How to Dress for Travel the LUXE Way

It’s about this time of year that “the holidays” reach the max stress point with me. I start daydreaming about unplugging all the lights, chucking a bathing suit in a bag, and running to the airport to just randomly pick a warm destination with lots of sand, sea, and Champagne.

I think that the reason I am who I am today is because I travel. Scott and I explore the world every chance we get and it’s become a sort of lifestyle.

I love the anticipation of being able to go somewhere I’ve never experienced before and moving beyond everyday life. A desire for adventure is definitely one of my personal characteristics. It’s the challenges of the NEW.

One always wants to be well-dressed when on the road, but not stressed about the fussiness of overt outfits. Here are six rules to keep it simple, but always sophisticated and chic.

Rule One: Trench Coats are Required

It can be tricky to select an all-encompassing travel wardrobe as every trip is different, but a trench coat is the ultimate item to pack. It can take you anywhere. You can use it as a blanket to wrap yourself in and feel safe. When you’re going to an unknown land, it’s easy to feel exposed and so having this sort of “shield” that envelopes you and takes care of you is very reassuring.

Plus, a trench looks great with everything. A classic khaki trench can be paired with jeans, dresses, and skirts for either day or evening. The belt is a wonderful feminine component as it cinches your waist and displays your figure.

Rule Two: Think of Your Clothes as Storytellers

I think holding onto clothing is almost like a fetishistic part of me. Depending on the experience I’ve had in an item, I have this belief that there is a kind of soul imbued into it – a spirit of sorts – and parting with it would be like giving a piece of myself away.

There are memories connected to clothing, and I collect pieces, and jewelry, from around the world as souvenirs. They remind me of who and where I was at a certain point in my life. I’m also fanatical enough to keep a clothing diary… a record of my travels and who/where saw what outfit I wore.

Rule Three: Be Chic and Sleek

It’s about freedom of movement. When traveling, you’re usually going to an unknown place, so you need to feel emboldened and not constricted by your clothing. It’s also can be an emotional journey, so you don’t want to be held back by clothes that shout and overwhelm your own personality.

Clothes always need to work for you, but it’s double (or triple) duty when traveling… functioning in multiple ways, matching with an edited wardrobe to other pieces to provide both style and comfort. Women who travel often are known to go without all that extra frosting. They keep their outfits simple, quality, and tailored to their body shape.

Rule Four: Cashmere is Key

For me, anything in cashmere eases the stress of a long trip. When I take a plane, I have a ritual… I wear a cashmere sweater with track-pants and sneakers, plus I always tuck a throw into my carry-on bag. It’s warming when it’s needs to be, but also breathes when it’s hot, so it can be worn once you reach your destination.

Rule Five: Dare to Dress in Color

It’s very strange… high fashion is having a HIGH COLOR, eclectic moment, but on the street, there’s very little color being worn (especially this time of year). Most women are quite rigid in their choices, but if you look back in history, people wore so much color.

I love it when I see women experimenting with the full palette of shades. Color, and offsetting unexpected hues against one another, is a subtle way to make a major impact on your own mood and on others.

Erdem Resort

Rule Six: Be REAL… It’s the Ultimate Fashion Statement

While my core purpose here is to promote the idea of and teach you how to “Adorn Differently,” I always want to talk about realism in fashion. I have a vision of what that means to me when I’m designing. I always try to understand how the woman I have in mind would feel carrying the bags I create, how she will go about her life wearing them.

When traveling, you want to pay attention to your new surroundings, not your heels that are rubbing a blister, your bra strap that’s wandering, or your belt that’s crawling. Think about these six tips and you’re sure to travel as the authentic you without a wrinkle.