| Summer Travel? Pack Your Troubles Away |
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By Julie Schwartz and Evelinda Urman
Scripps Howard News Service Evelinda: When handbag mogul Kate Spade travels, she does it in style. Consider what she told Harpers Bazaar recently: "The first thing you should do when you arrive at the hotel is make your room more personal," Spade says. She strings little white lights on the terrace, puts candles out, throws a colorful Mexican cloth over the table and places coasters around the room. Judie: Since when do Super 8 motels come with terraces? Evelinda: That's not the point. I'm not wasting valuable suitcase space for lights and a tablecloth. If you can't wear them, why bring them? And candles? If she's referring to the mood altering, scented kind, who needs them? When I travel, my mood's already improved. I'm not cooking or cleaning. Julie and Evelinda: Here are some Style Matters tips to help those of you who aren't on Kate Spade's budget. - Take three pairs of shoes; pack two and wear one. One pair should be a low-heeled, dressier, evening sandal and the others, comfortable walking shoes. Rotate these shoes to avoid blisters. Carry a multicolored printed-fabric tote that matches everything.
- Select slacks, shorts, skirts and a long sleeveless dress in non-wrinkling fabrics and in two colors that match, such as black and white. Add colorful T-shirts, accessories and a crushable straw hat for bad hair days and sun protection. Leave the baseball cap at home.
- Travel with your nicest but cheapest jewelry stored in a small case in your handbag. Pack bendable necklaces in drinking straws so they won't kink up. (We love this tip!)
- Develop a checklist of what you intend to take and check off items when they've been packed. Save the list for the next trip, deleting items or adding things you forgot or wished you'd packed.
These last tips come from our friend, Taffy Lee. No, she's not an exotic dancer, it's her real name. But she is a great packer. Taffy once spent three weeks touring the Far East with only a carry-on suitcase. - Only bring clothes made of micro-fiber for easy washing in a hotel sink and fast drying. Try pants that zip off at the knees to make shorts, found at travel stores.
- Now that airlines allow only one carry-on bag, bring a large tote or zippered canvas bag. Put your purse inside the tote along with makeup, extra shoes, reading materials, etc. Once you arrive, the tote can double as a shopping or beach bag and serve as an extra suitcase.
- Pack as many disposable items as you can to "throw as you go," such as paperback books, old T-shirts and cheap underwear to make room for the things you'll buy.
Judie: I'm crazy about that last tip; it means less laundry to do when I get home. (Judie Schwartz and Evelinda Urman are Denver, Colorado-based speakers on corporate office wear, company dress codes and the art of personal style. Email them at stylematters@earthlink.net.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)
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