A New Option in Travel Clothing

I've had multiple travel related chats lately with my friend Sheri, by phone and various electronic messaging apps. She'll embark on a year-long travel adventure in a couple of months, with only the allowable carry-on sized backpack and one personal item that includes her camera gear and MacBook. 

I wish Sheri and I were able to sit and chat in person here in Monteriggioni, in the Chianti district!
We're limited to electronic and telephone communications until September, when I'll join her in Barcelona.

That's a wardrobe planning challenge that I hope to never face. It would be a nightmare for me to limit what I wear for one year to so few pieces! However, I enjoy helping her figure this out, so in the process I've discovered a few new travel pieces to try for myself.

Merino wool clothing from Icebreaker is lauded as itch-free, stink-free, and comfortable in all climates. Despite having no need for any new clothing, I purchased their Villa dress (in a shade of lavender that they call "Abyss") on a 40% discount web sale to take with me to Andalusia in late May. It will be hot during the day, so I'll be able to test (and hope to refute) my assumption that wool is too warm to wear in such conditions. Here's the dress:

Image from icebreaker.com website, cropped.

As soon as it arrived, I tried it on alone, and then as a top layer over a turtleneck and leggings. The wool feels like a heavy cotton knit, and it really does not itch.  Next, I scrunched it into a quart size ziploc bag, and left it there for three days.

They're not kidding when they claim that it packs to nothing!

Happily, the dress emerged unwrinkled, unscathed, and ready to wear. I can't wait to wear it!

In addition, I discovered two items that I've decided are "must haves" for my future travels. They include what I hope will be the perfect pair of navy pants, and what seems to be the optimal choice for a personal item carry-on bag. I haven't purchased these yet, and will write about them in another post.

Looking Back at my October 2013 Cruise+ Wardrobe

Last September, I wrote about planning my wardrobe for 25 days of varied climates and venues in Europe, including 7 days sailing the Aegean Sea, and linked to my polyvore packing list. In that post, I featured a couple of jersey tunics by Calvin Klein that were long enough to be dresses on me, and looked great with leggings. They seemed perfect for travel. Alas, they disappointed me, and will not be worn again by me, unless for a sedentary occasion. The fabric, a lightweight jersey of 95% polyester and 5% spandex, just did not breathe. My very light sweating (from walking moderately for a couple hours) caused awful odors to develop in both tops. I mean, truly stinky body odor. This is not normal for me, and my body did not smell. My companions will attest that neither I nor my clothing become malodorous after a day's activities. It's also not normal for other similar poly-spandex jersey blend clothing I own. For example, TravelSmith's Voyager Knit garments are also made of 95% polyester and 5% spandex, but the fabric breathes and stays fresh. Quite a sorry surprise to lose two travel tops that are so easy, versatile, and flattering. It's even more unfortunate that Calvin Klein's fabric buyers don't test usability and breathability.

I intended to wear my long navy stretch lace Tommy Bahama dress to our formal dinner on the cruise, but discovered that it was too long while I was getting dressed for that dinner! I had hemmed it, but not measured correctly. Quickly, I changed into a different outfit, wearing my vintage Janice Wainwright jacket with a metallic skirt. Certain that my cashmere split pashmina would prove versatile, I was surprised that it went unused -- no occasion to wear it occurred. Of course, if I didn't take my silk travel blanket, I could have used the pashmina while flying to stay warm.

In February, I finally got around to making a retrospective packing list that only included the items I wore. Note that the two tunics (with arrows pointing to them) were excluded from the rotation after one wearing, but I did wear them once each.

The weather was cool and comfortable in Amsterdam, our first destination. Istanbul, however, suffered a rare spell of bitterly cold temperatures and freezing rain during our visit. That didn't deter us; we braved the elements and toured historical venues, warmed up in hamams, and enjoyed local food, culture and sights in and around Sultanahmet.

On the Hippodrome in Istanbul
Shoes: Naot "Nau Mai" • Black jeans by NYDJ
Black cardigan by August Silk • T-shirt by Splendid
Vintage Bally handbag (coat, scarf, umbrella not shown)

On our fifth day in Istanbul, it warmed up a bit as we boarded the Seabourne Odyssey for a 7 night cruise that ended in Athens. Cesme, our second stop, was cool but comfortable, it was hot in Ephesus, and nearly perfect temperatures spoiled us throughout the Greek Islands. Athens was a bit too warm and humid for my taste. Finally, in London, we stayed at the Marriott in Kensington, which is well located but the rooms are tiny. After our excursions in unpleasantly cold and rainy weather,  we were grateful for the executive lounge, afforded by my Marriott status. It was great to drop in and warm up with a fresh "cuppa," plus their thoughtful selection of foods and other beverages.

On the steps to the Acropolis, in Athens. I purchased the navy pebbled leather handbag in Istanbul.
Dress: Voyager Knit Seamed Jersey Dress in navy (my favorite travel dress!)
Sandals: Orthaheel "Tide" in navy (best flip flops in the world!)

What I packed and wore for three weeks in multiple European urban climates plus an Aegean Cruise:

6 pairs of shoes:

• black leather ankle boots from Naot
• burgundy and black leather Naot "Nau Mai" mary jane flats
• navy blue leather Naot "Architect" ballet flats
• bronze metallic leather Cole Haan ballet flats
• Orthaheel's navy blue "Tide" flip flop sandal
• Teva "Dozer III" all terrain shoe/sandal

Did I mention that Naot is my favorite brand of shoes and boots? Their comfort is unmatched for me; I can walk a dozen miles on cobblestones and rough surfaces in Naot shoes without sore feet or aching body parts. At home in Hawaii, I own eight or nine different colored pairs of Orthaheel's "Tide" sandals, because they provide support not found in ordinary flip flops. Orthaheel's flip flops keep me out of pain that I would otherwise experience wearing flat "slippahs" in Hawaii. Six pairs of shoes is considered "over the top" by many travel experts; indeed, there are a lot of shoes to pack! But, the flip flops and the Cole Haan ballet flats take virtually no space. I wore the boots while flying, since they're the bulkiest. So essentially, from my perspective, I only had to worry about packing three pairs of shoes.

2+ purses:

• vintage gold metallic quilted leather Bally bag with chain and leather strap
• vintage black and brown leather Balley shoulder bag
• red wristlet wallet with iPhone pocket
• zippered travel wallet by Eagle Creek (not shown) that holds all travel documents

Coat, jackets, overshirts and cardigan sweaters:

• my trusty classic black wool wrap coat by Ralph Lauren
• black silk shawl / wrap
• black silk knit open front cardigan sweater
• navy, green and camel paisley "Jamevar Jacket" from TravelSmith
• navy and white zip blazer by Jones New York
• open cardigan sweater in neutral textured knit
• lightweight navy blue long open cardigan sweater
• vintage wool jacket with embroidered faux scarf by Janice Wainwright
• sheer printed long silk overshirt from Shanghai Tang
• sheer black long silk overshirt by DKNY with tabs to roll up the long sleeves

Tops, tunics and dresses:

• 3/4 sleeve black cotton knit tunic by Ralph Lauren
• black tab sleeve top by Splendid
• black cotton scoop neck "Hannah" t-shirt by Pickwick & Weller
• black cotton and modal v-neck t-shirt by Splendid
• white cotton scoop neck "Hannah" t-shirt by Pickwick & Weller
• eggplant/plum cashmere turtleneck sweater
• navy cotton knit long sleeve v-neck shirt
• navy & cream stripe 3/4 sleeve cotton knit shirt
• orange linen sleeveless tunic
• apricot/orange textured silk tank from Citron
• 2 jersey tunics by Calvin Klein
• 2 Voyager Knit seamed jersey sleeveless dresses, in eggplant and navy

Pants, shorts and skirts:

• slim black ponte pants from Eileen Fisher
• black straight leg jeans from NYDJ
• navy cotton trousers
• navy cotton bermudas
• khaki bermudas
• flowing skirt of bronze metallic fabric
• reversible ankle length silk chiffon skirt (black/brown print or white dots on black)

Accessories:

• my everyday 18" chain necklace with celtic pendant
• 47-inch (120 cm) Misaki long faux pearl necklace
• Antica Murrina 18" multicolor glass bead necklace
• Swarovski ruby crystal heart necklace
• blue beads and freshwater pearls multi-strand necklace
• Alexander McQueen pink petal skull scarf in silk chiffon
• Alexander McQueen red floral skill scarf
• bathing suit and sarong
• 7 pairs of underpants, 2 bras and 2 sports bras (black and nude)
• nightgown
• yoga/sleepwear

It certainly isn't a minimalist packing list, but I managed well with a 25" checked bag and my 22" roll-aboard, along with the matching tote bag filled to the brim with my electronics and in-flight essentials. My luggage from Eagle Creek is described in this post; after more than three dozen challenging trips over the past ten years, these bags are holding up beautifully.

The separates I packed "interoperated" well, giving me a variety of options, so I am pleased with my choices overall. There are a few pieces that didn't travel well, or that I didn't feel great in, notably the navy stretch cotton trousers by Ralph Lauren. I'll keep my eyes out for navy travel pants that I love as much as my Eileen Fisher black slim ponte pants. Any suggestions are welcome.

China

Soon we'll be on our way to Hong Kong, where we'll stay for a couple of nights before we take the train into the People's Republic of China (PRC).

In Hong Kong, we can visit one of our favorite shops, the flagship store of the elegant retailer Shanghai Tang. Last year at this location, Peter bought me a beautiful long shirt of sheer silk with an abstract pattern in shades of blue, plum, and grey. In the photo below, I'm on the right, wearing the shirt over my staple travel dress (I own this flattering dress in three colors, and wear it at home as well as when traveling).

Final evening aboard the Seabourne Odyssey.
Sheer overshirt by Shanghai Tang • Voyager Knit Seamed Jersey Dress in eggplant
Cole Haan ballerina flats • Antica Murrina glass bead necklace

Back to the December 2013 trip:

Our first destination in the PRC is Guangzhou, known as Canton in earlier times. Located on the Pearl River, just above the Pearl Delta, Guangzhou is China's third largest city. Here, we'll stay in an American hotel with familiar amenities. The rest of the time, we stay in "party hotels," (as in communist party), which are basic to subpar. Based on previous experience trying to sleep on hard, uneven beds (and because I can check three bags free with my airline status), I will take along my own lightweight memory foam mattress topper and cotton "cocoon" sheet in a small duffel bag this trip.

Taking photos at Prawn Farm 1, near Enping in Guangdong Province.
My trusted classic Ralph Lauren black wool overcoat • Naot "Matai" shoes 
Voyager Knit Seamed Jersey Dress in eggplant • Wolford Glam tights in eggplant

Similar to last year, we'll be reviewing operations of a Chinese agricultural company with which we're affiliated. Our trip, once again, will not involve any tourist destinations. I hope that we can see more of China on a subsequent visit, as I'm certain there will be more. This time, we'll spend two days on the Tibetan plateau, at 9000 feet above sea level, in Qinghai province. For that, I've packed heavy wool socks and thermal underlayers.

With my Donna Karan cashmere vest as an under layer, I was dressed for the -4°C (nearly 25°F) weather, but others were uncomfortably cold, so our hosts sent out for socks for everyone. My fleece tights and hand knitted socks kept me from freezing, plus I scored a new pair of wool socks from Xining.

The warmer clothing (sweaters and black jeans) will also be needed on our one day trip to Hunan, but back in Guangzhou I'll be able to wear dresses again and carry my coat during some of the day, I hope. I look forward to spending time with the international group of friends that are also involved with the company, and eating Chinese food!

Complicated Travel Packing

In a few days, I depart for nearly three weeks in Europe with my pal Caroline. I'd love to travel with a carry-on only, but it's just not going to happen. There are too many venues and too many climates to create a capsule that will work for everything. We'll spend four days in Amsterdam, where autumn's cool weather will require a few warm layers. From there, we travel to the oldest part of Istanbul, Sultanahmet, where we will dress more in accord with the Islamic culture despite the warmer climate. This requires long sleeves and stockings or long pants/skirts to cover our legs and arms, and occasional head scarves.

Scarves are so easy to pack, but I think I'll take only a few and hope to buy some in Istanbul (and other destinations).

I think that these Calvin Klein jersey tunics will work well with leggings in Istanbul. Unless leggings are too revealing of the shape of legs. Hmmm ... more investigation is necessary.

 

After four nights in Istanbul, we'll board a small cruise ship and sail on the Aegean for seven days, with stops at several Greek islands and a couple Turkish ports, ending in Athens. The cruise calls for its own wardrobe, including dressing for dinner with one optional formal event. I need resort wear for this, and I hope to get some day and evening use from an embossed silk tank by Citron that I bought in Nyack, New York last year -- and which for some reason, I don't wear at home in Hawaii!

There will be shore excursions (such as to Ephesus) which will require sturdy clothing for a day of hiking in archeological ruins. After we disembark, we'll spend three days in Athens before we fly to London, where temperatures will likely be chilly. Perhaps we'll be pleasantly surprised, but this stop certainly requires a warm coat.

I'm working through my packing list on polyvore, but have too many items at the moment. Also, I fear, too many "travel" items of knit jersey in mostly synthetic fabrics. Not my normal style, but these will pack and travel very easily. After the trip, I'll build a second polyvore that shows what I actually wear.

Gala Celebration of Love

A dream wedding, and accompanying events, were hosted by my dear friends in Amsterdam. Truly the party of my lifetime! They brought together a group of like minded, fun loving, successful people from around the globe. Various festivities ensued for four full days, with some fringe activities before and after. The wedding and reception were truly unforgettable -- worthy of royalty -- and they took place in an exclusive, fantastic private club on the Dam Square, across from the palace.

But what to wear? Since I lack the self discipline that I needed to lose ten pounds, I didn't look my best. Hubby looked fantastic! Here's what I ended up wearing to the ceremony and reception:

Enjoying the festive occasion, filled with love!

I bought this rose-coral dress from Alexander McQueen's spring-summer 2012 collection, and am quite pleased with it. When I've lost those ten pounds, I'll be truly delighted to wear it! The dress is paired with my Prada "dark nude" patent pumps, which are low-heeled with a platform and quite comfortable. A local artist in Hawi crafted my multi-strand pearl necklace. The cape is also by McQueen ... from his final collection, so I treasure it. I carried my vintage Bally quilted gold leather bag, and felt pretty good about how it all came together.

I could have worn a belt, but I didn't want to emphasize my waistline. I continue to look for a great belt, but it's a low priority effort. One of my favorite looks for this dress accessorizes it with navy, so great navy accessories are also on my radar.

Occasions: Wedding in Amsterdam

My dear friends are getting married in Amsterdam in a few months, so Peter and I will fly to London to check on business interests and catch up with friends, before taking the Eurostar to Holland for the wedding.

Today I decided what I'll wear to brunch, or another dress-up event (but not the wedding). In 2008, I bought a vintage 1980s skirt suit by Janice Wainwright from a lovely woman in the U.K. She wore it once, with a big black hat, to Ascot -- and possibly a second time. It is three pieces, jacket, skirt, and long scarf, made of silk twill that is about the same weight and texture of fabric as my Hermès scarves. The cut is fabulous, with padded shoulders, 3/4 length dolman sleeves, and kimono-like paneling on the jacket. The skirt wraps around in the large dot pattern, but has a black silk handkerchief overlay as a front panel.

Here's the only photo I have of it, from her listing:

1980s vintage silk three piece skirt suit by Janice Wainwright

If I wear the scarf as a sash around my waist, I will tie it in the back, allowing to drape and somewhat mirror the draping black panel on the skirt's front.
Even though the label says "dry clean only," I'm considering a delicate hand wash in cold water. I'm worried about the harsh dry-cleaning chemicals on thirty year old fabric. Plus, I love my Hermès scarves after I hand wash them. They're softer, cleaner, brighter and feel better when I wear them. I am a bit worried, because of the assymetrical design elements and custom construction of the outfit -- but it probably will hold up better because of those factors.

I asked the seller to tell me her special memories about the dress, and she replied:

"I wore the black and white outfit, with a very large black hat (which I still have) to go to the Derby the year my husband hired a box to entertain friends and business acquaintances. I don't think he ever quite got over what the day cost him - because he never did it again! Ah, those were the days.

Best wishes,

Marie"

I tried it on moments ago, and love the look! Now, I need to decide about shoes. Fun!

Travel Wardrobe for Frozen Europe

Using Polyvore to plan capsule wardrobes, such as those for a trip, is one of my favorite online recreational pursuits. I've been planning and editing a draft travel wardrobe for my upcoming trip, but need to adjust it to account for record low temperatures. I just tried on a pair of warm winter boots buried in my closet to substitute for the regular boots I planned to take.

Also, I decided to take a dress on the trip. Searching my wardrobe, I decided to take this vintage Janice Wainwright black crepe long sleeved dress from the 1970s that I bought in 2003.

The ruffles and bias cut skirt, with a few ruffles along the bias seams, transform an otherwise practical dress to special status. I need to add a belt. It's a lightweight wool, and requires a full length slip underneath.

My color palette is black, grey, white, purple and red. I think it's going to work well. I'll take a few scarves to complement the separates, and a few pieces of jewelry -- including my red floral skull scarf and red heart Swarovski necklace with the gold heart bail.

I think I'm in a Valentine's Day mood! Of course, I'll take a few of my "everyday" necklaces.

Here's how the travel wardrobe is shaping up. Quite a few of these items are the actual pieces I own, but a few of the basics (turtlenecks and suede boots in particular) are generic versions of items I own. I will take only one pair of boots, but haven't decided which. Also will take a warm black quilted rainproof jacket and gloves. I need to hem two pairs of pants (in process) and shorten the sleeves of my black leather/knit jacket, and find a belt that works for the dress. A belt for the pants is already packed.

Another important activity, that I should finish immediately, is the recording of my Spanish refresher CDs into iTunes and on to an iPod. Tear me away from this computer!

p.s. Here's the post-journey debriefing -- what I actually wore while in Spain and Holland:

Scarves

On my way to Amsterdam, I had some time to kill in O'Hare Airport. I was wearing my favorite travel outfit, a scoop-neck, 3/4 sleeve knit tunic in an oatmeal color, black leggings, my unbeatably comfortable NAOT Matai Maryjanes (in which I can walk on cobblestones for ten hours without any discomfort), soft black socks, and the Alexander McQueen scarf that -- surprisingly -- I've received the most compliments on of any I own. It's made of 90% modal and 10% cashmere, with fringed edges, and is a very generous 52 inches square.

When it's rolled up and draped around my neck, there's no indication whatsoever of those engaging skeletons, unless I unroll and unfold to reveal them. Between flights, while sitting in the Red Carpet Club, I worked out a new (for me) way to tie it. Nearly immediately I began to receive compliments, and they never stopped.

Tonight I played with other scarves, and was able to replicate the same wrap and tie method that I devised, this time using my Folklore scarf:

I'm not sure about the pearls; they're really only for the photograph. Feeling quite capable, I grabbed another, my cream colored Armoured Skeleton and Rope scarf, and fiddled around a bit more, for these two looks:

and this version, which I prefer, and which shows off a bit of the McQueen Tartan that's in the shields on the scarf:

Now I've just got to improve my skills as a photographer! Being able to focus would be a good start!

Losing Weight

Since the first of August, I've been limiting my calories to basic nutrition, with a few treats, and exercising a bit more. Tracking it all, using the fantastic and free iPhone app LoseIt, has helped me to remain disciplined about not snacking or grazing when bored. Since August 2, I've lost 5.4 pounds. I can tell that it's not water loss, and I am thrilled!

To reward myself, I learned how to tie this knot in my fabulous Folklore scarf from Alexander McQueen:

I'm preparing for another long journey next month that includes a semi-formal wedding weekend in Maine, followed by a week in Amsterdam, a week in South Africa, and a long weekend in London. I have been playing with Polyvore to plan my outfits. Such fun! I haven't finalized my travel wardrobe yet, as I am learning the limitations and possibilities of Polyvore. Where unable to find the exact item of clothing I own, I search for an equivalent one in style and appearance -- and often these equivalent items cost much more than my original items. I think that I am a careful and savvy shopper who gets a lot of value for money well spent ... but perhaps I'm just another addicted consumer.

I think I have the wedding outfit decided (minus jewelry, and that will determine choice of wrap), and a good idea of what I want to wear while I'm living the city life in Amsterdam and London, but challenging style choices remain. Today I will try to decide on the jewelry I'm going to take. At the moment, I'm wearing two pretty 18-inch cultured pearl necklaces (7 to 7.5 mm) that I tried on earlier; they probably are too sedate, although I have decided to begin wearing them again. The wedding guests have been encouraged to display their finest bling. Since I'm traveling on to Europe and Africa, I don't want to carry valuable pieces. I have a rhinestone rope, vintage 1920s, that I may take ... although it is virtually irreplaceable, and thus just as valuable as my "real" gems.

Also, when I peruse my closet for travel items, I come across more options for Africa, including an attractive sturdy khaki skirt with large pockets, and several other safari-style garments. We will camp in an elephant park for two nights, but I can't justify having the skirt for that. The marketing for the Cape Town hotel features Eastern European looking babes in sexy, chic clothing ... so would my skirt just be dowdy, even with a crisp white blouse? And will my Teva hiking sandals do the trick with socks on -- or do I need sturdier shoes? It will be spring when I'm there.

What I Wore in England and Cornwall

Here's what I took to England and Cornwall:

And a few outfit shots. First, my Chanel jacket with lots of pearls, worn to Afternoon Tea at the Lanesborough Conservatory. Such a disappointing tea, extraordinarily overpriced.

Quite unexpectedly, we were invited to the Mehndi Lunch of a Pakistani Muslim groom and Indian Hindu Bride. This was held at the Royal Aeronautical Society in Hamilton Place near Park Lane. We were told that friends of the groom wore red, and our connection was to the groom, so I wore this outfit (being unprepared) but with my red jersey shirt, instead of the white one shown in my “tryout photo.” We walked the half mile from our hotel, and my feet were killing me! Never again will I walk in heeled shoes that haven’t been tested.

Here, I'm dressed quite casually for breakfast at our hotel in Bath ...

For our special day at Avebury and Stonehenge, I was able to wear my Alexander McQueen skull scarf with my red tunic and black leggings, both by Eileen Fisher, along with my favorite Naot ‘Matai’ shoes.

Creating Outfits for my Chanel Jacket

Putting outfits together when traveling for two weeks with a minimum number of pieces of clothing is an enjoyable puzzle. I discovered that Caroline intends to check a bag, so I don't need to limit myself to carry-on luggage.

Of course, I don't like how I look; I need to lose five pounds to look better in anything. Also, it is much too hot in Hawaii to try on these layers, and I'm sweating in all of the photos as I try on the outfits!

At any rate, here are four looks with my Chanel jacket. Instead of the black dress, I may just use one of the black tops and the black skirt that I am taking already. 

One accessory that I may take, but am not wearing in these photos, is my black cuff. I'll wear it when my wrists are exposed.

I gathered all of my faux pearls and layered them with a black dress. I think it needs a belt, but I don't want to break up the all black line. Not sure what to do to polish this look. Or is it silly? I've never worn all the pearls together before; even though Coco Chanel was an advocate, it seems risky. I learned that Chanel style was tamer ... more dignified. But I do like to wear my Chanel jacket with jeans.

For many years, I wore a perfectly tailored man's black flecked wool jacket as my primary coat about town in San Francisco. I dressed it up or down as needed, and it always worked. It's still in my closet, even though I've moved on. But what about the somewhat campy look of layering with pearls? Does it make me look top heavy? Can it be improved?

Not sure about the belt, seems like it needs another element ... but what?

Another option is the same outfit with my Circus scarf. I prefer this look.

I could drape the scarf in the center, and add a large brooch to the jacket. Any other suggestions?

I have a gorgeous embroidered satiny silk shirt from Shanghai Tang that's probably wasted in this outfit:

Does anybody think this looks good?
Jacket: Chanel (autumn 2009 runway)
Shirt: Shanghai Tang
Pearl necklace: Deltah
Skirt: Ann Klein
Boots: Cole Haan

Even though I love the look of an untucked shirt hanging longer under a jacket, I'm not comfortable with it on myself. I was trained to view that as sloppy. So, I'll probably leave this shirt at home, and stick with the safer white button down shown earlier:

Seven Basic Pieces

These items of clothing, plus a few accessories shown here, form the core of my travel wardrobe:

1. black ponte pants (by Not Your Daughter's Jeans)
2. black straight leg jeans (also NYDJ)
3. white v-neck top, 3/4 sleeves (by Carole Little)
4. black long sleeved turtleneck (by Carole Little)
5. short, straight black knit skirt (by Ann Klein)
6. black and white graphical print dress (by En Focus Petite)
7. dressy black vest with lace overlay back (by Charles Gray - London)

In the photo are my seven basic pieces of travel clothing, a couple of scarves and a bag.

So far, I've added my lipstick red silk chiffon scarf (by Laura Ashley), and my Alexander McQueen silk chiffon skull scarf, along with a vintage quilted leather Bally bag with a woven leather and chain strap.

Better photos will follow!

On my Wish List, In my Dreams

If I had an unlimited budget, I would buy Jan Hilmer's Lily Hooded Jacket without hesitation. Beautifully cut, it is a glamorous and useful outer garment for traveling to England and Cornwall! A hip jacket to wear in London, it works as a practical coat in the country as well.

Also, since last year, I've been lusting after Alexander McQueen's celtic lace leggings, but I never submitted the final purchase button. After all, I'm only one year shy of age sixty! Since I'm age nineteen in my brain, usually I go with that. But my fear of being viewed as a foolish older woman desperately trying to look younger prevented me from completing the purchase.

Perhaps if I lose ten pounds I'll become more courageous. :-) I think those leggings are fantastic! I most definitely would have worn them in my twenties and am attracted to them in the same way today.

As of this week, however, I never may be able to own them. They've been sold out since February at Alexander McQueen boutiques; the last retailer I could find that sold them was Nieman Marcus. This outfit (includes the leggings) has been on my wishlist at NM, and now the leggings are unavailable.

It's probably obvious that I'm experimenting with polls within blog posts. Please humor me, answer my poll below as well, and feel free to leave a comment if you have more details. I'll report on the answers in a future post.



What Shoes to Wear with the Leather Jacket and Lace Leggings?

Once I reached age 36 or so (23 years ago), I began to wear lower heels and actively seek comfortable, chic, supportive shoes. At home I wear orthotic but attractive sandals with good arch support and cushioned footbeds. This limits my footwear choices, but makes a huge difference in preventing a tired and aching back and legs after a long day on my feet. Typical "slippahs" (flip flops) are worn by most folks in Hawaii, but don't work for me.

Christian Louboutin's footwear earns consistent rave reviews for sheer beauty and perfection in design, but also for comfort while walking and wearing his breathtaking designs. Of course, I never could wear heels as high as the model wearing the celtic lace leggings and Victorian bustle dress above. However, I'm pretty sure that I could handle these Sexy 85 open toe pumps from the master himself, and I'm very sure I can handle his 70s. Perhaps it's a dream, but I've set my intention to find a bargain price for the perfect pair of Loubies!

Perhaps the real question should be this: With the gothic influences in these two pieces, am I trying to channel my niece Shannon? Hmmm .....
;-)

Alexander McQueen

Starting to Plan for England and Cornwall

My good friend Caroline and I have scheduled a long weekend in London, followed by a few days in Salisbury, Bath and surrounding areas. Then we'll move on to Newquay in Cornwall for five days before returning home after fourteen days in total.

In London, we'll stay in a nice hotel near Bond Street. Each of us wants to be able to create several "city chic" outfits out of as few basic pieces as possible. We also want to wear boots, something that is silly to do at home in Hawaii. Because boots are heavy and large, we'll need to wear them while in transit, which is a bit of a hassle at airport screenings. But it's the only way we'll be able to achieve our goal to travel with just two small bags.

Two pieces of carry-on luggage -- that's the idea, anyway! I'll take my trusty 22-inch Tarmac bag from Eagle Creek (fits in overhead compartments, except on tiny commuter jets), and my Eagle Creek Tarmac large duffel for under the seat. The duffel has an external "sleeve" that slips over the retractible handle of the 22-inch rolling bag for easy wheeling through airports, on trains, and in cities. The duffel functions as an oversized purse, and will contain my actual purse (including wallet and other contents), camera, iPad, iPod, iPhone, chargers and adapters, in-flight essentials (a topic for another post), jewelry, medicines, and a very important addition, my Eagle Creek Getaway Tote, in matching Palm Green, that folds to nearly nothing, but can carry my purse, electronic devices, camera, jewelry and travel toiletries on the return trip as a third bag if needed. I don't plan to acquire anything, but who knows? I can always check my 22-inch duffel, and slip the getaway tote over the handle of the 22" Tarmac.

This is different from the way I traveled last October, when I carried an additional 25" Tarmac that I checked on 14 flights (8 domestic, 6 in Europe) and carried on 3 trains. It was much more work, but that holiday spanned six weeks in total, including three weeks in Europe that included climates ranging from bitter cold to very warm, from dry to wet. In this photo, taken with my sister on our first day in London, I'm wearing black travel basics, including boot cut black Not Your Daughter's Jeans, a lightweight black crew neck sweater from Jones New York, truly comfortable Keen MaryJanes in black nubuck, and a burnt orange v-neck sweater from Kenneth Cole. In my city backpack, there's a black water resistant oversized hooded windbreaker, pashmina/scarf, and gloves.

Last year's travel look (with Jill in London, October 2010)

During the first week of my trip (while in Michigan for my 40th high school reunion), my daughter spotted two dresses on sale at Macy's and encouraged me to to take a dress on my trip. After a week in Michigan, and a few days in Denver, I lightened my suitcases by leaving reunion clothing, and one dress at my sister's house near Lake Tahoe. The dress I took to Europe, an abstract print sheath with cap sleeves by AGB (a Macy's house brand?), turned out to be appropriate on several occasions. Below, it's paired with an August Silk cardigan, blackish brown patent leather belt, black hose, my B. Makowsky lambskin zipper hobo, and well worn Keen MaryJanes. Another time, it was topped with a brown cotton shirt by Glima that matched the brown in the dress, and Patra sandals by Crocs in solid chocolate brown (my favorite Crocs by far; alas they are out of production). Separately, I teamed the Glima top with a matching Glima skirt.

It strikes me when I look at the two photos of me that the outfits above would be greatly enhanced by complementary scarves. The style focus of our next trip will be fewer basic pieces with more scarves and other accessories that vary the looks.

It's too bad I don't have an import export business from the UK to Hawaii, because I'm able to check up to three 70 pound bags without charge thanks to my frequent flyer status. I wish I'd have remembered that last October when I shipped wine and olive oil from Italy to the USA. I would have saved a significant amount if I'd shipped it to my London hotel, and bought a couple of suitcases there to bring it home with me on the airplane.