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January 2001 Fashion Secret
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Dressing and Packing for Vacation
This time of year, a mass exodus takes place as people shun their winter apparel and head south, as far south as possible. Providing that the weather cooperates and you actually board the plane (and take off!), your winter vacation is a time to relax, enjoy the sun and read lots of mindless books or shop and sightsee until your heart's content. Ooooh, it sounds great!
As the time approaches, you begin to think about what to wear and how to pack. I'd like to share a few tips that might make your traveling experience a bit less harried.
WHAT TO WEAR:
If you're a seasoned traveler then you know that not everyone in every culture dresses the same way we do. The last thing you want to do is have your vacation fun jeopardized because you didn't pack the appropriate garments.
This time of year, most people, unless you're die-hard ski enthusiasts, travel to warm places to escape the ever-present cold in the north. If you're going somewhere new to you, especially somewhere outside your country, do a little research. For instance:
- In many cultures, you'll find that only tourists wear shorts--even when it's dreadfully hot outside. A cool pair of lightweight pants or a long skirt are more fitting attire.
- Forego any tight tops that reveal too much cleavage, or abdomen. In some places, even exposed shoulders and/or collarbones are considered immodest or inappropriate. Feel free to bring tank tops but have a light sweater or scarf to drape over yourself when necessary.
- The same goes for shoes. Be practical. If you're going somewhere where you'll be sightseeing, be prepared with comfortable shoes and always carry something other than sandals in case open-toed shoes are not allowed (yes, that can happen).
- Although we tend to wear a lot of light colors, especially white in the summer, there are many countries where light colored clothing is totally impractical, at least as your mainstay color. The last thing you want to spend time doing on your vacation is laundry.
- A great travel resource for women is www.journeywoman.com.
PACKING:
Most people I know make their plans in the Fall (or before to get the flights they want) and then they count the days until their departure time. What usually happens, however, is that all the packing takes place the night before (sound familiar?), but that's beside the point. Once you get there you want to make sure that you can just pull your clothing out of your suitcase, hang it in the closet and forget about it. No ironing on vacation! So, how do you pack and arrive virtually wrinkle-free?
Here are a couple of quick tips:
- Make a list of what you generally bring on vacation to make it easier to pack and so there's less concern about forgetting something or, worse, having to shop to replace it once you get there. If it's helpful, I'm happy to e-mail my general list to get you started.
- Save your dry cleaner bags. Place one article of clothing in the suitcase and let the ends hang out. Put a dry cleaner bag over it. Place another piece of clothing on top of the bag, let the ends hang out of a different side and put another dry cleaner bag over it. Continue until all your clothing is packed. When it's done, fold in all the ends that are hanging out. The bags create air pockets between the clothing so that it doesn't get squished and wrinkled. By folding all the ends in at the end, there are no hard folds — again reducing the possibility of wrinkles.
- If this idea is too much work, invest in great travel clothes — something in a knit fabric with perhaps a bit of spandex or one of the new microfibers — in other words, something that resists wrinkling. Two lines of clothing that are perfect for travel are Weekender Casualwear and French Rags. Neither line is sold in stores. Find someone who represents the line and sells it out of her home or office. Many times you can roll knit clothing and unroll it when you're ready to wear it.
- Be sure to place your shoes in plastic bags or shoe bags before packing. Tuck them along the edges of the suitcase. To maximize space, consider sticking a sock, underwear or belt in each shoe.
- If all else fails, open your suitcase, throw in your clothing and run to the airport. (No kidding!)
Lastly, when traveling, the better you are dressed, the better your chance of being bumped to first class when room allows. Not a bad way to travel!
Have a wonderful trip!
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Sun image courtesy ArtToday.com
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