Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys.
When I asked singer-songwriter Jessie James Decker where her happy place is, she didn’t hesitate to answer: on the beach in Cancun, soaking up the sun with a margarita in hand. She and her husband, Eric Decker, often visit with their four kids when they can get away for a few days — beyond her music career, Decker also runs clothing brand Kittenish, and she’s publishing her fourth cookbook this spring, as well as expanding her cookware line into major retailers.
Since traveling usually means packing five suitcases (one for her, and one for each of her kids), Decker keeps things simple while getting her bag together. She reaches for her tried-and-true travel must-haves, which she shared below. Her top picks include a lip balm she’s known to keep in her bra when she doesn’t have anywhere else to put it, and the Cupshe bikini she’s currently living in (and helped design).
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“I have sensitive lips that burn easily, and once they get really burnt in the sun, they get very dry,” says Decker, who makes sure her peppermint-flavored Burt’s Bees lip balm is accessible at all times, especially when she’s spending a lot of time outside in the heat. “I’m so weird about my [lip balm] and needing it that when we were on Special Forces, I kept it between my boobs in my bra. We were in the desert, and I knew we weren’t really allowed to have it, so I snuck it in.”
“Eric got me this brown Béis suitcase a year ago , and it’s my absolute favorite,” says Decker. “It fits everything. I’ve taken that thing on a 10-day trip to Italy and carried it on, and somehow everything fits into it.” The suitcase has interior organization features like pockets and pouches, and it comes with separate removable drawstring bags you can use for laundry or shoes. It’s also expandable up to 2 inches and designed with a built-in weight indicator, TSA lock, retractable bag strap and compression straps.
Decker and her husband usually travel with their four kids who range in age from 11 to 2 years old, and at this point, they’ve nailed down how to keep them entertained during flights, especially the three younger boys. If she’s just traveling with her daughter, who’s the oldest, however, she makes flying extra special with self care activities. “We’ll bring face masks, and we love our Evian hydration spray,” says Decker. “We also love doing our nails on the plane with Olive & June’s sticky nails. We did that recently when we went to Disney.”
“I’m a Skechers girl through and through, and I’ve worn them for a million years,” says Decker about her go-to shoe for trips where she’s doing a lot of walking. “I have really sad feet that hold a lot of stress, and I haven’t found a shoe that gives my feet relief the way that these Skechers do.” She shares her love for Skechers with her kids, too. “I got Vivi a new pair recently, and when I asked her how it was going with them, she was like, ‘Everyone has these trendy shoes.’ But I told her that when it comes to your feet, I don’t care what trendy is. As long as you feel good and comfy, that’s what matters. Your feet are your investment.”
“My best friend Jessica [Payne] gifted me one of these Stoney Clover pouches that says ‘You’re a virgin that can’t drive,’ which is a line from the movie Clueless,” says Decker. “That’s my go-to toiletry bag right now because it just makes me smile. I think about Jessica every time I use it because it’s so her humor.” The nylon pouch has a flat bottom so it sits up by itself on sink counters and vanities, and it’s big enough to fit hair tools, makeup, skin care and more. Beyond customizing it with a phrase like Decker’s friend did, you can add a monogram and patches for an additional fee if you place an order through Stoney Clover Lane’s website.
Casa Del Sol is the second swim and beachwear collection Decker has worked on with Cupshe, and this time around, she had a much bigger role in the design process. When it came time to decide on the line’s overall look, she immediately had a vision. “I’m really inspired by tropicals since we go to Cancun a lot,” says Decker. “We love the feeling that we get when we’re there, the colors, the smells, all the plants — it really embodies what I wanted this collection to be.”
The collection dropped in two parts, both of which are available now. There’s women’s and men’s styles, including matching pieces that Decker and her husband modeled together for the campaign (which they shot a few days after going to Mexico). Out of all the swimsuits, cover-ups and dresses she helped bring to life, Decker’s favorite is the Muy Caliente Bikini Set.
“There’s so many styles with beautiful prints, jewels and hardware, but I love one of the more basic suits: a simple little red bikini,” she says. “It feels like it fits me like a glove, it’s got a ribbed material that’s very textured and red is a power color.”
It makes sense that Decker is most drawn to a swimsuit: “I had this conversation with Jessica Simpson, and she said, ‘I feel like every girl has something they collect more than anything else.” says Decker. “That made me sit back and think about what that thing is for me, and I realized that it’s swimsuits. I have more swimsuits than anyone I know. I have bins and bins of them because I just love them so much, and any time I can design them or have any sort of involvement in a collection, I want to.”
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I’m a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Paris Hilton, Maureen Kelly, Hannah Berner and Chase Crawford. To write this article, I interviewed Jessie James Decker about her favorite products to travel with, and her collaboration with Cupshe.
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