This is so me, . I just spent the day looking for the perfect black crushable straw hat to take to Venice. I found it, but it was $75.00 and I decided to look somewhere else tomorrow.
Isn't it interesting though, how so many of us seem to go on a shopping spree before going on vacation, rather than shop during the vacation? I plead guilty, I was desperate to find the perfect pair of cute-yet-walking-friendly sandals before going to Italy. Italy! As if they don't sell shoes in Italy of all places!
Wouldn't the world be a much more beautiful place if we all dressed every day as if we were on that dream vacation - flowing skirts, strappy sandals and everything. But of course it's not very practical, which is why the cutest clothes are often left in the suitcase, giving way to more practical t-shirts bought on location. Next time I'm going with an empty suitcase and a generous shopping budget. Yeah. I think I'll do that.
Thanks for posting this, Colleen! I laughed out at her description of the last minute shopping spree!
I did exactly that, before my first trip to Italy...from my hotel in Toronto, half an hour before I needed to leave for the airport, I took a cab to the Bay and frantically shopped for a new pair of Aerosoles to serve as 'comfortable walking shoes!' Then, racing back to my hotel, I stuffed the new shoes into my carefully-overpacked luggage and headed for Italy.
Those Aerosoles blistered my feet within 2 hours of arriving in Florence!
"She who travels lightest travels grubbiest." ~ Erma Bombeck Brenda
Hello! I've been the complete opposite of this until quite recently, being too practical and following all packing tips. The result is lots of pictures of me looking terribly boring I say go partly for the fantasy, I've had a better time and less embarassing pictures since.
Cheerio Gen
Posts: 31 | Location: Montréal | Registered: 20 January 2007
Well I found my hat, and although I am trying really, really hard to stick to black & white, I noticed that a couple of Florida floral dresses have crept into my suitcase along with a absolutely gorgeous scarlet chintz, ruffled coat from Anthropologie.
After 3+ months of wearing the same limited choices, I thought I'd never wear those clothes again. ...but I found that after a few months I started wearing them again - so, I guess my packing was successful. Stylish, long-lasting & comfortable - after 30 years I'd finally got it right!!
Posts: 459 | Location: Adelaide, South Australia | Registered: 08 May 2005
Once when I was particularly busy with work, I gave my child my credit card and a budget and had her shop for me for a three week trip to Italy. She did well! The only thing I rarely wore and gave away was a black cotton knit top that had gazillions of tiny and closely placed button at the front placket. They were tedious and I always seemed to get them wrong once or twice.
In those days my work wardrobe was miles from being a good travel wardrobe. Nowadays people don't wear suits, dresses and heels all the time for work, but I would have needed a personal maid to cart the work clothes around Italy.
Rex always makes this comment when I start buying clothes before a vacation: "Why do you have to look good for people you are never going to see again?" Of course, he forgets that he likes to buy new things, too...That was a cute article.
Ginger: I immediately thought of this site when I first read that you were looking for a crushable hat. I read about it at the doc's office last week and came home and looked it up. Rex and I are both thinking of getting new hats before Mexico.
I bought a pale yellow one last year and really wanted one in black but they were out so I did get a black one, just not a Walleroo which I love and will also be taking with me.
I love the Jillaroo! I hate wearing hats, because they: 1. Totally destroy my hair 2. Make me s-w-e-a-t! Lots! 3. Make my head itchy. Lots! 4. I look sooo bad in most of them...and yes, as tacky as that sounds, it matters.
But, this Jillaroo...I love it. In pink.
Yogi Bera saw three of his players in the locker room, wearing Cone Head hats. Yogi said, "Those guys make a pair.” Brenda
Most real Panama hats can be rolled up. They also come in various styles and are easy to alter with decorations or scarves etc. They cost something, true, but my oldest one dates from 1984 and is still chugging alone. I wash it in soapy water every once in a while and it is ready to go again. I like it partly because you can change the attitude and shape of the brim quite easily.
I have been very happy with the hat I picked out for our round the world trip.
After 8 months and a ton of wear and washings, It is still going strong.
Here is a picture of me wearing it in Madrid after 10 days in Morocco and you can see it is good for shading ones face from the sun too.
They have it in black which I was tempted by, but felt the lighter color might keep me cooler and I could only pick one because of space and packing light.
I use to be a fantasy traveler and use to pack VERY heavy, but now I find it so much easier to pack light and am amazed at how little I need.
On the other hand, I stillll have way too many clothes for my child on this trip.Although I was forced to get basic for our 10 days in Morocco and then Madrid for two & we managed just fine. Luckily many of her favorite clothes are black...which is a bit strange for a 6 yo.
The article is very funny. At least, this is what I thought until yesterday afternoon, when my mother went shopping and purchased dresses for her, at least 5-10 outfits, which is ok as she arrived from Europe with an empty suitcase. Now, she purchased a dress for me too which can easy be used by Dynasty or Rich and Famous series.
Now that I trained myself to pack light, she just started to buy dresses for my vacation and put pressure on me to take one more pair of shoes. The worst part is that she chose the color I love and I do have other clothes with same color, like a tunic etc... So now I am tempted to take the dress, but I have a puzzle to solve, what else to leave home?
I'd say I'm almost me when I travel. Normally, when I wake in the winter - given a choice, I'll go for my faded jeans and flannel or a sweatshirt. When I travel in winter, it may be my black jeans (or khacki pants) and a sweater instead. In summer, I go for shorts and a top, when I travel, a light skirt and a top. So I guess I'm a bit more "presentable" when I travel. But always, always, comfortable shoes.
Oh - but I do bring multiple books. I tried bringing one big paperback but I seem to have more time to read on vacation and I hate ending up in the airport bookstore paying way too much for a crappy paperback.
Which reminds me - Colleen/Shannon - something else to talk about .
Why does everyone else look better in a hat than me? I would love to find the perfect hat but try as I might it never seems to work out. This means that for an upcoming wedding, I have bought 2 hats and borrowed 3 more, and STILL am not convinced I should wear any of them.
I am the fantasy packer of the article too,lots of colour,linen and chic attire. Most of which stays in the case and the old, comfortable, favourites come out after the first day. On arriving home it goes back into the summer wardrobe (after being ironed yet again!)only to surface again the following trip,..... and the cycle repeats.
I am also guilty of overpacking books,but they at least do get read,and sometimes I leave them to be enjoyed by others so my guilt is assuaged.
Posts: 1222 | Location: UK | Registered: 12 June 2005
Buy new cloths before your trip? I prefer not to look like a tourist and have not bought new cloths for a trip for a long time. I just wear the cloths I wear everyday. They are comfortable and hopefully I will not stick out as a tourist when I travel. Until I say something and then my New York City accent says "TOURIST!"
New shoes? I have two pairs of shoes I only use when I travel because they already broken in with a few years of walking around in them. But I still manage to get a blister on my foot here and there. Even when a taxi is cheap, like in Buenos Aires I still prefer to walk a mile, two or three to get were I want to go.
As for a hat when I travel I take a baseball cap with me. I was concern when I bought it a few years ago because it was a New York City Yankees Baseball cap. But now it is so worn and faded it fits in with the way I dress when I am on a trip.
I guess I dress to be comfortable and that is the real me I like to strangers to have first impressions of. The real me, I would say is not a suit, tie and black shoes type of guy, but will wear it for a funeral.
Bill, no offence, but you are a guy!! My husband would prefer to be worked on at the dentist with no novicane rather than shop for new clothes. If I didn't get him clothes for his birthday and Christmas he would still be wearing his ripped up stuff from the 70's.
Topic Closed
) 
. I just spent the day looking for the perfect black crushable straw hat to take to Venice. I found it, but it was $75.00 
and I decided to look somewhere else tomorrow.
I say go partly for the fantasy, I've had a better time and less embarassing pictures since. 
,
I would love to find the perfect hat but try as I might it never seems to work out. This means that for an upcoming wedding, I have bought 2 hats and borrowed 3 more, and STILL am not convinced I should wear any of them.
