RPT + JAPAN

In June this year, I went on a 2 week trip to Japan - somewhere I've wanted to go for a very long time. The travel crew was me, my husband, my son, and my mom, together for a multi-generational trip of a lifetime! I wanted to share what I packed, and why, and how it all worked. The pieces I design and make for Rebecca Pearcy Textiles are intended to be practical, functional, comfortable, stylish, and help you express YOU. I think that traveling with these clothing options is kind of the ultimate test - here's how it went!

Packing for a trip is hard! I usually bring too much. But for our trip to Japan, I wanted to be really intentional about what I packed - keep it as minimal as possible, comfortable, easy to layer, and fit my style and aesthetic. The weather is always a factor, and June in Japan is warm to hot, humid, and also the rainy season. In addition to the RPT pieces that I packed (shown above), I also brought a few other items: a thrifted men's cotton button down shirt and vintage skirt, a pair of pants that I hacked from a pattern, a pair of pants from Uniqlo, a sweatshirt for the plane, 2 pairs of shoes, and a small secondhand backpack. And I bought some things there because ... everything in Japan is SO GOOD.  

The Patti Jacket was my pick for the plane trips - not too heavy of a layer, but still cozy if the cabin was too cold. Huge pockets for holding anything at all. Me and Mom, ready for takeoff!

Our first stop in Japan was Osaka. On our first day we walked to the Namba Osaka Jinja (Lion) shrine - so cool! I got a lot of wear out of my Chainlink Tee. The black and white color scheme was easy to wear with anything else in my suitcase. 

At the huge gate entrance of the Osaka Castle, pic by my son. Worn with some hacked elastic waist Coe Trousers (pattern by Daughter Judy) that I've been wearing a lot.

With my Mom on the grounds of the Osaka Castle. Wearing my cropped tee in Rainbow Sprinkles, paired with a thrifted vintage skirt. The crop tee pairs well with anything high-waisted (unless you don't mind showing some skin :), and is light and breathable. The little colorful ink sprinkles are subtle and make an otherwise plain white tee more fun. I bought the shoes specifically for the trip - for walking and also because they are designed to slip on/off easily without having to use your hands. You take your shoes off a lot in Japan. The brand is Kizik and I like them a lot. Very comfortable and go with everything. I added Super Feet insoles for  arch support. 

My absolute favorite outfit ended up being my black Janis Pants worn with a thrifted mens lightweight button up shirt. SO comfortable but still felt put-together. Janis with the elastic-waist, wide-leg, flowy and breezy. The shirt was lightweight and crisp, oversized and breathable. I bought some Chaco sandals for the trip for hot and/or wet days. I found them pretty comfortable but not necessarily for walking hours on end. This pic was taken outside of Linnet Kyoto, a really sweet little fabric store that specializes in linen fabrics. The lanyard around my neck was a Japan purchase - I found that constantly taking my phone out of my pocket or bag became very annoying, so I bought the lanyard to be able wear my phone and easily grab it and take pics or pull up google maps or translate or whatever. Also makes it harder to lose your phone. One of the best purchase decisions!

My cobalt Diana Dress (midi length) was awesome for layering. Light and breezy, a fun color that's easy to wear and mix with other colors. Great on a hot day. Worn here with my constant companion - the mens button down shirt. I bought a lightweight, small, nylon Baggallini backpack from eBay for my day bag, worked great. Pic by my Mom at the famous Arishiyama bamboo forest.

Here, in my fave outfit, on our very last day in Japan, at JAM in Osaka. This was a really inspiring and wonderful place for me to visit. It's a screen printing and RISO workshop where folks can learn how to print and rent time to use the space and tools. I'll write more about it in another blog post that focuses on the fabric, craft, art, and maker aspects of my trip. 

Had to share this pic of my Mom, because it's cute and she LOVES ginkgo leaves, like I love ginkgo leaves. We found some on the ground on a walk in Kanazawa. She wanted to keep them but I think they don't let you bring that kind of thing on a plane :) Also, I just have to say, my Mom was a total rock star on this trip! We did A LOT and she participated fully. A big reason we took this adventure now is because I'm not sure how many more she will be up for. So I wanted to do it while she is still able, and while my kiddo (16 y.o.) is still at home. Life is short, take the trip! 

This was one of the most fun places we went in Japan - a restaurant in Osaka that a friend recommended. You ordered at the counter and then if you wanted a drink, you had to squeeze the chicken and drop your money into a basket and then serve yourself. I got to squeeze it 4 times for the 4 of us. Chainklink tee. 

Next up, I'll work on a post about the fabric, fashion, crafts, and art aspects of this trip, which are some of the main reasons I wanted to go to Japan. Thanks for reading!

Goodbye for now! (Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto)