Whenever I travel, I like to pack light -- but at BlogHer's annual conference, packing light is almost an impossible feat. Whenever I'm at BlogHer my inner girly-girl comes out, and I find myself obsessing about what to wear. Maybe it's the presence of all those women -- Alfie likes to accuse me of dressing up for my girlfriends more than I do for him -- , but somehow alternating 3 shirts with the same pair of jeans just won't do. I was looking at daytime outfits and evening outfits, accessories included, for 3 days and 3 nights.
The cruel truth is that packing light for BlogHer is more important that ever, because as surely as Alfie likes chocolate, I know I'll be getting lots of swag, and I need lots and lots of space in my suitcase for it! Short of throwing all my clothes away to make room for the swag, what's a girl to do?
Enter Ming Wang. This clothing company offered to send me an outfit of my choice to wear to BlogHer 2010, and I eagerly accepted because a key feature of Ming Wang's line is their wrinkle-free, packable material. I wore a two piece Ming Wang tank and blazer combination to last night's BlogHer cocktail party; here's what I thought:
The Basics
Ming Wang offers a simple solution, a versatile collection of chic, effortless knitwear designed for the modern woman. Machine washable, wrinkle-free, and color-guarded, the line is ideal for travel and practical packing. Its separate pieces pair vibrant colors and bold patterns with fitting timeless neutrals, making it perfect for wardrobe building and transitioning from day to night.
The Bongga
I selected a black tank with crimson-trimmed neckline and paired it with a matching crimson jacked with black trim in a 3/4 sleeve, high-collar design. I was a bit anxious about committing to wearing the outfit because you never know how things will look and fit in the flesh when all you have to go on is a photo of the outfit on a slim, gorgeous model. I certainly didn't want to wear something unflattering to a BlogHer cocktail party, but in spite of my initial reservations, once I put my outfit together I fell in love with it and got lots of compliments from bloggers last night! Here's what I loved most about the outfit:
* The material is perfect for traveling because it doesn't wrinkle at all. I didn't bother folding the tank or the jacket, I literally threw them into my suitcase, where they were quickly scrunched up into a ball between my shoes and my toiletry kit. But they came out looking as fresh and wrinkle-free as though they had been on a hanger the whole time. For a person who hates ironing as much as I do, this outfit was a gold mine.
* The material is so thin, it barely takes up any space in my suitcase.
* It's machine-washable, so I don't have to worry about dry cleaning or soaking in the sink or any of that nonsense.
* The material feels great!
The BlahI have to admit, I had a difficult time selecting an outfit because the styles seemed more suitable to a mature businesswoman than a mom temporarily freed from kids and husband, looking to party hard with her girlfriends.
Ming Wang does have some classic, elegant, travel-friendly dresses I would have loved to wear, but they weren't available. Besides, I'm so tired of wearing black when I go out, and I thought that red would make a nice, vibrant change.
In any case, I decided to pair the tank and jacket with a short, flared skirt and high heels, which gave the outfit a fun, flirty flair and banished any worries of looking matronly out of my head. The Ming Wang people even sent me a matching black tote bag which proved to be the perfect accessory! I felt confident and pretty all evening in my Ming Wang outfit -- and it barely took up any space in my suitcase.
The Bottom Line
Ming Wang outfits combine classic styling with wrinkle-free, space-saving fabric. They're perfect for business travel or for anyone who needs to look nice while living out of a suitcase!
Disclosure: I received product samples from Ming Wang, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
