Travel Etiquette :: Using Airplane Bathrooms

[trip style = any]

I've been hanging out at 37,000 feet a lot lately, and you would NOT believe how many people I spot failing to follow b-a-s-i-c airplane bathroom etiquette. With this, I have a newfound side-mission: Make the world a cleaner and more courteous place, especially in the commode.  

With this, here are some key aircraft lavatory courtesies you should be considering {read: Following} while flying:

1/ Don't go to the bathroom with bare feet or in socks. AH! Wear shoes, or a pair of rubber-soled slippers you can slip into a shower cap post-flight and wash thereafter. 
---> You would not believe how many people I see entering or exiting the lavatories in socks. The response I wish I had the guts to ask these toilet trespassers: Did you bring a hazmat bag for your feet? 

2/ If there is a lineup, for goodness sake, be a gentlemen or gentlewoman and hold the door open for the next person. Don't let the springy door close on the next person as they are walking in.
--> I can't even tell you the amount of times someone has let the lav door slam into my face without even batting an eye or uttering "sorry." Oy.

3/ Ladies and GENTS: Always close toilet seat completely when you are done. {Oh, and while you're at it, remember to lock the door!}
--> And, if you're in there for awhile—catch my drift—double-flush to avoid leaving a mess in the bowl. If I had a penny for every time I opened the toilet to find, well, you do the math...

4/ Wash your hands AND drain the sink. The reason you have to drain the sink in the sky is so your dirty hand water doesn't slosh everywhere during turbulence.

5/ If you're traveling with an infant, bring scented, air-tight bags {some airlines supply these, most don't} to put dirty diapers in before throwing them in the trash. 

Finally, if you want to keep extra clean, pump the soap and use your wrists to turn on the tap. Once you're done washing, grab a towel to dry off and open the lavatory door with the towel, THEN throw it in the garbage. This way, you keep yourself and the aircraft a little more sanitary.

Mr. Clean would be proud! 

[photo sourced online via Daily Mail]

Packing for a QUICK Airport to Resort Transition

[trip style = sun + steal + luxe]

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could travel in roomy jets, sip Champagne on Cloud 9, and strut STRAIGHT from the plane to the pool at touchdown? 

If there's one thing I've learned from quick trips to tropical locals is not to waste time between the airport and resort. You're there for sun and relaxation, right? So, start ASAP. Read: Forget unpacking {you can do that later} and browsing the hotel, and get an umbrella drink in your hand on the double!   

After years of editing and re-editing my travel routine down to an art, I’ve settled on the following packing techniques for an easy-breezy airport-to-resort transition. Because, let’s be honest, if you’re traveling somewhere hot, you’ve got one thing on your mind: Sitting at the water’s edge. Stat.

1. Bring a plane-to-pool travel tote

The key to your jet-set success is selecting a tote {read: “personal item” in plane-speak} that’s chic and sturdy enough for the plane and casual enough for the pool. I have a few bags that I take based on where I’m going. If I’m headed to an upscale resort I pack my large leather purse, which I embellish with tassels for a tropical feel. If my destination is a sand-in-your-toes stay, I bring a hand-woven bucket purse with leather straps. In either case: Save time and packing space combining your travel and pool tote into one, meaning there’s no need to pack an extra bag for the beach.

2.  Wear part of your pool garb in transit

Don't worry, this does NOT involve wearing your bathing suit under your clothes, but the next step in arriving poolside arriba is wearing your pool cover-up on the airplane.
Ladies: Select a large scarf, an upscale poncho, an oversized button-down shirt, or a kimono that can go from home > hotel > plane > pool. This way, you don’t need to open your suitcase and select a pool outfit—you’re already wearing it!
Guys: This one is easy for you, a white t-shirt looks chic in the sky and over your trunks at the swimming pool.

3. The essentials

The reason you need a personal item the size of a laptop bag {ladies: Think oversized purse} is to set you up for the pool, p-r-o-n-t-o! Basics I always pack include a high-SPF face and body sunscreen {three ounces or fewer, duh}, a hat, a book, flat sandals (if I haven’t worn them on the plane), and my bathing suit. This way, all my essentials are ready and I can change into my bathing suit anywhere. 

4. Get there, FASTER 

Waiting at the carousel for checked luggage, waiting in line for a taxi with everyone else from your flight, and waiting {again!} to check-in at your hotel can take at least two hours of relaxation time away from your getaway. So, avoid it! You’re there for the palm trees and the pool, right? In addition to packing a carry-on with your plane-to-pool tote, prearrange a ride so you don’t have to wait for one, and instead of bee-lining for the front desk upon arrival, drop your bags at the bell desk and check-in at sundown once you’re glowing with sun-kissed serenity.  

For the full article + more tips, see my latest in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog: How to get from plane to pool, pronto.

[Photos sourced from a video I did with Air Transat, see it here.]

Dressing for La Dolce Vita

[trip style = any]

Being in Italy this summer for almost a month taught me some major packing lessons—ones that are easily applicable to Italy, as well as every other trip. 

My BIGGEST take-away: Don't treat your clothes like fine china. Bring AT LEAST one special-occasion garment with you. 

I recently wrote about my top Italy packing pointers in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog; here's the skinny. 

How to Pack for Italy
1. Map your wardrobe
Once you figure out where you’re going in Italy, and in what season, map your travel wardrobe. For example, I went to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Ischia and Capri during summer, so my suitcase was filled with nautical stripes for the coast and flowy silhouettes to stay cool {in every sense of the word} in the Eternal City’s musty heat.

2. Pack with passion 
Italians are passionate people—from fashion to football—so channel this all-or-nothing attitude in your travel attire. Don’t reserve your perfect-fit tailored pants or red-soled shoes for a once-a-year occasion; bring them to Rome where Italians dress as if they’re runway ready every day. Furthermore, edit and re-edit your suitcase contents before you leave so you’re only tempted to bring your Sunday best.

Wearing made-to-fit Capri sandals in Rome.

3. Be a shoe-in
Don’t flash your tourist card sporting a pair of I’ve-just-gone-for-a-jog sneakers thinking “they’re practical for sightseeing.” Repeat after me: Runners and flip-flops are a no go (and you won’t see any Italians grabbing an espresso con panna looking like they’ve just gone to the gym). Italian-made shoes are iconic for a reason: They’ve managed the near-impossible task of fusing comfort and style. So think like a local and pack for a well-heeled journey. 

Trip Styler Tip: If you are visiting the Amalfi Coast or Capri, save room in your suitcase for custom-made shoes, starting around 40 Euro. 

4. Dolce-ify your wardrobe
Never fear, practical packers! Dolce-ifying your wardrobe does not mean you have to fill a Louis Vuitton trunk, ship it overseas, and dress like Donatella during Milan Fashion Week. Instead, take cues from the catwalk and add one piece of glitter to your getup. For example, choose an I-might-be-famous hat and sunglasses combo, a pair of statement shoes, or an unexpected bracelet. I followed these rules and was mistaken for an Italian actress on several occasions!

5. Strut
Finally, whatever fine-tuned attire you choose to include in your travel wardrobe, strut your stuff. All of the head-turning Italians I spotted had one thing in common (in addition to a fashion-forward ensemble): Confidence, which is always in style

[photos by @tripstyler]

How to Look French

[trip style = urban]

Editor's note: This guest post is written by Katie Mogan Graham, a Canadian expat who is spending a year in Provence, eating her weight in discount Monoprix cheese, bread and wine. When she isn't butchering la langue française in her adopted home of Aix-En-Provence, she and her husband can be found touring Europe, keeping their eyes peeled for interesting fashion and their stomachs alert to all things gastronomically new and exciting.

French fashion is about an attitude more than an item of clothing—pout, look bored, walk with confidence, NEVER move for anyone or anything on the sidewalk. That said, it's also about the appropriate accessories: dog, cigarette {e-cigarette allowed}, large purse and sunglasses. 

My last post touched on what I observed in Paris in May. Those planning a trip to any part of France may want to consider the following "national accessories" as a way of seamlessly blending in with their surroundings. Here's my take on looking French in three easy steps.

1/ Le Chien
Dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds are nationally adored, and are frequently seen accompanying their owners into cafés and clothing stores {and most likely even doctor's appointments}. You really can't go a block without spotting a faithful furry friend perched in a bicycle basket or straining to eat the final crumbs of a forgotten croissant. My favourite chien-spotting experience happened in Nice, where we saw a man walking with two dogs: the first, a Retriever, carried a baguette in his mouth, while the second, a Chihuahua, carried nothing but wore a snazzy red cape with the word "DIVA" bedazzled across its back. Vive la France!

2/ La Cigarette 
By no means am I promoting smoking, but the truth is if you want to look French, hold a cigarette. Despite the laundry list of health issues this pastime promotes, smoking is still very popular throughout France. Interestingly, e-cigarettes enjoy almost as much popularity here, which many claim to be good news for the environment {no butts!} and non-smokers.

3/ La Moue et La Bise
The French are very expressive and are strong believers in using the whole body when engaged in conversation. For the sake of brevity, I’ll stick to the face, and how to use it when interacting with friends—or foes—in France. If you wish to convey displeasure, indifference or any emotion other than joy, extend your lower lip {la moue, or pout} and give a slight shrug of the shoulders. If you wish to greet a friend, family member or recent acquaintance, lean forward and quickly kiss the air beside each cheek of said person {faire la bise, or kiss}. Both of these maneuvers are Gallic in origin, and will be sure to impress your fellow travelers.

If you're able to pout or kiss with a dog in tow and a cigarette in hand, you’ll be well on your way to being mistaken for a true French{wo}man.

Trip Styler Tip: If you've already read the books {literally} on how to eat and parent like the French, you may want to pick up How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are, a tongue-in-chic guide on Parisian style, culture, attitude and men written by four Parisian "it" women, including Chanel "ambassador" Caroline de Maigret.

Related
Jetset Style :: How to Dress Like a Parisian
Jetset Style :: The Everyday Sneaker
Jetset Style :: Scandinavia-Inspired Jackets
Paris, Now and Then

[images via @jeannedamas, the sartorialist, gq, sipa press, thelocals.dk, harper's bazaar, splash news, @valentinehello, @carolinedemaigret]

Jetset Style :: How to Dress Like a Parisian

[trip style = urban]

Editor's note: This guest post is written by Katie Mogan Graham, a Canadian expat who is spending a year in Provence, eating her weight in discount Monoprix cheese, bread and wine. When she isn't butchering la langue française in her adopted home of Aix-En-Provence, she and her husband can be found touring Europe, keeping their eyes peeled for interesting fashion and their stomachs alert to all things gastronomically new and exciting. 

France: the land of cheap baguettes, expensive wine and oh-so-whimsical berets. Nearly six months ago, my husband and I left our family, friends and jobs in Vancouver to spend a year living in Europe. We landed in France, where we’ve been drinking in—literally—all this chic, quaint country has to offer.

Many of our previous assumptions about France have held true—the bread is delicious, cheap and plentiful, as is the cheese and occasionally the wine—but much to our dismay, we’ve yet to see a single beret. Quelle horreur! Perhaps this is simply a matter of timing {the beret may strictly be a headpiece d'hiver}, but it’s caused us to stop and notice what people actually wear on the cobblestone streets that surround us.  

One key observation—and one that my Aixois friends will undoubtedly dispute—is that the further south we’ve traveled, the less daring and avant garde the fashion. Our current resting point, the popular Provençal ville of Aix En Provence, is a perfect example. Aix is best known for its bustling weekly markets, which attract hordes of sunburned tourists in the summer, but during the other three seasons, the sidewalk cafes are dominated by university students and older locals with dogs. For a real discussion on trends à la mode, one must look to Paris. And so, without further delay, I give you a short summary of our sartorial findings from our recent visit to the City of Lights.

1/ Not-So-Mellow Yellow
Spring in Paris is a fickle thing; the skies are often grey and rainy with sporadic bursts of sunlight that justify the use of oversized sunglasses with umbrellas. This mishmash of weather was mirrored in the outfits displayed in store windows and on sidewalk cafés. Chic and cheeky pops of yellow abounded from head to toe, in the form of scarves, belts, purses and shoes. Of course, since everything is best in moderation, a sober dose of grey, blue and black kept this sunny look grounded. And since Parisians are the living, breathing {and often smoking} embodiment of "too cool for school", it really wouldn't work for them to be seen wearing bright colors from head to toe anyway.

2/ La Frange
I learned this chic new term for fringe when I went for my first haircut in France. La frange is not just a hair term anymore. Vaguely reminiscent of the boho heyday of the 1960s–70s, tassels of just about every size, color and material hung in all their glory. Like the color yellow, fringe was kept in check by being limited to a single article of clothing or accessory—dangling from a cropped jacket, clinging to the edges of a clutch or swinging from the back of a pair of heels. With the vast variety of styles, it appeared that there was no one way to wear fringe, except perhaps sans tie-dye, headbands or macrame vests.

3/ Stan Smith Adidas Sneakers
Paris is best seen on foot, as you can't go a block or two without finding some hidden gem of a shop or café that would go unnoticed if traveling by car {or even worse, tour bus}. This is where a "Catch 22" occurs: How can one wander the streets of Paris fashionably and comfortably?  Parisian women and men have solved this timeless conundrum by adopting the sporty sneaker—the classic, white Stan Smith Adidas sneaker. When I first heard these referenced in conversation, I thought my Parisian friend was talking about the singer Sam Smith. It became clear that our "lost in translation" moment was due to my extreme lack of sportiness {In case there are others out there like me, Stan Smith is a famous American tennis player from the 1960s–80s}. You don't have to know a thing about tennis to sport this look; these shockingly white sneakers are worn with just about everything, from mini, midi and maxi skirts to cuffed jeans and sleek suits {racket and balls optional}. My Parisian friend and her boyfriend have matching "his and hers" sneakers. I'd score that match "love–all".

4/ The Parisian Knot
I kid you not, the chic men of Paris have a knot named in their honor, and rightfully so if you ask me. This is one of the simplest ways to wear a scarf, but also sleekest and sexiest. Perhaps it helped that we were visiting at a cooler time of year, but everywhere we looked, Parisian men {and likely the odd tourist, hoping to fit in} were keeping warm with scarves knotted deftly around their necks. Men of North America take note and get shopping!

5/ Tailored Layers
Beneath their scarves, Parisian men continued to impress, with an array of carefully tailored layers to buffet the rain and wind. Blazers and cardigans—be still my heart—were out in full force, keeping company with slim-fit collared shirts and equally slim trousers. The younger crowd kept their pant hems a tad higher, exposing glimpses of bare ankles {mon dieu!} or patterned socks {très chic!}. These svelte ensembles were often worn by men on bicycles {le sigh!}, who undoubtedly benefited from the aerodynamics at play.

À bientôt!

Related
Jetset Style :: The Everyday Sneaker
Jetset Style :: Scandinavia-Inspired Jackets
The Savvy Traveler :: Jackie

[collages by @heatherlovesit & photos via style.com, vogue, wwd, garancedore.fr, streetpeeper.com, thestunninglook.com, styledumonde.com, details.com, clochet.com]