Travel Tip: Long Stays

Staying at a hotel for several weeks but going home on the weekend?  Most hotels will allow you to check a bag in their storage.  This is great so you dont have to lug your hairdryer, extra shoes, or whatever back and forth.  Especially if you know you wont use it at home.  

You can also send your clothes out to be laundered so they are ready for your return after the weekend.

P.S. Inform (tip) the hotel concierge or management staff and your bag will most likely show up in your hotel room before you do :)

COS Review: Travelo

Carry-On Style Review: Travelo Perfume Atomizer

I cannot remember where I first read about Travelo, but I've had it bookmarked in my "To-Buy" tabs for at least six months.  I finally decided to order one when I ran out of my sample size perfume I got at Christmas time.

The first time I used it I was SO glad I bought it!  It is one of THE best things I could have ever bought for my suitcase.

It is very simple to use, you simply take the top off your perfume bottle and literally pump your perfume into your Travelo.  It takes about one minute to fill it up.  When using it, the nozzle on the Travelo gives a good spritz and hasn't clogged yet.  The plus side?  The atomizer is about the size of a lipstick, so its small enough to get through TSA but holds more than enough to last for a week long trip.

I bought it to go in my carryon suitcase, but really it is perfect for anyone who wears perfume (or cologne).  It fits into a purse, gym bag, or pocket with ease.  They seem really well constructed (meaning they are not glass) and have a window so you can see the level of your perfume. While I got mine in pink they come in a variety of colors.

I really only have two scents that I wear but you can easily fill them with water "Hello cool summer sprtiz!" to rinse them out.

Perfect gifts for anyone (men or women) who goes to the gym, travels, or is simply breathing.

Travel Tips For Women

Some tips I've picked up from others and some tips I've had to learn the hard way.

Packing

•  Luggage tag - Clearly label your luggage with your name and address.  If possible use your work address or a PO Box instead of your home address.  You should also have a luggage tag that is unique so you can identify find your black suitcase among the other hundreds of black suitcases.  I have 3 tags on my bag, 1 that tells my airline status, 1 for my address, and this one for uniqueness 

• Makeup Kit - I have duplicate makeup kits, one for home and one that never leaves my suitcase.  The contents of both makeup bags are identical and its one less thing I have to remember.

• Power Cords - Like my makeup kit, I have doubles of all my power cords that never leave my suitcase.  I even have a second cord for my laptop that stays in my laptop bag.  If I'm working from home I simply take my laptop out and plug it into the cord I keep at home.

Hotel

• Room Keys - Always get 2 keys for your hotel room.  There is no reason to announce to the entire lobby that you are staying alone.

• Check-in - When you check in, ask that they just point to your room number instead of announcing it to everyone in listening distance.  Most hotels do this, but I learned this tip from the couple of hotels that didn't.  Nothing like the hotel clerk saying loudly in a crowded lobby "Here you go Ms. Smith, here is your one key, you are in room 316"

• Rewards Club - Even if you don't travel weekly, you should still sign up for your favorite hotel rewards.  The points do add up, but its really the perks that I like, late check-out, guaranteed room reservations, snacks, etc...

Fun on the Road

• Postcard - A tradition I started with my family when I travel is, no matter where I go, I always send a postcard home and it has to be postmarked from the place I'm visiting.  Usually the first I do when I get off the plane is hit the gift shop and buy a postcard then mail it from the hotel (they  can meter it).

• Explore - Don't be one of those travelers that only sees the hotel lobby and client sites.  Go out and explore the town.  Even small towns have something to see.  Ask the hotel clerk/concierge what to see.  Most of my travel is in the US, so my personal tour guide is 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

Packing for a Conference

One corporate event I look forward to is my company's annual conference.  However I dread packing for it.

I should be used to packing for business trips, after all I do it every week, however going to the annual conference requires a different packing list.  Along with day sessions and training (in chilly conference rooms), I now have to think about what to wear for dinners, receptions, a team outing, and a wine social somewhere in there.

Here is the general schedule of the conference:
Saturday: Travel Day
Sunday: Training Sessions/Informal Reception
Monday: Sessions/Awards Dinner
Tuesday: Sessions/Dinner/Group Activity
Wednesday: Sessions/Travel Day

One thing that is good, is even though some of these sound like they will be dressy events, my company is relaxed, generally business casual is the most dressed up you need to be.  I plan to

Packing List:

• White slacks (Sessions & Sunday Reception)
• Jeans (Travel Days & Group Activity)
• Tan skirt or slacks (Sessions)
• Charcoal slacks  (Sessions)
• Silk button down shirt (Sessions)
• Printed silk top (Sessions & Sunday Reception)
• Cowl neck blouse (Sessions)
• Short-sleeve top  this and/or this (Sessions & Group Activity)
• Neutral color cardigan (Sessions & Travel Days)
• Crochet Dress (Awards Dinner) 
• Tan Pumps (Sessions & Dinners)
• Black Pumps (Sessions & Dinners)
• Flats or Flat Sandals (Travel Days & Group Activity)
• Coordinated jewelry 

I always end up packing one more outfit than I actually need and this list would get me at least one more day.  Some think this is over packing, but I've had heels snap, spills, and tears, so I like to have a Plan B.  I will bring items that I always travel with such as workout clothes, workout shoes, and all the rest. 

COS Review: Emergency Travel Kit

Normally I stay away from saying the dreadful words "Must Have" but in this case I absolutely mean it.

I'm always on the lookout for little travel kits that make my life on-the-road much easier.  So I was THRILLED when I found this cute little kit at the checkout line at Sephora for my roll aboard.

Its got everything a woman on the go (or road) might need from Mr & Mrs contained in a cute, easy to pack little case: Hairspray, Clear Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Emery Board, Lip Balm, Earring Backs, Clear Elastics, Sewing Kit, Double-Sided Tape (good-bye loose hem!) Stain Remover, Deodorant Towelette, Pain Reliever, Tampon, Breath Freshener, Dental Floss, Bandages

For my case, I took out the clear nail polish and nail polish remover, because I get gel polish every two weeks.  I filled the space with a few bobby pins and called it complete!

They have kits for moms which includes mini crayons and playing cards, some for men which includes extra buttons and shoe shine wipes, and for brides which even include extra wedding bands (in case the ring bearer swallows the ring).

Any woman who has a desk, purse, or suitcase should have one of these and even though its early think about, these are perfect stocking stuffers.

Happy Travels!

From my suitcase

Going away for a month long business/pleasure trip has been giving me packing nightmares!!  Especially because I love to travel light.  So I really starting looking at weather and making lists weeks before I actually had to pack.  I wanted to make sure that most of my clothes would do double duty, I can wear to work, but can also wear out touring. (These are pictures from my actual suitcase)


The first tan and black sheath dress has been a staple in my closet for a while now and comes on almost every business trip I take.  I sometimes wear a different belt with it and I might wear a black jacket and black heels or my new favorite jacket white and tan jacket from White House Black Market with nude heels.  While this is a serious business dress, I could probably also wear it to dinner, but since I have to visit more than one client on this trip, this is not a one time wear dress.

Tahari Tan and Black Sheath Dress

Tahari Dress with White House Black Market Jacket

This black and white print dress is a fairly new purchase, but I love it already.  I sometimes wear the black belt it came with but then other times I'll put on a bright yellow or red belt instead.  The best thing about this dress is it does not wrinkle!!  I can take it straight out of my suitcase and put it on without worrying about wrinkles.  I wear it with heels and jacket to work, then slip my feet in some cute but comfy sandals for touring around.

Printed Black and White Dress - Packs AMAZINGLY Well

When I saw this I fell in love with the pop of blue color and it is very flattering!  It is also a great packing dress that does not wrinkle and only cost me about $20 at Marshalls.  When I go to work I will pair it with this cobalt blue jacket from White House Black Market, but it can easily be dressed down for daytime casual.

Found this at Marshalls and fell in love with the bright blue

Marshaslls dress with White House Black Market Jacker

And of course you can't come to England without a proper raincoat and this one has never failed me.  I love that I was able to find a good raincoat that was not black.  I like the military look of this one.

Trusty Kenneth Cole Raincoat

Surviving a Long Flight

This spring, I will be going Europe for about a month.  It will be a half business/half vacation trip.  I don't want to think about packing yet, but I've started to think about being comfortable on a long flight.  Flying from East Coast to West Coast to East Coast a LOT has given me time to refine what makes me comfortable on a long flight.

Layers, Layers, Layers. To me dressing comfortably is the most important thing.  I'm not one to wear sweats or yoga pants, so I will often wear leggings/tights, dress, cardigan, and a scarf (think cashmere).  If I'm going straight to my hotel I might wear a tunic instead of a dress.  I'll wear whatever shoes look good with the outfit, because I always take them off and put on chenille socks for warmth and comfort.  As with all long flights DVT is a risk, so sometimes I will wear compression socks under my leggings.

Fun Sleep Mask

Overnight flight? Think SLEEP!  I am lucky, I am one of those annoying persons who can sleep just about anywhere.  Even though I can sleep anywhere doesn't mean I don't want to be comfortable, so I always carry a sleep mask and ear plugs in my carryon bag.  If I know I'm going on an overnight flight, I will bring an easily-packable travel blanket.  It took me a while to find the perfect blanket and I actually found it at a sporting goods store.  Travel pillows....I don't carry one because I've never been able to use it comfortably, but I know people who SWEAR by them, so try it out, see if its good for you.  

Always in my carry on

Beauty. There is nothing like an airplane to dry out your skin!  So, I recommend taking along a few must have beauty essentials.  First on my list is a good moisturizer.  If I'm going to be on a long flight I will actually wash off all my makeup (in the airplane lavatory), then slather on my nighttime moisturizer, put on a hydrating lip balm, then go to sleep.  When I wake up, I will use (in the lavatory) a hydrating mist (like Evian Brumisateur or my normal skincare toner), apply my daytime moisturizer, Colgate Wisp Mini Tooth Brushes (I carry them with me all the time and love them!), quickly reapply my makeup and then deplane. 

Entertainment. You're probably not going to go to sleep right upon takeoff , so make sure you have enough to read, do a crossword puzzle, watch a video, or listen to music.  Also make sure you have headphones and enough batteries/battery life to get you though. I like to crochet, and there is no better place to work on a project than at 30, 000 ft.  If you're traveling with kids, there is no such thing as bringing too many activities.

Snacks, snacks, snacks. You want to stay hydrated on a plane, so buy a bottle of water at the airport.  Also if you have a favorite snack, like nuts, granola bars, trail mix, beef jerkey (good protein) bring double what you think you might need.  In my experience with airplane maintenance and weather delays, a traveler cannot have too many snacks in their carry on.


- Cindy

App Review: Stylish Girl

Remember that scene from Clueless where Cher was flipping through her closet, taking pictures of her outfits, trying to decide what to wear?  Well now you can do it from your iPhone or Android phone using the ultimate style planner.

Basically all you do is take pictures of your entire wardrobe and put them into seasonal categories as well as types of clothing, dresses, pants, shoes, etc.  This can take a while, but is so worth it!

This app allows for more than just clothes, there is also a Beauty feature that can do almost the same with your makeup and fragrances.

- CARRY YOUR ENTIRE CLOSET WITH YOU and never buy duplicate items again


- CREATE AMAZING OUTFITS anytime and anywhere; Share them with your friends; Track your outfits by date worn

- SHOP ONLINE.  Mix and match online items against your clothes and outfits; Compare prices; Add items to your "Wish Bag" for future purchases


- DISCOVER the latest fashion looks and trends from online magazines and blogs


- PACK FOR YOUR TRIP QUICKLY without forgetting anything; Pick from your outfits or include individual pieces; This is great for traveling light without looking boring

Stylish Girl - http://stylishandcool.com/stylishgirl.html
Devices: iPhone, iPad, Android
Cost: FREE

- Cindy