What I Wore On My Michigan Vacation

Since moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, right at six years ago, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed exploring the neighboring states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania. This past Friday we drove to Michigan for our first extended stay. We spent the weekend in a small cottage on Lake Sapphire near Lake City, just relaxing and enjoying the change of scenery and pace. Then we journeyed on to Old Mission Peninsula, where we stayed at the Inn at Chateau Grand Traverse Winery & Vineyard. I’ll share a little more as I tell you about what I wore on my Michigan vacation.

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Because we were visiting charming coastal lake towns and vineyards on our Michigan vacation, I packed comfortable, casual pieces that also felt a bit elevated and stylish. Most everything I wore is still available. For a frame of reference, I’m 5’8″ and have even proportions and an hourglass shape. I usually wear a misses size 10 or medium.

My Travel Outfit for Friday

I had recorded this Wednesday’s YouTube video about different ways to style dresses last week, and I knew I wanted to wear this chic but casual T by Talbots dress for one of my travel days. So I didn’t waste an opportunity. I wore it as we drove the 7 hours to Lake City last Friday, and it felt absolutely perfect.

This lightweight woven stretch dress feels silky cool to the touch, and it moves with you and wears just great. After we arrived at our cottage and quickly unpacked, we went into Lake City for dinner at Hammer’s Pub & Grub. Then we stopped at a local grocery store to get simple fixings for breakfasts, a steak dinner and s’mores.

What I Wore for a Relaxing Day at the Lake

James planned our Michigan getaway beautifully. It was just what I needed after almost reaching burnout and exhaustion. We spent Saturday being lazy at the lake cottage. James carried his French press to make our coffee, and I scrambled eggs, washed fruit and heated up cinnamon rolls for a late breakfast.

Then I spent a good bit of the day painting in this watercolor workbook with these paints and brushes. We did have a bit of excitement when James had to take our kayak out to help rescue a kayaker who had tipped over and evidently couldn’t swim. About the time James arrived to his aid, a motor boat arrived, too. But James was able to get the young man a life jacket that kept him above water while the boat driver positioned into place. That was more excitement than we had bargained for that day, but I’m just glad it all ended well.

Later that evening James grilled steaks, potatoes and corn on the cob, while I tossed a salad and set the table for an alfresco dinner. We made a fire in the firepit and toasted marshmallows for s’mores before turning in.

What I Wore to Explore Lakeside Towns on Sunday

While our cottage was charming and quite perfect for us, it was not air conditioned. So when we learned that the temperatures would rise significantly Sunday, we planned to be out and about that day. We headed to the pristine beaches and charming shops of Frankfort, Michigan, on the Lake Michigan coastline.

This was the perfect day if there ever was one to wear my white Frank & Eileen Florence getaway set. The elasticized waistband linen pants and sleeveless linen button-up shirt felt cool and comfortable in the balmy heat, but the set also felt chic for brunch at Birch & Maple and perfect for strolling in and out of air-conditioned shops. After seeing the historic lighthouse and enjoying an ice cream at Kilwins, we drove down the Lake Michigan shoreline through other charming towns, stopping occasionally for the scenic view, as shown above.

What I Wore to Travel to Old Mission Peninsula Monday

Monday we took our time in the morning and then loaded up the car for an 11 o’clock checkout. We drove a couple of hours to our next destination on Old Mission Peninsula, which juts out into Lake Michigan above Traverse City. Oh my goodness. What a beautiful area! The flowers were bountiful and colorful and fresh (whereas ours are starting to look tired here in Ohio). And the water of Lake Michigan was crystal blue. Of course there were so many beautiful homes to gawk at, too, which is one of my guilty pleasures.

For this day of travel and sightseeing, I wore my washed linen Frank & Eileen Tuscany getaway set in sand. I’d purchased this set back in the spring and held it to wear on this trip. Perfection! I felt chic, but also comfortable and cool as we stopped in at the Chateau Grand Traverse for our first wine tasting. The Chateau Grand Traverse was the first winery to see the hidden potential of Old Mission Peninsula over 50 years ago. Today it operates as a combination vineyard, winery and inn. When you stay at the inn you receive a complimentary bottle of your choice for the first night, along with free tastings and glasses of wine for each night you stay. So we never even went to any of the other tasting rooms on the wine trail.

How I Dressed for Dinner Monday Night

Our son and daughter-in-law visited this area a few years ago and loved it. So when we told them we were vacationing there, they recommended we make reservations at Trattoria Stella, an olde country Italian restaurant with a modern vibe that is situated in the dark, moody recesses of an old state hospital. If those walls could talk! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was extremely unique, an experience we won’t forget.

When Ramy Brook reached out recently and offered to gift me one of their magnificent styles, I selected this gorgeous flame red dress (c/o) and the Reva butterfly charm beaded necklace (c/o) with this special dinner date in mind. I was a little skeptical that the lightweight midi dress would look flattering on me, but I was delighted with how it looked and wore. So flirty and fun for a special evening out on vacation.

How I Dressed for Lunch on Tuesday

Tuesday we took an early morning walk and then had a leisurely breakfast at the inn. After showering we shot photos for an upcoming collaboration with Talbots and then enjoyed a charcuterie board and our complimentary wine in the Chateau Grand Traverse tasting room. The photo below was taken at Chateau Grand Traverse on one of their scenic outlooks.

I wore the white linen pants from my Tuscany getaway set with a new floral linen top from the brand.

Another Outfit for Touring on Tuesday

Since we went back to the room for something, I decided to change tops…just for the heck of it. At this point I was realizing that I wouldn’t have a chance to wear everything I’d packed, so I figured why not. I just changed into the blue and white striped version of that same linen shirt from Frank & Eileen. They fit true to size.

It’s funny, I packed those Naot Whetu sandals at the last minute, thinking I might wear them. But as you may have noticed I ended up wearing them almost every day. I actually got them soaking wet when I had to help push James’ kayak into the lake for his rescue mission, but they dried nicely and wore just the same. I wore these sandals on my trip to London a couple of years ago, so I knew they walked really well. So comfortable!

I Changed Again for Sailing Tuesday Evening

James had made a reservation for us to have a private sunset sailing excursion Tuesday evening. This was a first for either of us. We had never been on a sailboat. But I knew to wear something comfortable, but also something that felt a little special. And I knew I needed to wear no-slip shoes. So I opted for my red linen pants topped with my navy and white striped tank. I wore my old linen jacket over it because I knew it could get chilly on the water. And I completed my outfit with my Tretorn sneakers. I think I chose well. What do you think?

Sailing was quite the experience. I’d love to do it again. Our captain was friendly and hospitable, but also knowledgeable and experienced. His teenage daughter served as first mate, and we enjoyed them both. We sailed for a little over two hours in the West Arm Grand Traverse Bay and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

My Wednesday Travel OOTD

I would have loved to have stayed at the Chateau Grand Traverse one more night, but they didn’t have a vacancy. In fact, the inn keeper told us that they are almost always at full capacity. I highly recommend this small but charming and elevated inn if you’re ever in the area. In fact, I ran into one of my followers, Jan, at breakfast Wednesday morning. She and her husband had been there before and had returned to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. It’s definitely the kind of place for special celebrations.

Before heading out we stopped to buy a few bottles of wine. Then we headed to the Grand Traverse Pie Company to pick up a couple of pies on the way out of town. We got the Pure Michigan Fruits of Summer Pie and a classic cherry. I understand that their chicken pot pies are delicious, too.

For our travel day home from our Michigan vacation I almost put my dress back on. But I had one more outfit to wear, so I decided to make use of it. I felt comfortable and fresh in my black linen pants and ivory and black floral shell. Because the air conditioning in the car gets pretty cold to me, I topped the duo with my white linen jacket. Oh, and by the way, I absolutely loved using my Veronica Beard Grand Goody leather tote on this trip. It had all the pockets and zippers that make a great travel bag, but it’s also luxe and sturdy. It’s still on sale (and available in navy, too) in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale through Sunday, but then the price goes up.

Thanks so much for dropping in to see what I wore on my Michigan vacation. This was so much more fun than sharing what I wear in a normal work week. Ha! If you have any questions about what I wore or our trip, just let me know.

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