Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Wednesday Words: Summer Wardrobe

I'm getting back in the saddle with a little thing I will be doing every Hump Day.

Wednesday Words! (I'm sure this is already a thing, but it's new here!!)
Basically I will go prompt hunting in the areas of different blogs and link them back here.  I'm really excited to be writing again, even if I am a little rusty. This first prompt is brought to you from Hello Neverland when she asked What are your Summer Wardrobe Staples?

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Before we deployed I donated mostly everything in my closet and never looked back! It was a great feeling, to not have so much stuff. I will admit I'm not much of a fashionista or even a girly girl, but after 6 months of cammies and boots I'm ready for something different. I can't wait to get back to the states and hop into a pair of jeans or shorts- maybe even a sun dress?! Ahh, the possibilities seem endless! What makes me crave the freedom of civilian clothing even more? Seeing all the magazines and their websites talking about Choosing the perfect Summer Party Dress, 20 Beat the Heat party pieces under $20 and Summer MUST-HAVES for your closet -- I turned and looked at my wardrobe and of course all my summer staples are vastly different being in Afghanistan - it made me homesick for cute flip flops and tank tops.

I hate feeling down in the dumps so I decided these are some pretty unique summer must-haves(BONUS: they're unisex so I'm totally hooked up with that whole boyfriend-fit trend- that's still going on right?). I present to you:

Summer Wardrobe Staples (in a combat zone)

Daytime look:
Boot socks- drop a little powder in these babies to keep wetness away...for a little while anyway

FROG top and bottom- FROG actually stands for Flame Resistant Organizational Gear. These are also thinner than regular cammies keeping you cooler- if only they'd make a FROG sports bra =/

RAT Boots and boot bands- Rugged All-Terrain boots are a little heavy, but they are definitely more comfortable than some of the boots I've been issued. Boot bands keep the bottom of your trousers closed over the top of your boots making sure no bugs get in- unfortunately these are also annoying.

Watch- when time is of the essence, you're gonna have to keep track of it. I wouldn't recommend spending too much money on this as a deployment will really put it through the wringer

Flak: IFAK, mag pouches, mags, ammo, TQ, drop pouch, carabiner(s)-

Kevlar- Yes, Kevlar is a type of material- this handy helmet is made out of it hence the clever name

M4 (rifle)- This and Water are tied for 1st place of essential accessories. Clean it, respect it and never ever lose it.

Sunglasses- ballistic eyewear is a must, you can either have the actual tinted lens or switch out for a clear lens. Being a photographer my work depends on my eyes being taken care of, so I usually chose the clear lens if I'm out and need protective eyewear, but I usually never walk outside without my sunglasses.

Cover: 8 point or Boonie- A cover is the Marine term for Hat. 8 points are usually what you think of when thinking of a Marine, the boonie cover is more of a wilderness look and actually offers better protection from the sun.

Water- Water is the most important accessory to have this summer, and it's great for your skin!

Nighttime/Leisure Look:

Green Skivvy Shirt- a nice green cotton tee keeps you somewhat cool on hot Afghan nights

Silkies- or any type of super lightweight shorts to stay cool

Shower Shoes- Also known as flip flops. I started this deployment with a two-dollar pair from Old Navy, but they broke just about a month ago so now I have plain black ones that are bound to break any day now. These are essential in showering, a pair of these keep your feet off of the shower floor as well as the entire shower area. This is also the only time crocs are acceptable- and kind of even the pair of shower shoes that are sought after.


If you feel you're not really getting a sense of my totally cool outfit provided by Uncle Sam, I will be posting photos later, it's just hard to get photos up with the internet connection out here

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Remember to stop by Hello Neverland's blog, she has great tips and prompts - I feel like I've stumbled upon buried treasure!