Vacation gear beats the blahs of winter

To all of you stylish gals who are heading to hot climates during February vacation or spring break, I have one thing to say: I’m soooooo jealous.

But rather than let the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head, I decided to do something about it. I took a little trip myself. To Ellsworth and the Bangor Mall. I found vacation-worthy gear that helped me beat the winter blahs. So what if I have to turn up the heat to 90 to actually wear this stuff? At casa del ShopGirl, flip-flops are always in season.

And that’s just what I bought. I found them at Cadillac Mountain Sports in Ellsworth, and they were on drastic clearance. These cute, orange floral flippies from North Face only set me back $9.28 (everything in the store is an additional 20 percent off the sale price), and I’ll give them away to one lucky reader. For details, see the box inside this column.

CMS also had shorts for men, women and children, which are difficult to find this time of year, and sporty bathing suits in great colors. Since most of the selection hailed from last summer, it was all at least 40 percent off.

North Face A5 shorts also could be found at Renys in Ellsworth for $14.99. These khakis have the perfect blend of fashion and function at a price that can’t be beat. Also at Renys were beach-worthy, L.L. Bean-style canvas bags, inexpensive sheer Ts for layering, and too-cute capri jeans from Gap.

The problem with vacation shopping this time of year is simple. None of the shops here have a huge “resort” clientele, so it’s next to impossible to find Florida-weather clothes this time of year. Most of the clothing in stores right now is part of retailers’ early spring lines. And really, who wears trench coats and capris in Cancun?

If I were a spring-breaker, which I am clearly not, I would head to Marshalls or T.J.’s for a bathing suit, Target for a beach bag, pack up my shorts from last year, and hit American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch for minis and Ts. You can find Bermuda shorts at American Eagle, and though they look a little hard to wear, the girls there will tell you how to pull off the look.

Speaking of AE, I grabbed a sweet, springy bag there that was just the antidote to freezing rain and 2 feet of snow. You can win it, too.

Adults who are shuttling their children off to Disney for February vacation face a different challenge: How to be comfortable without overpacking or looking like a tourist. The answer? Layers. Cardigans are the perfect vacation solution. They can be dressed up or down, they’re lightweight, and they always look fabulous. Check out Marshalls for cashmere, T.J.s for bargains and Filene’s for updated preppy looks. A pair of capris is a good idea, as is one pair of jeans (I hit the clearance racks at T.J.’s and scored Kenneth Cole jeans for $10), two pairs of shorts and a selection of T-shirts and tanks. Comfy shoes, a bathing suit and sandals will round out the mix. Don’t be tempted by the fabulous beach towels you see – who wants to take up valuable suitcase space with a towel when you can get one at your hotel?

As for suitcases, T.J. Maxx is the place to go, hands down. They have a great selection of reasonably priced luggage for the whole family.

Seeing as I have plenty of baggage, none of it related to vacationing, I skipped the carry-ons and instead started carrying on – about the cutest sun hat ever. A recent birthday has me obsessed with wrinkle prevention, and since I’ve always been partial to caps, I decided to pick up a whimsical canvas crusher hat at T.J.’s for $7.99.

It will be just the thing to wear this spring. While I’m shoveling.

ShopNotes

. Attention, spring breakers: Susan Price will hold a trunk show of her Chez Suz T-shirts, emblazoned with fun, flirty real estate slogans, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the University of Maine’s Memorial Union. She’ll sell Ts and tanks at a deep discount – $20 and $16, respectively. So if you’re on the market, or under contract, check it out.

Win cute stuff

OK, gals. It’s time for another giveaway. This time, there will be two lucky winners. And you don’t have to write anything except your contact info. The first will receive the flip-flops from The North Face pictured on the front page of the Style section. They’re a women’s size 9, but they’ll fit an 8 or 9. The second will receive this sweet little bag from American Eagle Outfitters, a $14.95 value. To enter, send a card with your name, address and phone number to the address at the bottom of this column. Winners will be announced in two weeks.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.