Every now and again I see an article or forum discussion outlining how to dress when meeting the parents of the person you’re dating. The answers are usually to wear something put-together enough to convey respect, but without being overly stuffy – something like an OCBD with a sweater and khakis, and maybe some suede chukkas to finish it off. But what if the parents you’re meeting are long time residents of a small island near the equator? I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m going to find out.
I just arrived on the island of Kauai, and here’s what I brought with me:
- Four shirts – chambray popover, white linen, a short-sleeve (!) print, and a madras
- A couple of tees
- A sweatshirt, because I can’t imagine going somewhere without any warm clothing
- Chinos
- Chino shorts (!!)
- Sneakers
- Running Shoes
- Two pairs of sunglasses: one pair that looks really cool and one pair that can take a beating
- A watch that I can swim with
- Swim trunks
That’s basically it (well, and some $3 flip flops I grabbed on the way to the airport). No tailored clothing. No outerwear. No welted footwear. This is pretty different than how I normally pack – wish me luck! And feel free to follow along on Instagram if you’re curious to see how sunburned I get (spoiler: probably a lot).
