Travelling in Style: Professional Jetsetters
Whoever said it was better to travel than to arrive was obviously well-used to flying first class. Dislocating a shoulder lugging an oversized suitcase was definitely not their style. Sadly, I always travel as if I am going to outer Mongolia; I’m not someone who believes that you can buy things when you get there. The capsule wardrobe always shown in magazines that is supposed to last you two weeks is just what I go through in two days. There are, however, professional jetsetters, people who have got travelling abroad down to a fine art. Sadly, I am not one of them.
Professional jetsetters have the contents of their wardrobe on the living room floor three weekends before departure. They sort by colour, by climate, even by newness. They go to stores and try on swimming costumes. They do not like the rest of us dash to a department store five minutes before closing and grab the first thing in the right size that they see.
The jetsetter knows how to dress to beat the crumple and crease of the weary traveller. She knows exactly what the sartorial demands will be when she reaches her destination. Whether she is going to the Himalayas or Marbella, the jetsetter always travels light. Supermodel Naomi Campbell is a compact traveller. Her beach uniform is just “a bikini, a kaftan and a floppy hat”, she says. You could hate her, couldn’t you? The rest of us bring the entire contents of our wardrobes on holiday but
still can’t find anything to wear.
You can see professional jetsetters at any international airport wheeling their little chic suitcases through customs, looking as immaculate as they did when they boarded the plane. The jetsetter belongs to a bygone age when travelling abroad was a real event and something only undertaken by a privileged few. The Hollywood stars of yesteryear knew the true meaning of airport chic. They were always photographed stepping off the plane immaculately dressed and perfectly accessorised.
Elizabeth Taylor seemed to make a career out of arriving at airports in crease-free suits and matching vanity cases. And Joan Collins still manages to turn a long-haul flight into a fashion moment, turning up at the airport for waiting photographers in regulation superstar dark glasses and a white turban.
Now in the days of discounted travel, going abroad just doesn’t have the same kind of glamour it used to. Gone are the days when no film star made a move without sporting a headscarf and trailing behind them, courtesy of a uniformed porter, at least seven items of Louis Vuitton luggage. Celebrities no longer set the tone. Shaz-nay from All Saints was recently snapped wearing regulation combat trousers, too-tight vest and hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in a week.
So what’s the secret to travelling in style? Out go overloaded suitcases, for a start. It’s hard to look chic when you are weighed down with excess baggage. The trick is to keep your basic clothes simple, sticking to the tried and tested and relying on accessories to ring the changes.
Head scarves are a good idea. On the beach, you can use them to cover up wet hair and protect it from the sun. And tied right, they can also be worn as bandeau or halter neck tops. A cotton or silk kimono makes a less bulky cover-up than a dressing gown. And swimsuits can double up as vest tops worn with sarong skirts or baggy pyjama pants. A white T-shirt is a must-have to wear under a sweater for an extra layer of warmth. Plus, on its own, will reflect a flattering light to your face even
if you are suffering from jet-lag pale.
Stay cool in the sun with natural fabrics such as cotton and linen in safari colours which look good in the heat. Holidays are the one time when most of us are guaranteed to get away from our staple of black, white, navy and grey. But just because you are in the Caribbean doesn’t mean you can wear all the primary colours at the same time. Jetset woman knows how to get the best out of colour without looking like a children’s television presenter.
On the plane, clothes that come in loose, comfortable layers are a priority. Layer dressing means you can pile on or peel off, to move from a cool to a hot climate and back again looking and feeling good. No shivering at one destination and sweating profusely at another. Luggage does get lost (yes, reader it happened to me), so pack a change of underwear and toiletries in your hand luggage together with any medication.
Your body expands on the plane, as any air stewardess will tell you, so don’t wear anything too tight or constricting. Calvin Klein may be trying to convince us that tight-fit jeans are in again but an airplane is not the place to join the trend. Wide-legged palazzo pants with a drawstring or elasticated waist are a good idea, plus a long-sleeved top or cardigan. Okay, so you’re going to Antigua, but don’t forget the air conditioning on the plane. You can always pack it your hand luggage when you arrive.
Evian spritzer to spray your face is another good idea; mineral water will refresh dull, dehydrated skin. Keep your passport and travel insurance somewhere they are easy to get to, perhaps in a mini rucksack you can also use in the evening. Separate laundry from clean clothes in a drawstring bag to save embarrassment in customs. After all, there’s nothing worse than having a stranger rifling through your unmentionables.
Okay, so you may be travelling in sardine class, not first class, but style is something you should never scrimp on.
