Slobbish in Manhattan
 

Just got back from a weekend jaunt to the Big Apple. Most of it was fantastic...dinner at Roberto Possons, saw Curtains, drank champange at the antiques show, tried on estate jewelry and couture clothing. The bad side? I caught a glimpse of me in a window and was horrified.

So I wore black cords and black shoes. So far, no problem. But I also tossed on my favorite pine-green sweater. Here's where things get dicey.

My coat is burgundy and my hat is burgandy with a little pink. And just in case I didn't look silly enough with these colors...

My overnight bag is light blue and cream. OK, it's a Louis, but I've got to tell you. I looked awful!

So. How do YOU travel in style? Got any tips?

Hmm..I just refuse to own non-stylish clothes. Simple :-)

Oh, E_M, you're too funny, I'm sure you didn't look THAT bad!

Sadly, I offer the most boring tip of all: I wear a lot of black, grey and white when I travel. I like those "colors" anyway, everything matches, and I do add the odd scarf or jewelry for a spot of color. I wish I could coordinate a variety of stylish outfits with flair, but together with all the other moving parts of travel, it's too much.

To elaborate on my previous post, as a New Yorker, my "car" is my handbag, coat, and shoes. I tend to purchase neutral (black or navy) luggage, but I love color in my wardrobe. I tend to invest in statement pieces each season, so it behooves me to buy neutral items that I use less frequently, like luggage. I love these coats:

http://www.mackage.com/

And right now I'm carrying a red patent leather goldenblue parker tote as my work bag.

When I pack, I definitely pack with whole outfits in mind and they are keyed to the activites that I'm planning to do while I'm traveling. I make sure that I'm carrying all the appropriate outerwear and handbags. If an outfit doesn't fit in with either, then it gets swapped out. I'm super vain :-), and I'm cranky if I leave the house feeling less than pretty.

E_M: Happy to hear that you had a great weekend in NYC. You ask for tips so here are a couple:

1. Ditch the cords. Instead do a nice pair of black jeans or a dark wash.

2. Ditch the black shoes. Get a good pair of comfortable, flat,(one inch heel) black, leather ankle boots.

3. Time for a new coat: Try a neutral.
Black, Brown.

4. With your black jeans, black boots, black or brown sweater(and maybe a blazer/jacket...cute jackets out there....) & black or brown coat try a stylish scarf that incorporates black & brown. If your coat has a hood you may not need the hat. Wear black or "brown/rust" leather wool lined gloves. Sunglasses & you are ready!! :)

As you've seen, you can't have separate color commitments to your coat and overnight bag. Major pieces have to match or coordinate.

Most of us achieve this by using a lot of black pieces, especially shoes and bag. Personally I invested in a winter coat in my favorite color (coral red), a plaid scarf, and everything else including purse and luggage is neutral colors (black or cream). As you can see, this isn't so different from your burgundy coat and multicolor hat. But then you can't have a bag in a totally different color.

That was a great coat site!

I know it's time for a new coat, mine is old anyway and needs to be replaced in a year or so. I love burgundy, and it goes with most of my wardrobe, but as I discovered, not all. I also love that it's a long coat, so it keeps me warm when the mercury drops, as it did this weekend.

Actually, I've searched ALL OVER for a comfortable pair of 1 inch heeled shoes or boots that I can walk all over town in, but haven't been successful. I don't wear jeans.

I know the Louis wasn't the most practical of purchases, especially since I don't wear anything cream or pale blue! But it was PRETTY, and it was retail therapy.

Thanks for all the good tips!

The Louis sounds gorgeous, so why don't you work with it? Purchase a gorgeous cream or winter white wool jacket.

Because when I wear light colors, I become Pig Pen...I attract every piece of dirt and grime in the vicinity!

What about a brown coat? Brown with cream and light blue? With a light blue scarf to pick up the color in the carryon.

wow - are you Carson Kressley? Amazing outfit.

I just got back from Vegas myself, and swore I would not look like the hordes who think velour sweats are OK to wear on an airplane and beyond (I know, they're comfortable ... but nice dark jeans that fit are comfortable too, and they don't look like you just got out of bed...).

Anyway, most of my wardrobe basics are neutrals (black or tan), but I love color. So, I picked one color - RED - to go with all my neutrals, and went with it for the entire weekend (it also happens to match my rollaboard). So, red leather jacket, red loafers (with 2-inch wedge heel), red silky tops for evenings, red handbag, etc. For cooler weather locales, I also have a red wool car coat (as well as black, chocolate and tan coats).

With the boring basics in neutrals, it's easy to pick the POP color. (It also made it easy for me to justify the purchase of extravagant red suede boots which caught my eye...)

As shoes go, check out zappos.com. You can search by type of shoe (e.g. black boot w/ 1-inch heel). A lot of people are leery about shopping for shoes online, but with free returns, it's easy to buy several pairs, try them on, and return the ones you don't want.

My tip is to concentrate on where you are rather than yourself. I live in NY and we get over 45 million visitors a year and we do not take names and photographs to see who is dressed well and evenly proportioned. While looking in the mirror you miseed one of the greatest cities in the world.

Aduchamp, take another look at the original post -- she caught a glimpse of herself in a window, this wasn't some vanity trip.

Tess, LOL ;) Glad you like the outfit!
Now what shd we wear on Day 2?

Velour sweats are NOT OK to wear on a plane? Uh oh...I better talk to the fashion police before I fly next time. I may be in big trouble!

wow - velour sweats for day 2? :S-

My mother-in-law has a saying that she likes to use, especially when she travels...it's "Nobody knows you, nobody cares." It's worked many a time. :)

Aduchamp, take another look at the original post -- she caught a glimpse of herself in a window, this wasn't some vanity trip.


3/4 of the posting was about her. Please go back and re-read it.

Geez, just because she chose to write THIS post about travel clothes, shouldn't suggest she "missed the city". In fact, if the "critic" would care to, one could easily click the screen name and find many other New York posts she's posted on numerous times. Of course doing that isn't as much fun as insulting posters, is it?

If someone goes to Paris and writes about the food, does that mean they missed the museums and architecture? Give me a break. I think some people just like to run others down here.