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Observations in Fashion

6 Pieces I Always Pack When I Travel Regardless Of The Season

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I was packing for a trip last month and remarked to myself just how easy packing for a trip has become—practice makes perfect, right?

In fact my packing technique is rather formulaic—I pack more tops than bottoms and choose basic colors.  In addition, I take along shoes I can comfortably walk in for hours, and cardigans because they make such great layering pieces.

But the other thing I noticed was that regardless of the season I always pack these 6 items.

~Tee shirts

Tee shirts are incredibly versatile, take up very little room in your luggage, and can easily be dressed up when you pair them with fancier separates.

~Crossbody bag that easily converts to an evening bag

Look for a crossbody bag that has 2 separate flaps. This feature can take your bag from day to evening seamlessly. Or find a crossbody bag with a detachable strap.

~Large travel scarf

I have mentioned the need to travel with a large scarf in many of my videos and I am going to mention scarves again because I cannot stress enough how practical they are! Evenings can get chilly even when the days are hot. And they come in handy on your flight when the crew decides to crank up the AC.

~Slim cut pants with a bit of lycra

Pants that are made in a woven fabric with lycra are key as it makes for a more comfortable fit. Keep in mind with too much lycra there is a chance your pants will bag out and will not return to their original shape until after they are laundered.

~Printed neck scarves

If you are a minimalist packer like i am then you pack a lot of black, grey and cream pieces because they can easily be worn interchangeably. I pack a few printed scarves because they are the accessory that will immediately jazz up my outfit. And in addition they don’t take a lot of room.

~One pair of your favorite earrings

And speaking of packing with a minimalist approach I don’t pack a lot of jewelry. However, I do take along one really exquisite pair of earrings because they can easily add elegance to any outfit.

Eat well, laugh a lot, and travel chic!

Great Travel Outfits—The Fall/Winter Edition

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Knowing exactly what to pack for a trip takes some practice. There is much to consider when  planning your outfits for a vacation or business travel. Weather, activities, and comfort are a few line items to contemplate. The fact is the more time you take to plan what you will be wearing the more seamless your journey will be.

Your style is important but so is comfort. The other sometimes overlooked factor for consideration is confidence. You don’t want to land somewhere and look like a tourist. You want to blend into the culture and feel as though you fit right in. 

Before you begin packing for your next trip reach for pieces that are practical (easy to launder and wrinkle resistant), can be layered and worn with other items you have packed.

What you need to pack is simple—cardigans, pants with a little stretch, scarves that can also be worn as a wrap, tee shirts and knit tops in soft fabrics, boots with a thick sole for walking, and of course a great cold weather coat. Here are a few outfits to get you started.

Your packing list should include a fabulous winter coat, comfortable jeans, an oversized sweater, and easy-to-walk in ankle boots.
PS-Don’t forget your gloves!
A knit dress is an essential piece of clothing during the colder months of Fall and Winter. They are wrinkle resistant, forgiving, and so easy to wear.
This travel outfit is perfect for many occasions.
When you choose your travel outfits consider packing knits and woven fabrics with a bit of lycra. Adding splashes of color is also worth adding to your packing list.
Combat boots with a thick Vibram sole are indispensable if you plan on doing a lot of walking. Another piece to pack would be a sweater jacket as they can be easily worn as a layering piece underneath a coat.
Pack plenty of knit tops in different colors, plush sweaters, and good walking boots.
This outfit will work seamlessly on your flight and on the ground.

Eat well, laugh a lot, and travel chic!

A Life In Heels And A Few Regrets

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On July 1 of this year Debbie Harry turned 74. As the lead singer of the New Wave band Blondie, Debbie was not only known as a punk icon but she was also a prodigious trendsetter. In her memoir Face It, she writes about her decades-long life as a struggles and successes as an artist.  But when asked by a reporter about any regrets, she insisted, “The only thing I regret is I can’t wear heels anymore.”

As much as I enjoyed the NY Times piece about Debbie Harry, it was this declaration that resonated.  “The only thing I regret is I can’t wear heels anymore.” It’s worth mentioning that her rock star, life story presents a rich assortment of much more promising contenders for life’s regrets but no.  Debbie’s only real regret is that she can no longer wear heels.

I empathize.  Heels are the fashion staple that make us taller and give us slimmer silhouettes, longer legs, and a youthful, sensual feeling.  Giving up heels is an acknowledgment that we have reached middle age. 

In reality, we enter middle age sometime in our 40s.  But it isn’t until our 50s or even 60s that the realization sets in.  When it does, we begin reassessing our wardrobes and mourn the days of our youth when we could wear our skirts shorter, our tops tighter, and our heels higher. And so we reluctantly begin a wardrobe makeover. We wonder how we were ever able to to balance our bodies on sky-high heels for hours on end for days on end.

When I look at my own wardrobe, I take inventory of all of the heels I no longer wear that sit dormant in my closet collecting dust. I have given away many in recent years. But I still have quite a few that never see the light of day or the darkness of night.  Like some of you I keep them because I think I will wear them again but most likely will not. However, I do still have a few standouts that I will slip on but only occasionally. 

Actually I wore a pair out to dinner the other night. I ate, I drank, I danced and just like I did when I was young my heels were the first thing I took off when I got home. I have several regrets in life.  But that night my only regret was too many glasses of champagne.

Eat well, laugh a lot, and be chic!