“Build a life you love and you’ll never need a vacation.” I don’t know who said that, but I’d have to disagree. Sure, I love my day-to-day life, but every now and then you have to slip off to a place where 11 AM piña coladas aren’t frowned upon. While I’m pretending that the tropical views are my backyard, I need the wardrobe to match.

For my honeymoon in Aruba, I knew that I wanted to feel bright and feminine, but most importantly, comfortable. After a 10-month sprint of wedding planning, the vacay was much needed. And while Vacation Kindra has bands on bands to invest in this dream wardrobe of mine *insert money emoji*, Real-Life Kindra has bills. So, I pulled some pieces out of my archive, bought a few new resort looks, and let Rent the Runway fill in the gaps.

From cliff diving and ATVing to candlelit beach dinners, keep reading for my Aruba honeymoon travel diary—including every look I wore along the way.

I might double book myself any given week at work, but I am not the busy tourist. I like to have about 3 events on the calendar for the week, and I always alternate those active days with entire days of going with the flow, trying new food, and enjoying the beach or a pool. That’s exactly how we approached our honeymoon, and my only regret is not making it to the south side of the island to party with the locals. (Disclaimer: We were fully vaxxed and Aruba adhered to strict testing and mask guidelines).

Day One: We wandered to downtown Aruba. It was early October and a bit off-season (not to mention a global pandemic), so we got to explore the sleepy downtown area and local markets at our own pace. I opted for my Moon River Orange Halter Crop Top, Amur Prudence Pants, and Yusefi Mini Bom Crossbody Bag. Thankfully, I came across a wide-brimmed visor for a bit of shade because that Aruban sun is no joke!

Later that evening, I took a dip in the pool in my Farm Rio swimsuit and YGN Turban.

Day Two: For some reason, I imagined Aruba would be a lush, tropical landscape, but it’s actually a volcanic island and the complete opposite. Instead of fresh fruit and overgrown vegetation, there were lots of cactuses and cliffs. The local mountains were perfect for a morning of exploring by ATV, and the views were breathtaking. Seriously, the pictures don’t do it justice. We got super active hiking to peaks and climbing through ruins, so I’m glad that I was ready for an adventure in my Kurlee Kurves Sumer Fling Cotton Candy Set. Underneath, I wore my go-to Malia Mills swimsuit to be ready for the beach.

Later that evening, we ventured out to a strip of swanky restaurants and shops. I wish I could remember the name of our dinner reservation, but it was just as sexy as my W35T Galaxy Wrap Dress from The Folklore. On this night, I wore my Cult Gaia Jila Sandals. One of the few times I wore another shoe besides my Arizona Birkenstocks (hey, I chose comfort).

Day Three: The following day was more pool-lounging and piña coladas until it was time to get ready. We had dinner reservations at Passions on the Beach and it was such a nice romantic evening to eat just as the sun was setting over Eagle Beach. I channeled my inner “hot wife” in my rented Staud Printed Kai Top and ivory Ralpha Lauren joggers.

Day 4: We were off to Palm Island, and even though I have to admit that it was a total tourist trap, I really enjoyed it. We snorkeled, rode a banana boat, saw some flamingos, and road the waterslides repeatedly like little kids. My Farm Rio Painted Toucans Uni Shorts Set was a fun, comfy set to wear over my Malia Mills swimsuit, and I even wore it again later in the week over another MM suit.

Later that night, we insisted on going out to eat, but this was definitely crossing into “doing the most” territory for me. I wish I had another chance to give this Staud Apfel Maxi in Pink everything it deserved, but at least it was able to make a brief debut before I ended the night early to get some rest.

Day 5: We spent all day reading by the pool and floating in some of the bluest water ever. After sunset, we had dinner at Las Ramblas (the on-site restaurant at our resort) and decided to have a nightcap with some hip hop & RnB music at South Beach Aruba. I’m obsessed with my Farm Rio Double Scarves Mini Skirt and I paired it with a Babaton tank from Aritzia for a look I have to wear again.

Day 6: For our final day, I tried to do my best to live in the moment and not contemplate how I could extend my trip to make time to visit Baby Beach and find a more authentic Aruban experience. Aruba is a very international island that caters to tourists, but I’m determined to return and taste the real flavor. For my final beach day, I pulled out my Gucci shades, a simple headscarf, and a light and summery Wilfred sundress from Aritzia that I wore over my Riot swimsuit.

For our final event, we enjoyed a sunset cruise and soaked in how truly grateful we are. I felt so blessed to have just experienced the wedding of our dreams (more on that later) and to be having such a beautiful experience. My happy was matched on the outside with my Farm Rio crop top and these colorful Great Jones Multi Foral Pants. They were super flattering and I wore these all summer long.

So now, as I write this post in the remnant of an NYC winter storm, my mind is tempted to wander to my next escape via warm vacation. But the fact is, I’m here right now, and there’s so much beauty in all of the experiences in-between those passport stamps. Sure, I’ll continue to dream about my vacation wardrobe, maybe I’ll even go ahead and add to cart, but in the meantime, I’m remembering to enjoy the beauty of my everyday.

With Style & SOUL,