I have been going, going, gone for most of Sept and October. As I sit at the airport on the very first day of November, a few things come to mind.
- I am about to be going, going, gone from airplanes until December. Unless someone wants to give me upwards of a cool mil, my apt in NYC or an equivalent goodie, I am staying put after this quick trip!
- Aside from the fresh hell of modern travel, I have my process pretty down pat so why not share?
- Did I mention my apt/the fresh hell of American travel?
Let’s talk infrastructure first! Your luggage is the foundation of successful travel— like the sheetrock and floor joists of a home. Who cares about your super cool, very chic cloud couch if the walls are caving in? Do not fall for dupes when it comes to your luggage (sorry, Quince!) Get the name brand from the name brand’s website so you have a legit warranty and can utilize all the benefits of their propriety technology. One of my dear gf’s was so thrilled to snag an Away suitcase secondhand, only to discover that when it tumbled down a flight of stairs on its first outing, the warranty was not valid. Quel horror! This is my holy grail Away, and I adore the new chartreuse colorway. The flex makes it truly amenable for a bunch of extra shit whether packed or acquired during travels. I cover my cherry red version in a very dorky plastic cover because the scratches from having it tossed to/fro is too much for me to bear. If I didn’t have an obnoxiously huge trunk from Calpack, I would certainly invest in the Topside Medium Trunk.
While I think Away suitcases are the best in the game, I go French for my #1 travel add-on: Vive Le Longchamp! Now, I don’t mean to get sharp, but too many of you have been shopping Longchamp @ the Nordstrom Sale and it shows. The versions that they sell at a promo are not the real thing— you will just waste money on a design that inherently cut corners to build margin for the brand. There is only one Longchamp to even consider: the Le Pliage Original XL. My first one was a Christmas gift in 2012 and dare I say is aging like fine wine! She’s classic black, she’s monogrammed, she’s adaptable, she’s been places— she’s ME! It is my Russian Doll, just layer upon layer of efficient goodness. I put all of my clothing and non-essential accessories in my suitcase, and then hold the priceless items (main purse, mini purse, Chanel shoes, laptop, backup toiletries) in the Longchamp. It stuffs beautifully under a seat and has the sturdiest zipper I’ve ever encountered. I have another in perfect crimson red, but use her less because red cars go fast and she attracts attention as being a wee oversized. But see below— what a stunner!
Okkkkk, I’ll stop being so strict about buying name brand. When it comes to any pouches or mini bags for hauling toiletries, let the dupes rip! There is no need to spend more than $40 on anything that will have toothpaste and makeup splatters roughly six months in. Amazon has the mesh pouch game on lock so just add to cart and move on. Another great dupe is the hilariously everywhere Goyard tote— the girl can hold a ton and is the opposite of precious so you can fill it up. Get to Madison Ave or Canal Street and pick your favorite color.
This could be a risky proposition, but I travel pretty light on toiletries. I prioritize dental hygiene, essential skincare and my glasses/contacts. For everything else, I am wearing that hotel hotline out. “Yes, Ms. Thompson, coming right up!” I certainly pack the other stuff, but don’t stress about having the perfect lotion, deodorant and sometimes even makeup. Most hotels have excellent in-room body and hair care! The local drugstore is your friend and ask for samples at every beauty shop you encounter. Obviously, if you are in the UK/EU, pack nearly nothing and go bananas at the pharmacy!
Ok, what’s going inside the suitcase? I always write out my looks on notecards as I pack, categorizing by day/night + work/play. I also try on every combo so I’m not wasting precious real estate with a mishmash of incongruous pieces. For work travel, I pack a Carhartt chino or non-blue denim that can do double duty for meetings and dinners with friends. A no-fail third piece is a must, and my faves include a leather jacket, bomber, oversized denim jacket, a barn jacket or really cool blazer. Go wild with tops because life is too short and they don’t take up that much space. I am still learning how to not overpack shoes, so just remember no one is perfect! I will say I never regret packing a pair of sneakers for an am coffee run or aimless stroll to decompress.
Travel Quickfire—
- Pack backup headphones! You never want to be caught relying on the ASMR of your fellow passengers.
- Refillable water bottle with ice from home is a must.
- Order Starbucks from the app as you’re exiting because duh!
- Speaking of security, if you don’t have TSA pre check, BLANK STARE…
- Bring your own food! I forgot my bar at home on my last flight to NYC and ended up scarfing turkey sliders before 6am (woof!)
- Unless your flight is five hrs+, do not put one sheet mask on your face. Just swipe on a little moisturizer and GTFTS!*
- Another point of etiquette, wearing an actual outfit for your travels goes a long way! Even a great jacket thrown over sweats is a mood boost.
- Pay extra to board as early as possible— your carry-on likely won’t make it to groups 6, 7 & 8!
- Write on the plane! I love taking a few hours to go fully analog in the sky. Via hand is even better.
- Always pack another layer or huge scarf for the plane. It’s inevitably 2000’s corporate office-level freezing. My go-to is my J. Crew cashmere wrap but it is now over $200, so I cannot in good conscience make that rec! We can do better!
- You never know when it may be randomly raining, so keep an umbrella or baseball hat on hand! My favorite rain hat is an absolutely absurd bedazzled JW Anderson bucket hat that I wear with absolute abandon.
- My favorite hotels that are like normal prices, but also fantastically reliable — Kimpton Eventi (NYC) forever and always, the Kimpton Ashbel near Grand Central is a good backup, Nashville’s Hutton Hotel and Thompson are wonderful, they don’t call The Peabody the grand hotel of the South for nothing, Kimpton Pittmann in Dallas is comfyyyy, and Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley is my babygirl! Get to know the front desk staff and they will treat you like a princess!
All right, I hope any of this is helpful in navigating upcoming holiday travels! Where is everyone going next? Xx
*go the fuck to sleep 😘
