Fashion Friday :: Made for Walkin'

[trip style = urban]

Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month by fashion blogger Heather.

Is anything more important than comfortable shoes when you're traveling? I can't tell you how many times I've regretted the shoes I packed when I valued style over comfort. Even though it is a great excuse to buy a new pair on the road...

I recently bought a pair of John Fluevog Hannah boots (shown at top left) and I've barely taken them off. They're the most comfortable boots I've ever owned and definitely Trip Styler approved! These booties are perfect for quick escapes to New York and Portland, and I know I'll be wearing them on the cobblestone streets of Europe next year. Style and comfort together in the same shoe---it's possible!

Trip Styler Tip: If you tend to pack shoes for style over comfort like I sometimes do, remember to bring a stick of Band-Aid Friction Block to avoid blisters {also available in generic form at your favorite drug store}.

Fluevogs are designed in Vancouver, BC in a studio overlooking their flagship store in one of the most striking retail spaces in the city. They're known for their durability, customer service and unique styles. They've been making some killer contemporary shoes lately and I suspect I'll become one of their many loyal customers. And since I live in Vancouver, it's great to know that I'm buying local.

{Editor's Note :: I spent some time with John Fluevog and his lovely wife in Africa four years ago while at a wedding in Nairobi. He is an extraordinarily gracious, well traveled (and well dressed, obviously) gent in case you're interested in the face behind the shoe!}

Now What To Choose?
Women (clockwise from top left)
Hannah, Astern, Malcolm, Impel, Cha Cha, Paglia, Boogie Woogie, Ard, Wizard

Men (descending from top right)
Wynn, Soros, Kashmir

More Fashion Friday
Life's a Beach
Falling for Portland
Runway Style

[shoes via John Fluevog]

Jetset Jingles :: Global Holiday Classics

[trip style = any]

Jetset Jingles publishes once monthly. The ‘soundtrack’ is written, mixed and mastered by Nicole, amateur DJ by night and movie maven by day.

It’s the end of November, which can only mean ONE thing; "Mele Kalikimaka" {Merry Christmas in ancient Hawaiian} is right around the corner. I LOVE this time of year marked by holiday parties, filling food, festive lights and time-honored traditions.

One of my seasonal traditions has me flying South for the holidays. Yes that’s right. Like last year, I’ll be celebrating Christmas with the fam in sunny Palm Springs. Then, in hopes of creating a new tradition, I’ll be heading to Maui's sugary shores to ring in the New Year with friends.

No matter what your holiday traditions may be, or what part of the world you celebrate them in, this month's playlist is a collection of familiar holiday songs from around the globe. Perfect for any holiday globetrotter.

'Tis the Season, happy listening…

Song List 1. Feliz Navidad - The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs 2. Mele Kalikimaka (Single) - A Merry Christmas with Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters (Remastered) 3. O Tannenbaum - The Christmas Song 4. Joyeux Noël - Joyeux Noël 5. All I Want for Christmas Is You (Original Version) - Merry Christmas

Playlist {Can’t view the playlist?}

More Jetset Jingles TS Music Musts Pause And Reflect Gals’ Getaway Portlandia – The Mecca Of Indie Rock Palm Springs Rat Packin’

[photo by @tripstyler]

Fash-Packing: 5 Rules For Polished Packing

[trip style = any]

When my mind isn't massaging words or longing after Laos, I escape into the world of fashion blogs, and often think "this post is PERFECT packing inspiration for jetsetters." Recently NET-A-PORTER published a five-page spread of fall/winter, trip style = urban rules for casual yet crisp outfit mastery. Many of the principles are applicable to both gals and guys.

Migrating between my closet and suitcase at least every two weeks, I abide by packing lists and fashion rules---infused by such reading---based on seasons, classics and trends; so, when I find sage advice, I feel I MUST share it. From NET-A-PORTER to Trip Styler to you:

1/ add a hint of color 2/ go monochrome {ps - white pants are OK for winter} 3/ day-to-soiree - mix skinnies with a dapper blazer and fancy shoes 4/ play with proportion - tight pants call for a loose top 5/ think ’70s

More Fash-Packing Dos and Don'ts of Airport Wear {Airport} Runway Style Travel Staple :: The White Shirt NOT Packing For An Overnight-cation Celeb Travel Must-Haves

[photos and fashion fix via NET-A-PORTER]

Hotel Cleanliness :: The Dirt You Won't Believe

[trip style = any]

Whether you pay $30 for an upscale hostel in Peru, $100 for a room via Priceline or $1000 for a posh villa in Australia, your room's cleanliness *should be* devoid of dirt, after all, you're p-a-y-i-n-g for a clean room {among other things}!

Most of my friends know I'm fairly germ-aware, and given that I travel all the time among a revolving door of people with DIFFERENT standards than me, I'm crazy careful what I touch {and DON'T touch} and where I put my stuff while on the road.

Last Friday night I appeared on CBC Marketplace {the Canadian equivalent to NBC Dateline} to discuss my grimiest hotel stays---one of which was a room with mold at JFK; two months later the hotel was condemned(!) and torn down---and what I do to make sure a room is Trip Styler clean. Regardless of my role in the episode, you've GOT TO watch the half-hour episode online. The findings will likely change the way you interact with hotel rooms.

In the episode CBC investigators and Guelph University microbiologist Keith Warriner tested 810 items in 54 hotel rooms {from budget to luxe} across the country. Their findings only confirmed the two-minute cleanliness sweep I do in every hotel room and the hygienic habits I *try* and use while traveling. Here's a refresher:

Hygienic Hotel Room Habits

• Don't touch hotspots like door handles, light switches, TV remotes or phones. *Try* and use your elbows instead.
• Only trust the comforter if it's wrapped in two just-washed sheets {this practice is very common nowadays at most 3* and up hotels}.
• Bring washable slippers so your feet don't touch the carpet or bathroom floors.
• Bring alcohol-based wipes to touch up high-touch zones: toilet seat, faucet, counters, hair dryer, etc...
• Place bathroom toiletries on a towel instead of directly on the bathroom countertop.
• Never use the in-room water or wine glasses without washing them first.
• I've said this before and I'll say it again, to avoid bed bugs {as much as possible} do not place luggage on the bed, an ottoman or a chair, and check for the critters on the headboard and mattress.
• Above all, wash hands frequently.

PS - If you read TS regularly you know I have nothing but respect for hotel housekeepers. They do SUCH a hard job, and are often pushed to the limit with the amount of room cleans they must complete on a daily basis. As I wrote in Hotel Guest Etiquette, please don't leave your room in a big mess and make their job more arduous!

Related Sanity In Sanitizing Bed Bug Proofing Your Hotel Room Travel Etiquette For Hotel Guests Using Your Hotel Room Like MacGyver KinderHop :: Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids

[photo of CBC Marketplace episode]

Travel Beauty :: Splurge VS Steal {Part 2}

[trip style = any]

{Editor's Note: Trip Styler experienced a site outage on Monday. As a result an unfinished post was sent out via email. If you happened to read the incomplete story about Puerto Vallara, lo siento (sorry in Spanish). You can see the full, complete story here.}

Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!

For November's Travel Beauty primer, Lauren continues her Splurge VS Steal series and picks four additional travel must-haves worth e-v-e-r-y penny---whether drug store flings or premium-priced miracles.

1/ Hair Tamer Splurge: Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Pure Treatment Oil, $24 Keep frizz away all day long and under the most humid weather conditions with this treatment that uses Kendi Oil from Indonesia to get even the thickest, coarsest hair ultra smooth in an instant. It works well for finer hair types too {just use a small amount} and can be applied to damp or dry hair. Genius!

2/ Mascara Steal: Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Blasting Mascara, $6.99 Proof that price doesn't always reflect product performance, this mascara creates the fullest, most dramatic lashes. I'm asked if my lashes are fake almost every time I use it.

3/ Skincare Primer Splurge: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15, $52 Not everyone wears a primer before applying makeup, but now that I've discovered this primer, I think everyone should. Its natural, mineral-based formula is water-resistant and has SPF 15 that creates a light layer to absorb oil and shine, minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines, soften the skin and create a smooth canvas for makeup. Perfect for travel when you aren't as likely to freshen up your makeup throughout the day, this product leaves skin looking totally flawless from morning until night.

4/ Dry Shampoo Steal: Suave Dry Shampoo Spray, $2.54 {Trip Styler Editor's fave} When you're on the road and don't have time to wash your 'do, or want to volumize apres plane hair, spritz a touch of this light, lemon-scented dry shampoo into your tresses for an instant lift and just-washed effect. I use this regularly at home, as well as bring this 5oz bottle with me on every road trip. When I travel by air with my carry-on, its size is over 3oz, so I always carry cornstarch-based baby powder in its place.

More Travel Beauty Splurge VS Steal {Part 1} Gorgeous Hair In 5 Minutes A Sky-Vival Kit The Best BB Creams For Travel How To Prolong Your Gorgeous Glow In-Flight Beauty Masks Q&A With OPI’s Founder {Nail Tips For Travel} St. Tropez’ Celebrity Tanning Expert’s Self-Tanning Secrets Q&A With Dr. Murad

[collage by @tripstyler with images sourced online]