packing staples: denim shorts

look one . boat day
j. crew top {last seen here / similar} / sunglass warehouse sunglasses c/o
look two . breakfast on the beach
j. crew top {last seen here} / madewell shorts {similar} / sunglass warehouse sunglasses c/o / madewell sandals {similar}
look three . beach day
gap top / madewell shorts {similar} / karen walker sunglasses

Traveling to Tortola is always a challenge, so we try to simplify the process by packing carry ons. (Though, I like to pack a only a carry on for most flights instead of checking my bag anyway.) Over the years I have gotten it down to a science. My goal is to pack things I can wear more than once throughout the course of the trip. The trick is to select items that can work for both day and night, making the transition from dinner one night to the beach the next day. As someone who has more than once returned home with a suitcase full of things I didn't wear, this method has definitely helped stop that. 

One of my Tortola wardrobe staples, which is also probably my most worn, is a pair of denim shorts. Since the trip is pretty casual and we spent most of the time at the beach, they were the perfect thing to throw on a go. I wore this Madewell pair as a coverup on boat day with a classic striped shirt, to breakfast with a silk sleeveless tank and strappy sandals, and for a day at the beach with a clean white shirt. 

What are your vacation wardrobe staples?