I’m going to bump the entry about my luggage for this fashion interruption. And since sometimes it’s more fun to see fashion beyond static photography, why don’t you come vlog with me today. It’s actually a confession of how I fell off the shopping (ban) wagon. Again. I know, I meant to only tip-toe into the store and check out the Sonia Rykiel for H&M collection for Lil A’s baby clothes, but $241 later, here I am in the confessional, wearing the evidence.
PS: that’s my furkid walking in front of the camera. He wants air time, too.
PPS: If you think this video sucks, be thankful you didn’t see the bloopers. This was take 6 and I could barely contain my giggles. I’ll just stick to the old blogging and leave vlogging to the professionals.
Tags: H&M, Sonia Rykiel
A reader had recently asked if I had a certain outfit for long flights, and it’s something I’d thought about often when I first started to travel a lot–usually when I was already on the plane and regretting what I’d worn. Trust me, I’ve seen all those photos of Posh Spice (aka Victoria Beckham) leaving the airport with not a hair out of place, dressed to kill, armed with some fantastic bag, and I’m here to tell you, it’s all about having your own plane. Because whether I’m flying first, business, or coach class, it’s going to be hard to look fab after any flight lasting longer than 4 hours. I’d need to book an extra ticket for a makeup artist, hair person, and personal stylist for me to look like that upon landing. Fine, also someone to man the wind machine.
For “short” flights (3-6 hours) you will most likely find me in pants (usually khakis with stretch), sneakers, black shirt (in case of spillage by someone in the seat next to me), and a light-weight cashmere hoodie that’s not bulky in case I also have to wear a coat (layering is important when you can’t control the cabin’s temperature and cashmere can be easily rolled up to fit inside your purse or carry-on bag when you don’t need it).
My uniform is tidy and comfortable but nondescript so that I can blend in almost anywhere. The last thing I want to do when going overseas, or almost any public place involving large crowds, is to stick out like a sore thumb. But I also want to be respectful and not look too sloppy. I also find that, whether it’s fair or not, when I need to curry some favor from the airline’s ground crew, I get more help when I don’t look sloppy. That’s just how the world is. So save the cutoff shorts and muffin tops for a picnic maybe?
I don’t recommend sandals or flip flops–even though they are easier to slip on and off when you go through security–because of the public restrooms in airports and on planes. Closed-toe shoes are critical for this reason alone. Plus I remember getting stranded unexpectedly more than once in cities that had inclement weather, wearing pretty but useless sandals that did not protect my toes from rain and snow. So I repeat, closed-toe shoes are critical. It’s not a crime to kick them off once you’re in your seat.
For longer flights, especially the ones involving sleeping on the plane, I have mixed feelings. I have tried wearing dresses–anything with a stretch and that doesn’t wrinkle, and in fabrics appropriate for the weather. The only problem is that some dresses can flag you for an extra round of security check (note to self: TSA does not like maxi dresses), even though it is easy to look smart in a slim black dress even after 12 hours on the plane. So sometimes I’m in my black dress uniform and other times I’m in the look from above. But that black gauze cotton dress I picked up from Target last week…I think I might give it a go on my next flight this summer. I could wear it with the closed-toe espadrilles on the plane and then the peep-toe heels when I go out to dinner that same night:
I now dress for travel while adhering to the Boy Scout motto: be prepared. I always ask myself if, God forbid, there were some emergency, would I be able to run or jump or help someone in my outfit? Therefore, gone are the days of wearing stilettos on the plane–unless I really have no time to change out of a business suit and Louboutins before catching a plane after a meeting. I save those for when I reach the destination. Though I must say, the extra 4 inches from the heels go a long way in reaching overhead bins!
But utility is no fun, am I right? Where’s the joy in dressing like a boy scout when you can look like Victoria Beckham? Well, I’ll concede that vanity and practicality are not mutually exclusive, so I like to accessorize my flight uniform with a fantastic bag or some key personal item (like a watch or Hermes muffler) that I will need when I land anyway. The plane ride is just the means to an end, and comfort is a top priority. Perhaps I won’t look like Posh Spice when I land, but at least I won’t resemble Scary Spice either. Uh, not that there’s anything wrong with looking like that.
In the next entry we’ll look at what’s always inside my carry-on bag.
PS: this is the Chanel mule I featured yesterday. Another reader had asked for a shot of the heel and I’m always happy to comply with gratuitous eye candy!
Tags: cashmere, Chanel, Louboutins, Posh Spice, Scary Spice, Victoria Beckham
So I popped into Target the other day to get some orange juice (I don’t like going to grocery stores) and came home with a skirt that can double as a sundress. It was less than $20 and will be perfect in my suitcase–which I’ll blog about tomorrow–but beyond that, it got me thinking…just exactly how many black skirts is too many for one person?
I know you are out there, snickering in guilt. You’ve got a slinky one for date nights, a perfect A-line one (ok maybe 10 of these) for work, a micro one for vacays where no one knows you anyway, a more modest one for funerals, and the list goes on. Since part of rehab is owning up to the crime, I’ll confess I’m so bad I probably have a black skirt for each different type of funeral. And yes, I suppose that purchase from Target should be considered falling off the wagon. Grrr.
But this leads to today’s FIMTSO experiment, which is how to rework a black skirt for various occasions.
Test Item: Prada crinkled silk skirt. I chose a straight, low-rise skirt that hits just below the knee as my all purpose sample.
Business: I’m turning the skirt into a mate for a Chanel jacket worn over a black tank. The patent black Manolos should carry me from day to night in this outfit. I could wear this to a business meeting during the day and to the ballet at night.
Casual: naval stripes are everywhere this Spring so I’m pairing my skirt with a b/w striped Kors pullover. The b/w Chanel mules are low enough (2″) to be casual without looking too sloppy. Though I could also see myself in this skirt with a white t-shirt and patent flip flops. We are a flip flop nation after all. Add a killer slouchy bag and I’m ready for a walk through Soho in the early summer.
Play: This is where it gets fun. Today by Play I mean we get to play around with a bunch of shoes. What you see (thought it’s really difficult to photograph black clothes) is a Miu Miu sleeveless turtleneck in a lightweight high-tech fabric that won’t wrinkle but will stretch and breathe. I think it’s one of the best pieces in my closet as far as functionality. Anyway, with a black outfit, you can make it play day or play night with your accessories. The occasion dictates the shoes, so this outfit is also suitable for work with the right pair of slingbacks. That’s what’s so versatile about black!
Well, I wasn’t disappointed. It was well past midnight by the time they showed the medal ceremony for the ice dancing competition but it was worth putting off sleep. I would have given out three gold medals last night. The competition was that good. But in the end, the right teams were on the podium without any controversy. And I loved it that the Canadian gold medalists were belting out their anthem along with the entire audience. That’s what I call an Olympics moment.
So OK, yesterday I said I wanted to be Vera Wang for a day. Today I think I’d rather be an Olympian ice dancer, with a super cute Vera Wang designed costume instead of my puffy parka below when I hit the ice in Belgium–
My favorite outfit from the entire competition was the open-back red dress Russian Oksana Domnina wore for the compulsory dance. Heck, if I looked like her in that dress I would have worn it off the ice, to dinner, to the dentist. Maybe I’d just sit around the house in it. And if I were an Olympian, I think any hardware would do; I’m not difficult (famous last words)!
Tonight the ladies’ figure skating competition begins so I guess more late nights are ahead of me. But tomorrow, let’s go back to FIMTSO. And if you have any particular item you’d like to see as a test item for this series, do email me or leave a comment.
Tags: ice dancing, Oksana Domnina, Vera Wang
The Vancouver winter Olympics this year is practically in my backyard (well, it’s on the west coast) but NBC is still doing tape delay in my time zone. So it’s been tough to stay off the internet in order to watch the events before the results are released everywhere. What’s tougher is watching some of the events start after 10pm on TV when I know they have already finished in real time. It’s frustrating to not be able to watch a sporting event live, but no doubt I am fixated on all of the skating events, from short track to figure skating.
Ice skating has traditionally been fueled with politics, and the recently revised scoring system doesn’t seem to have tempered the tension at all. From the old battles of the cold war to the fighting words of the new war between the two camps, whether you are Team Lysacek or Team Plushenko, the world of figure skating has not changed much. But that’s part of the hassle of watching this great sport. So many drama kings and queens in the mix…and I’m just talking about the commentators, coaches, and judges. As a fan I have to filter out all the noise and just enjoy the skating because, all trash talking aside, there’s been some fantastic skating so far.The focus should just be on the athletes. I can’t wait to watch the next few ice dancing competitions. Imagine all the drama, fashion, and tension that have to unfold on top of the ballroom dancing on ice blades. What’s more entertaining than that!
If I could be anyone for one day it might be designer Vera Wang. I’d offer my services to outfit all of the Olympian skaters and not just Lysacek. BTW, did anyone notice the encrusted snakes on Lysacek’s costume in his long program? She had released that same wrap-around snake as a necklace a season or two ago, which I wasn’t able to score. So if I were Vera for a day I could snag that necklace for myself and crank out a couple of outfits for the pairs teams as well!
Well, I’m going back to the Tivo to see what else NBC aired around 2am…most likely the medal ceremonies. Is it just me or do you also wish the athletes knew the words to their national anthems? I think if I were on the podium I’d be bawling while howling the anthem. It’s probably a good thing I’m not an Olympian. Anyway, I think the best way to see the Olympics is to brush out the old passport. Sochi, see you in 2014.
Tags: figure skating, Lysacek, Plushenko, Sochi, Vancouver, Vera Wang, Winter Olympics
