March 31, 2008
travel tip:
Carry It On
Perhaps you’ve read the reports and heard the statistics, and you know what—it’s all true. Lost or missing luggage incidence has risen a whopping 60+% since last year. That’s right, now not only are airlines shoving us “valuable” customers into smaller seats and making us go hungry (Have I mentioned how I refuse to pay $5 for Pringles!?!?), but the fabulous folks in the friendly skies are also messin’ with your personal belongings. And I’m here to tell you it’s all true.
In fact, on a trip to the Med. isle of Cyprus, my bags got lost in both directions! But luckily I employed my Fail-Safe carry-on method. And I was so stylin’ at the welcome dinner that my fellow travelers thought I had dressed from my own (read: home) closet not a lost suitcase.
Here’s what I always carry on:
- 2 scarves/wraps. Depending on the season and destination, I carry at least one cotton or cash. one and a silk one. Not only do they come in handy for those chilly cabin temps, but they also instantly add pizzazz to any outfit. I’ve got a series of cotton dresses that I wear when I’m on the run and when I wrap a scarf in a jaunty way, it looks like I’ve spent hours pulling together the look. Plus (and this is a biggie) scarves are good to cover your head, shoulders and knees that may not be allowed to show in some temples, churches and other places where modesty rules. Case in point: Crawford Market, Bombay. Boy was I glad had my shoulders covered during that being leered at experience.
- 2 pairs of shoes. I know. I know it sounds so over-the-top fashionista-ie of me, but this one is a very very important (and heavy) part of the equation. I always wear no lace required sneaks on the plane. Why? Well, besides begin the bomb of comfort, they are easy to slip off for security and it’s always a good idea to have sturdy shoes on your soles, in case you need to exit the plane in a flash. (I got that tip from watching Oprah waaay back when fire was invented.)
So, I always carry a pair of heels for those dinners on the town. And a pair of spiffy sandals to do some touring. If I’m going to a cooler (temp. wise) destination I throw in an extra pair of sneakers. After sitting on a plane, I like the change of tread.
If you really want to be like me you can store them in cute little shoe bags. Some expensive brands give you the dust bags with purchase, or you can get some a-dorable cotton ones at uncommongoods.com. They also have wicked cute undies ones, which brings me to my next point: - Underoos. Pack ‘em in your carry-on and you won’t have to pick up some random Viva Las Vegas pair when you’ve got to wait for your luggage to arrive. I have an out of this world, cutest thing ever bag that says Wash Me and Wear Me. I stick all the changes I’m going to need, plus one to two in case of unforeseen layovers, into that divided pouch and I’m off. And let me tell you, sheepish security guys never open that zipper when they’re trouncing through my stuff—which is every time I fly.
- A swimsuit, a cotton dress, an oxford shirt and a cardigan. My mother always says: “Bathing suits don’t weigh anything.” And nothing feels better than jumping into the fancypants pool at your destination the minute you arrive. If you are one of those people that bloats to high heaven a-la-moi when inflight, the post-landing swim makes it all seem just a little ok. Cotton dresses take up zero to negative space on your bag; they are easy to iron (or steam while you are showering) and, depending on your shoes selection, can easily go from day-tonight.
Personally, I never wear button-down shirts, except when I’m traveling. They make great swimsuit cover-ups, fantastic night shirts and you can top the aforementioned cotton dress during the day for a fantastic touring look. The cardi is an absolute must for chilly night, crisp mornings and unforeseeable strong air conditioning. I carry one wherever I go—even when I’m not on the road.
Another item I always always bring is a blazer. Place it over the dress and abracabra you’ve got a meeting with the parents, dinner with publisher or romance in Paris evening look that’s easy breezy and stylish. I usually wear it on the plane. It makes me look a little more presentable. And I also do it, so it doesn’t get all bunched up in the bag. - Les jewels. I tend to over accessorize, but to quote Olympia Dukakis in Steel Magnolias: “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” Now don’t bring the good stuff, but a few costume pieces here and there make you look less like “I’m not feeling myself in this place” and more like “I’m so comfortable with myself in these cool new surroundings that you can’t take your eyes off me.”
- Rosebud Salve, toothpaste, toothbrush. Even though you should never use plane water to brush your teeth, givin a good ‘ole brusha brusha after hours of being trapped in circulated air make you feel like a million bucks. As for the Rosebud Salve, it is my go-to for lips, cracked cuticles and even hair. And I may point out—it is neither a gel, nor a liquid…
- Books, magazines, iPod—your choice here. But I like to be overly entertained when I’m trapped on a plane. Because as regular readers of this blog know, I hate to fly.
Posted by Jenna at 9:34 a.m.
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