Wendy Perrin is a journalist who writes regularly for Condé Nast Traveler magazine. I always read her articles in the monthly magazine. This month she’s written up an article titled “Confessions of an Unfashionable Traveler.” She travels a lot, obviously, as a writer for a travel magazine. So she likely had sage advice, I was sure. Yup. Here’s a synopsis of her article. Next week we’re going on a trip – the suitcase is open on the guest room bed, so this advice was quite timely for me.
She carries on two things: a wheelie (she never checks luggage unless the airline won’t let her) and her unchic purse/laptop case/camera bag. She doesn’t use toiletry kits, but opts instead for Ziploc plastic bags to hold her necessities. She carries any dressy or business clothes on hangers, in dry cleaner-provided plastic bags. If you value utility over fashion (her words), here’s what she does:
1. Use a carry-on suitcase with few structured compartments or other doodads (you can get more into one, large open space). She uses a 22-inch Travelpro Rollaboard, stowing in the outside compartment (zipped pocket) a jacket or raincoat and a Pashmina which she uses as a blanket on the flight rather than the less-than-clean airline blankies.
2. Think of Ziploc bags as the “Swiss Army Knife” of your packing system. Meaning, she uses different sizes of Ziploc bags (one for liquids, gels, etc.; another for dry toiletries; another for her electronic accessories and one for her makeup). She takes several sizes of empty Ziploc bags (which take up no room in her wheelie). She uses a sandwich sized Ziploc for the flight stuff: lip balm, nasal spray, teardrops, hand cream, earplugs, eye mask, Vitamin C and that one goes inside the larger Ziploc that holds all the liquids and gels, then she pulls that small one out once she’s past the security checkpoint or on board the plane.
3. For clothing, stick to neutral colors and limit patterns as much as possible. She packs a lot of black (not only because it’s neutral, but also because it doesn’t show dirt) then she adds color with tops, shirts, or her pashmina. Her pashmina goes with her everywhere (in her purse) because it will provide head cover if it rains, warmth if it’s cold, or a splash of elegance if she needs it somewhere.
4. Pack old garments you’ve been meaning to replace. That way, you can discard them along the way in case you find something new you’d like to buy – to take its place.
5. Go light [packing] things you think you might be shopping for on your trip.
6. Pack toiletries that are not only travel-sized but also multi-purpose. Like moisturizer + SPF, travel-size Neutrogena make-up remover pads, shampoo-conditioner in lieu of shaving cream, non-prescription drugs (like aspirin, Motrin, Sudafed, Imodium) all in one small container. And take disposable soap sheets instead of packing liquid detergent for hand washing.
7. Save the plastic bags that dry cleaning comes in – use those when you travel – hold all your hanging garments in one hand and gently fold the group into thirds so they lay flat. Men’s dress shirts should stay in the folded, cardboard-collared form.
8. Wear the heaviest or bulkiest items on the plane. Usually she wears her sturdiest shoes on the flight, and packs sandals and/or strappy dressy shoes in the wheelie, wrapped in grocery store plastic bags and stuffed with underwear.
9. Fold [casual] clothing to avoid creases. She puts her casual clothes in the bottom of the suitcase, folding them in overlapping layers (fewer wrinkles that way). If you have to pack a jacket, turn it inside out first.
10. Somewhere when you travel you’ll likely get wet. Take the right kind of outerwear with a hood (so you don’t have to take an umbrella). Make sure the jacket has interior pockets (to put valuables). She prefers a Gore-Tex parka for colder weather. (Oh, and my addition: take a Ziploc plastic bag in your suitcase to put any wet clothes into, just in case your overnight hand washing didn’t quite dry or you went swimming just before your flight.)
11. Take two or three accessories that will dress up your outfit if needed (she recommends pearl earrings, necklace and a scarf). Mostly this advice was aimed at business travelers (to perhaps get hotel upgrades). Her husband wears his Rolex, Mephisto shoes and his Montblanc pen placed strategically in a visible pocket. [FYI: I don’t own any pearl earrings, or a pearl necklace, though I do have a couple of really good scarves. My DH doesn’t own a Rolex, Mephisto shoes or a Montblanc, so I think we’re nixed on all but one count.]
12. Pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag (she uses a LeSportsac nylon duffle) in case she buys more stuff than she can pack in her wheelie. In that case she checks her wheelie and carries on the duffel.
13. The best status symbols are plastic. By that she means that her frequent-flyer elite status card, her family credit card that gives her airport lounge club membership and priority at check-in, in the security line and at boarding. She happens to use a Continental Presidential Plus MasterCard (which waives checked-baggage fees on Continental when she flies with her family).
Article from Conde Nast Traveler, 10/2010. Photo of the wheeled duffle from stylehive.com, and I just added the photo for fun – Wendy Perrin didn’t recommend this type of bag. Read item #1 for her preferred wheelie.
Kathleen Heckathorn
said on October 19th, 2010:
This article came just in time for me. Thanks for the great tips!