the picture should take you to the site which then tells you who makes what and where you can purchase the item.
Here's what I'm packing:
Day one:
The plane ride. It's important for me to be warm on those drafty airplanes. Also, I want shoes I can easily slide off. I like to have a scarf so I can, one, use it as a pillow or blanket, and, two, bury my nose in if I start obsessing about the germs and smells of that confined space (I know: I'm a freak.). Once we hit Orlando, I can lose the sweater and scarf.
We wil have 3-4 hours to hang out before we meet up for dinner.
Team dinner: All the dancers and parents will be going to Universal City Walk for dinner. I'm looking for casual and classy.
Day two: Magic Kingdom
Weather reports show this to be the coolest and cloudiest day we are in Florida. Just our luck--the one day we all plan on being outdoors exploring Disney. Granted, it should be around 66° and void of rain, so I'm okay with that. However, I need my layers; plus, comfy shoes are a must for all the walking we will be doing. After all, we will be gone well into the evening. (My Hurley flannel actually has green lines within the pattern, which is why I choose the green tank.)
Day three: Competitions
The girls have two competitions today--one in the afternoon, and one at night. While they are prepping and primping, my husband and I will have some time to ourselves. I'm not sure 68° dictates daquirris at the pool, but I imagine we will explore the cool hotel and possibly eat out somewhere. Possibly, I will try to get a workout in, so I will need exercise gear (see "extras").
If I need to jazz it up for the evening, either going the black scarf/shoes route, or returning to burgundy scarf/brown boots, depending on where we go.
Day four: Universal, competitions, Mardi Gras
Today is the day I've warned my husband about. We will conquer Universal's Harry Potter during the early opening of the park. We will watch our daughter compete in her third dance. We will celebrate at the the evening's Mardi Gras parade. Plus, we just may be watching finals if the team makes them. This day calls for a few outfits.
Wishful thinking: I'm hoping to wear shorts, but I do have other options if it's too chilly (69° and sunny). I want to be a bit more colorful for the Mardi Gras festivities, so going with some teal and orange (necklace) in the evening.
Day five: Possbile finals
Another up-in-the-air day as the girls could be in two competitions today if they make finals. This is the warmest day, according the The Weather Channel: 72°! I think I can manage some tanning time. Regardless, we have to eat, and our daughter would like to visit a park-or so she says now.
Expecting a cool down for our last evening, I will need the long pants again. By this time, I'm usually craving something I haven't worn yet--a new color combo.
Day six: Homebound
I often wear the same outfit I wore arriving, but who knows?
Other combinations I could try (Yes, there are even more beyond these!) at any time:
And some extras:
I'm thinking I may be packing too much, again. But, I do know I like my options, and I do change a few times a day. All in all, I'm just hoping I will be cozy and comfortable.
Stay tuned for the update where I will let you know how it all went!
Thanks for looking.
Lianne