Open Skies, Global Lives: Travel in Style
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that travels frequently. By the age of twelve, I had been on a plane more than a lot of people have in their lifetime and because of this I’ve learned how to travel well. It’s all about being efficient and giving yourself enough time to relax and not rush around a crowded airport worried if your luggage you checked will make it on the plane (always check your bag, it's worth it). Last year was the first time I was able to travel fully by myself when I went on a work trip, and I never realized how fortunate I was to essentially be trained to travel.
Even if you don’t travel often, you should always travel in style. If you look good and feel like you have your life together, you’ll be more comfortable. Plus, you’re going to see a ton of new people, most of who you will never see again, but one day you might be standing behind a C-List celebrity in the Starbucks line in Terminal B and wish you weren’t wearing that old high school t-shirt and Nike shorts. It’s also important to have all the necessary items to make traveling easier. You don’t want to be stuck on a plane with nothing to do but read the in-flight magazine, or even worse, be forced to make small-talk with the person sitting next to you. To avoid all of these unnecessary evils, here’s a compilation of my go-to travel accessories. Happy trails!
The Carry-On
Your carry-on is very important; it’s your companion, you have to look out for each other for the next several hours. I’m a fan of using a backpack because you have full use of both your hands so you can carry your coffee or your luggage comfortably. Some drawbacks to the backpack is it’s more difficult to get in and out of, plus you can’t carry as much. I’ve also used a satchel or weekender bag as my carry-on before, but the danger with those when flying is that depending on the size you might have to put it in the overhead compartments if it won’t fit under the seat in front of you. A great thing about the satchel is if you’re worried about your checked luggage getting lost, you’ll be able to bring more clothes and essentials with you. However, for a chronic over-packer, that is a double-edge sword because I guarantee you I will pack so many unnecessary items. Regardless of which bag is best for you, I would suggest making sure it has both a cross-body strap and short handles. You just never know.
Backpacks
Satchels
What's Inside
Whatever goes inside your carry-on needs to be essential and make your days of traveling easier, but it always helps if you like what's inside too. Form and function. It also helps to have pieces that you really like so you don’t forget them when packing. If you have a really killer iPad case, you’re going to remember to pack it. Another thing to keep in mind is that whatever you put in your carry-on, you’re going to have to tote it around with you all day. So it’s important to only pack necessities. I usually stick to a just a few items: headphones, portable charger, iPad, journal and pen, and a pouch of travel size cosmetics including face wipes, chapstick, and concealer. Here are a few items that I usually never travel without.
Passport Covers
Tech
Just for You
The Ensemble
You need to be comfortable when you travel, because you’re stuck wearing those clothes for at least 10 hours and you’re going to be surrounded by tons of people, go through varying temperatures and environments all while carrying luggage around. My go-to travel outfit is all about layers and neutrals. Living in Texas, its usually 99% warmer here than literally anywhere I would probably travel to, so being able to have that flexibility with my outfit is essential. Starting with textured black leggings and a loose neutral tank top, (or honestly any shirt I can wear a sports bra with) I then stuff a long, loose sweater and a neutral scarf into my carry-on for later. Usually at the airport after security screening, I’ll start layering up. It’s also important to wear comfortable shoes, which I used to think were sandals, but after you have to walk barefoot through security, you start opting for something you can wear socks with and take on and off easily. This is why I’ve graduated to the slip on sneaker or the ankle boot. Riding boots are good too, but I try to avoid them because it’s not as comfortable to cross your legs on the airplane. Here’s a look at some of the pieces I travel in.
Accessories
Outfit
