Fashion from a Press Perspective: Packing for a Road Trip in Vegas with a Hockey Mentality

The inevitable road trip, something in the world of hockey that you’ll experience more than once. Heading out on the road is a fun perk of covering a team, experiencing new cities, arenas and members of the media for different teams are all enjoyable — packing however, not as much. I’ve been lucky enough to visit different arenas throughout the league and this past week, I headed to Las Vegas for the 2014 NHL Awards. As a hockey journalist, 75% of your time is spent inside a rink, so dressing for the cooler temperatures is par for the course. But the NHL Awards take place in Sin City, where the average temperatures in mid-June range from a balmy 103-110 degrees… ummmm, how does one pack for the hotter than h-e-double hockey sticks heat, while still remaining professional? Its a line that can be hard to skate as a female to say the least. While the NHL Awards host a plethora of events over the course of a few days, the two main events are media day and awards day.

Media Day is generally held in the late morning, the day prior to the awards themselves. It doesn’t matter than every hotel and casino is air conditioned to feel similar to the arctic circle, it still isn’t cold enough. Unless you’d like to melt into a puddle, choosing airy breathable fabrics are 100% the way to go. For those of you that are unaware, I cover the Boston Bruins during the season, so, as you might imagine, the opportunity to wear black and yellow throughout the season are scarce. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again, but the awards allow for a little leeway in terms of color combinations, so I took the chance to represent the home team.

Media Day Breakdown: 

Lightweight yellow blouse, Nordstrom Rack, $17.99
Black and white striped shorts, Grime Thrift Shop, $12
Black tassle drop necklace, yard sale, $2
Black belt, Wet Seal, clearance, $.60
Nude pumps, Target, $22.99

Awards day itself is all about the walking. Walking from the media room, to the red carpet, to the media room, to the red carpet, then back to the media room, then to winner availability and so on. Sure, a pair of sky high stilettos would be a lovely choice, but realistically, picking a pair of shoes that you can walk miles in without dying is a key component to surviving awards day. Not to mention, picking a dress that you can comfortably live with for hours and hours on end is a smart decision.

Awards Day Breakdown:

Long white maxi dress, Dainty Hooligan, under $50
Tan gladiator wedges, DSW, $24.99

Ultimately, if you’re heading to Vegas in the middle of summer, your pack list should include, lightweight dresses, shorts, tanks, sandals, sunglasses and sunscreen, if it starts with an S, pack it. Hockey fans in Vegas, be prepared… most of you have never worn a jersey with shorts and it’s an experience that all of you should have on your bucket list — especially if the combination is being worn as a fan at the NHL Awards.