Travel In Style - Your Style - Travel Tips

I like to travel. Don't we all. But sometimes the logistics and details cause a lot of anguish. Here is one way to stylefully travel. My way. First you have to think of what you're going to do while away and what type of clothing you need to pack. What the temperature is going to be and what your margin of error is. My trip this time is to Scotland. Scotland in the winter. A beautiful place. So to plan out my attire I need to check with my mate on what plans she has for me that I need to accommodate for. She says dressed for dinner one day. Aside from that, I'm on my own. Perfect. Trip is 10 days so I need to manage a few things. Shoes, undergarments, shirts, pants and a coat...possibly a hat. Ok, now this is a bit of logic that I need to use to get ready for my trip.

First I see that it is going to be in the 30's and 40's and likely rainy so that will dictate my first direction. This posting is about travel so I'll address drawers and why in another post later but make certain that you have enough and call it a day.

Travel Day Shirt: I like to wear loose fitting clothing all of the time and have a preference style of shirt for winter travel.

In this case it's a charcoal colored Tommy Bahama silk and cashmere cable knit sweater with a short mock turtle neck. It's comfortable and relaxed looking but doesn't look like I am travelling in my sweats. I like to wear a shirt underneath for a number of reasons:

1) I really don't like the feel of sweater on my torso on a long day...it makes me itch, but love how it makes me feel. The perfect solution is a nice fitting Underarmor stlye (this one is Reebock) athletic shirt.

2) Occasionally the airplane is a little warm and life is about comfort. Once in your seat if you get too hot, you could pull off your sweater and be comfortable in your athletic shirt. This isn't my preference, but it is a nice option to have.

Pants: I am a jeans kind of guy and have tried them all. I like different jeans for different reasons. This pair of jeans are nicely worn in (but not worn out) Levi 527 charcoal, boot cut, low rise. They just fit perfect. Roomy in the thighs and crotch but snug enough to stay up when the TSA requires you to remove your belt. The charcoal color makes you look just a little more dressed than blue but you are still in denim.

Shoes: I actually have a favorite pair of shoes for travel. They are made by Kenneth Cole and the only pair of KC shoes that I own. I think that they are 10 holers (5 holes per side for strings). I have had them for many years and hope they last for many more. There are a few reasons that I love these shoes.

1) They are comfortable (I could run a mile in these things if I wanted to)

2) They are innocuous ( they aren't in style nor totally unstylish)

3) They can pass for dress shoes for one day in a pinch (not evening wear but to a decent restaurant)

4) If you absolutely have to take your shoes off at the airport, they come off fast and they don't require retying for some odd reason. They of course should be retied to get maximum comfort but I could just as easily walk a mile without them being tied and they never feel like they are falling off. They hug my feet loosely untied.

Coat: Selecting the right coat for travel can be really tricky. I see a lot of different climates and do a lot of different kinds of activities. So I understand the importance of the right coat for me in any circumstance. One with style. So what did I choose for this trip? A have a really nice Ride Cell 10 snowboarding jacket in dark blue herringbone that fit the bill perfectly.

It has a high lined collar to protect from the wind, and is not only wind proof but water proof...expecting a lot of rain. It has Velcro sleeves to keep the wind from blowing up your sleeve (and a snow barrier on the bottom that you can snap is the wind is blowing up your bottom) and a lot of pockets. I particularly like the inner pockets, one in the lining for my passport and scarf and the one in the area of my chest between the zippers for my cell phone and sun glasses. Yeah, try to fish out your cell phone in the cold from your jeans... plus it's close to your ear so you can keep the ringtone down. It has super cool zippers in the rear pit area so that your torso can breathe if it gets a little warmer and a zip on hood if the weather gets really nasty. Zippers on the hip pockets are a nicety to secure stuff when your hands aren't in them... oh and of course there is a bottle opener. It will also roll up into a nice compact shape and only take up about half of your backpack if the weather gets nicer ... and it will.

Sunglasses: I never leave home without sunglasses. They are possibly one of the most important accessories any person can have. UV rated and Polarized! My choice for this trip are my Persol 2762.

These glasses are me. When I'm just walking around, sightseeing, shopping, lounging and want to feel my best, these are my go to sunglasses. They are really well made, the stainless inserts in the temples makes for an extremely comfortable fit and they just downright look great. I've heard it all. "Joe Hollywood. Got to wear his sunglasses even when the sun isn't out (during the day)".

Well, let me give you a hint. The eye doctors say that the sun can do more damage to your eyes in the day time when the sun is less visible because your pupils are open and you aren't squinting to keep out the light. Want to avoid cataract surgery (or at least defer it? Sunglasses...and not from the Dollar store!

Luggage: Who doesn't want fine luggage to show how successful they are when they travel? Me! Of course I have a really nice Magli duffel that I travel a few hundred miles in my car and want to treat myself but from miles of road in the airport I have learned one really good lesson.

Get a bag that is fairly light and looks like it would take a beating... and that is disposable. The airlines employees don't intentionally destroy your bags. It just happens. They handle millions of bags daily it's just a fact of life.

I have a Lucas roller bag with me on this trip and it's very much like the ideal bag (an army duffle bag) but with rollers. It has some cool pockets to keep your stuff separated and it rolls nicely but it has two really important qualities.

1) It's beautiful bright blue nylon and looks like no one else's.

2) It's not terribly expensive so when the trip's over or the next one, or the next one, when someone pulls the handle off or the wheel is broken, I throw it away. It's just a bag made to last a few trips and all of the abuse in the world isn't going to change that. Sure, I could get a Tumi bag for this purpose. Had some before ... probably still do. But when I see some ratty assed bag come out on the belt and I think, that poor fella can't afford a nice bag,... then realize my bag is just falling apart, I know I haven't spent much and I really don't care. I mean... it's just a receptacle to keep my cool stuff cool!


My carry on: Yes my carry on is my most important bag. I have a number to choose from but my go to bag is a red and black Tony Hawk backpack.

I typically put in this anything that I must have at my fingertips and that's it. Books, tablet, toothbrush, paste chargers, earbuds, music, fluids, a baseball cap and some travel food, maybe a sandwich of granola bars. Possibly a change of shirt or a light weight jacket on different trips. A backpack is a beautiful thing. This one has a really accessible side bungee for drinks or that cap if the weather turns. (I like to carry my Diesel beanee for cold weather and a small baseball style cap for light rain. Definitely not an umbrella guy. The bag zips open completely to give you access to the contents without dumping it all over the floor. Also really smart is a small pocket on the front that works for glasses and boarding passes and pens etc.  Shown on the right is the less used compartment which I typically reserve for my tablet charger and transformer. Saved for different trips, the Ghurka leather messenger bag can stay in my closet.



Travelling in style is a personal thing. Find your style, but keep it tasteful. You don't have to standout far to be outstanding!