Bleisure Travel - New name, not so new idea

For those of us who have been living out of a suitcase for years, the idea of sneaking in a few vacation days on the back of a business trip is nothing new.  We've made the journey,  we're staying in some pretty nice digs, so why not seize the opportunity to soak up some local flavor, or, take a day trip down a road less travelled?

-Mary, ocean+main Founder

Marketers have now embraced the idea of combining business and leisure travel and re-packaged the concept as Bleisure Travel, a name, itself, that could use a rebranding, but we digress. 

On these trips, the wardrobe conumdrum raises its confused head.  How do we adhere to a strick 'carry-on-only' rule when we have to dress for the beach and the boardroom?  When traveling with work collegues, how do we remain casual yet professional? Seeing Steve from accounting in his Speedo is not top of our list, and, we're pretty sure we don't want him to see us in ours, either. 

Part of the inspiration for ocean+main was the need to address this apparel quandry.  We wanted clothes that were casual, comfortable, polished and chic.  Clothes that travelled well and packed light.  From coffee on the lanai to dinner at a local hole-in-the-wall, we wanted a few pieces that could do it all.   And those spa robes?   Forget it.  We prefer to walk through the hotel without advertising we've just booked three hours of decadent relaxation or look like our Uncle Sal on a Saturday morning. 

Professional traveller and ocean+main afficiando, LaRhesa Moon, put it best.  As founder and CEO of Articulate, a corporate communications and strategic planning firm, LaRhesa has been attending corporate conference and executive team building conclaves for years. 

 "The benefits of gathering employees in parts unknown hoping out-of-the-box experiences will spur out-of-the-box thinking has always been as successful strategy. Unfortunately,  attendees often think a casual work environment means overly casual dress.  My ocean+main caftans and tunics are the perfect solution.  I feel totally appropriate and chic in any circumstance. 

My ultimate go-to travel item is the Kimono Cardi.  I love that it doubles as a scarf for chilly plane rides and at home it takes me from the gym to a meeting and I feel completely put-together.  I get compliments EVERY time I wear it."

So, we applaud you, fellow Bleisure travellers!  Sieze the day and the opportunity your job has afforded and go explore! 

We'd love to hear about your favorite travel pieces (ocean+main or not).  You might just inspire us to make something new!