How to Travel in Style with Violet
Nov 4, 2009 by Violet
I’ve done quite a bit of traveling in my time and I love exploring new and interesting places but I always try to travel in style.
I try to make my everyday life as beautiful as possible and traveling is no different. You won’t find me in sweat pants and thongs (or flip flops for my American readers), I want to feel as pretty leaving a 7 hour flight as I do going out to dinner!
So with my recent trip to Singapore I thought it was the perfect time to show you all how I travel in style. This is a compilation of tips I’ve picked up on my travels and my “must have” items for along the way.
First thing’s first…
Take something lucky
I’m not a superstitious person by nature but there’s a story behind this one! The day before we went to Singapore James and I were doing some last minute shopping in the city. I was feeling a little light headed so we stopped at McDonalds for some fries. As I was walking away I checked my change and what should be there but a Singaporean 10 cent piece!!
I was so surprised, normally if I get anything foreign in my change it’s New Zealand currency. This seemed so random and fateful that I kept it in a special compartment in my bag the whole trip!
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On the plane:
Take some good headphones (and an ipod if you want to listen to *good* music). I hate airplane headphones, they are usually uncomfortable and don’t block outside sounds. Also they aren’t anywhere near as cute as mine! Headphones are super easy to deco, even if you have little ear bud ones a few diamantes will jazz them up nicely!  Keep hair and make up simple but elegant. If you want to do make up, take a kit with everything you need for touch ups before landing. Keep in mind that you might need to sleep in what you’re wearing. I love false eye lashes because they are hard to mess up even in your sleep! On flights to and from SG I wore little individual lashes on the corners of my eyes for a little punch with no effort (review on the lashes soon). I did my hair in Kitty Rolls which were comfortable, survived sleeping but still looked cute. Below are some of my travel essentials. Clear zip pouch with make up and liquids, letter writing kit, wet naps, face washer, mini sewing kit and bag tags for checked in luggage.  A cute travel document holder is an essential. I would be forever loosing my boarding pass or passport if I didn’t have something this bright to remind me! I deco’d this one myself.  And of course a matching passport holder helps too ;) These are all made of suede so they feel soft enough to be used as a pillow if it’s an emergency!  A sleeping mask Something overly cute suits best! I want to be adorable even when I’m asleep so I picked the sugariest thing I could possibly find ^_^
A jacket Take it on the plane with you, seriously. Even if you’re going to a hot destination the plane is always freezing and those little blankets don’t help. Good protection against the rain too.
Things to keep you entertained. I take pens, note book, DS and games and well as my little UFO hand massager which is awesome for when you just want to relax. I am a very fidgety person so I take as many little things to play with as possible. With this I can continue my Japanese lessons on the DS then practice kanji or sentence structure in my note book.
 Candy! Candy is good to pop your ears in the plane and also tastes great. And they are a good conversation starter if a cute boy is sitting next to you ;)
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A fan I picked this one up for $0.70 and added bows, diamantes and lace. They are compact and can be invaluable in the heat. They can also be used to hide yawns behind in boring situations, keep your coughs or sneezes to yourself or whisper gossip to a friend ;) Keep it in your hand bag!
 A singlet Singlets are the ultimate versatile piece of travel clothing. Wear during the day if it’s hot, layer with a cardigan to go out to dinner, use as pajamas or as swimmers if you’re in a pinch. Cute pajamas are surprisingly important, if you have luck like mine you’ll end up outside at 2am for a fire drill chatting to the other hotel patrons so this is probably not the right time to sleep in the nude ;) Be prepared for anything because holidays are all about going with the flow!
 Sun protection eg. a sun hat, sunscreen etc. The sun is mean and evil, stay away from it! No one likes sun burn, it’s icky. Don’t stop protecting your skin just because you’re on holiday. ‘Nuff said.
 Sunglasses … ok maybe not “‘Nuff said”… These are only half for the sun protection though. The other half is looking damn good! There is nothing classier that popping on some nice sunglasses when you’re not feeling 100%. Hide the bags under your eyes from the 7hr flight and look like a rock star ;)
 A handbag sized umbrella. These fold down so tiny there’s not much of an excuse not to have one. This one has an aluminum frame so it’s super light and is perfect in unpredictable weather or in place of a parasol.
 A scarf I carry a scarf and a face washer with me pretty much all the time. The face washer was a gift from a friend in Japan, the lady’s bathrooms there don’t have hand towels so most girls carry their own but it’s also useful for mopping up spills on nice dresses, fixing make up, using as a small pillow and the list goes on!
The scarf is not only useful but looks damn stylish hanging off a handbag! Did your hair get ruined? Then wear it like a 50′s movie star. Forget the hot rollers? Use it for pin curls. Sudden hay fever attack and not a tissue in sight? Well you get the idea…  Other travel musts: Gifts for the new friends you meet! I didn’t get to hand any of these little babies out because we were just so busy but I really wanted to give them to the organizers at Nuffnang. It’s a really great idea to take something from your home country. These little kangaroo and koala toys didn’t cost much but I hand glued a bow and diamante to each to personalize them. That way your friends will have something cute to remember you by :) And you won’t feel awkward if someone gets you something nice because you’ll have something give back!
Slippers You never know where you’re going to have to walk in your hotel. Whether it’s for that proverbial 2am fire drill or you want to visit a friend down the hall, you never know who’s icky feet have been there before you. Cute little ones like these only cost me $10 and they fold up to practically nothing in your suitcase.
 Nail repair kit I am a big believer in preparing for any situation, James says I should have been a girl scout. That’s why I carry a nail repair kit with spare nails, glue clear polish and anything else you might need.
 Bags within bags within bags within bags… This is important because it keeps everything nice and separate in your suitcase, no searching through the make up bag for a hair band because they have their own bags! Being organized is key to a fantastic wardrobe, if you are well organized you can find all the right accessories at a glance… and there are is always room somewhere in here for more little bits and pieces you buy along the way.
 Tiny cute bottles. These cost $1.50 per pair and they are some of the best things I’ve ever bought. This way you can take all of your usual bathroom liquids with you. You can even get ones with spray lids for things like curl enhancer. Very cleaver.
 Business cards: You never know who you’re going to meet while out and about and if you’ve got a blog or business then it’s a great idea to have a couple of business cards with you. Mine are double layered so there is my blog card on top and by graphic design card on bottom. They stand out because they are fastened with a bow in the top corner ^_^
 Foreign currency Don’t go anywhere without it. Some places don’t accept credit cards etc so make sure you check before you go, it’s always useful to have some foreign currency on hand for taxis etc anyway.
 A bag full of cables for your various gadgets. Definitely important so you can charge your ipod/laptop/phone etc. A power point converter is also a great idea. The most important part of this is the bag, don’t bother going searching through your whole suitcase just grab the bag. On the way home the bag also be used as carry on luggage for all that extra shopping ;)
 Luggage: I hate not being able to find my luggage at the other end. I’m also paranoid because I’ve had luggage stolen before and no matter what compensation you get there are some things which can’t be replaced. So if it can’t be replaced, don’t pack it. I also hate that all luggage pretty much looks the same. Ideally I would have liked one of these babies by Hideo Wakamatsu but as we only discovered how broken our old cases were the day before we left, I didn’t really have time to shop for a new one :(… It’s made my dream list for next time though, in fact I would go as far as to say that this is my dream suitcase! (click the image for the specs)
So in lue of one of those beauties we borrowed plan old suit cases from James’ parents. To make it more memorable I tied some old crappy acrylic lace around it several times. James laughed at me but it worked, we spotted our bags in like 2 seconds at the other end and were out of there!  Super bright bag tags help too if you can’t afford a whole new suitcase.  When you get home… Unpack everything as quickly as possible otherwise you’ll get lazy and it will never get done! I’ve left a suitcase for weeks before because I was tired when I got home and then got busy at work, don’t fall into the trap! It only took me like half an hour to unpack both of our cases this time.
So hopefully you’ve enjoyed some of my silly tips and they make your next trip even more fun! Do you have some fun tips to share with me? What are your favorite tips to travel in style? |
Love it! I'm hoping to make a spring vacation to London and Paris and I'll think of you as I pack up & prepare to fly!
Great travel tips :)
I love your headphones, the bows are so cute ^^
I think I may just put some bows on my headphones :P
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My website: http://www.mercedeslouise.com.au/
Ha i love these travel tips! i am constantly flying from california to the philippines, and next time I will definitely think back to this post! I always bring slippers with me, but a cute eye mask is something I must bring next time!
great suggestions – this post has further inspired me to make as much of my stuff pink & pretty (for practical purposes, of course).
i love every single thing you own!! i'm going over to brisbane one day and stealing all your stuff <3
Victoria- Oh that sounds like such a lovely vacation, I hope everything goes well and I'm glad to help <3
Mercedes- Thanks very much, I love my headphones they are cute and functional ^_^ Good luck with decorating yours!
Kass- Glad to help! A cute eye mask is definitely something I couldn't travel without. Even if I don't feel like sleeping it's much nicer listening to music in the dark rather than staring at the back of some guy's head!
Anneliese- I'm glad to inspire you ^_^ Good luck with making things, you should show me your results!
FourFeetNine- Well I'll get the spare room ready for you to stay in XD I demand you come and visit me! I promise I'll even paint the guest room pink for you ^_^
Excellento tips – Makes me want to travel again! Been so long even since I've been to Tassie.
That suitcase is also seriously awesome. :-D
Fantastic! I especially love the passport holder and bag tags, they look really cute!
This is awesome! and Ill definitely follow the advice for my holiday ahead ! I've never traveled overseas after coming to Australia (when I was 1years old….) so hah I'm pretty much a noob at all this travel stuff xD So Thanksss!! :D
Oh, really cute note.
All of your things are so cool. I love your style ^^
And hey! I gave you an award on my blog. :) Please check it <3
Kisses
Julia
Oh my goodness! I love how cute and prepared you are! I am always stressing so it would help to be super organised.
It sounds like you had an amazing time overseas. I really enjoyed reading this blog, keep up the good work!
wow, your headphones are sooo cute!<3
I wonder if there is anything in your room that is NOT covered in frills, lace & diamonds?! xD
I really love how you're decorating everything…you really are a big inspiration for me *_*
Esz- Oh I've been drooling over that suitcase for so long now ^_^ Oh you should go traveling, I love traveling. I really want to get back to Japan one of these days! Oh and Melbourne too!
Hear Mum Roar- I love my passport holder, I didn't want to take my passport out of it even for customs! <3
Melody- Oh overseas travel is so much fun especially if you go with good friends! I'm glad this has helped, feel free to send any questions you have and I'll do my best to answer them ^_^
Aralka- Oh thank you so much for the award <3 Thanks very much!
Lolitadewdrop- I am a crazy organised person, I have so many things to do usually that I have to be organised or my whole life falls apart ^_^ Aww I'm glad you enjoy my blog, I'll make sure to keep updating with interesting things for you!
Arina- haha I don't think I have very many things left which I haven't customised! Though when I move into my new house I'll have a whole craft room to decorate! I'm so glad I could inspire you, good luck with all of your projects!
hi Violet. it's my first time here and I am totally attracted to your blog. :P I LOVED THIS POST that I actually saved it in microsoft word and shall refer next time I go on vacation. XD
great advice ^^
I thought the fan one was so useful ^^
I always wear my nice clothes on the plane and carry a change of underwear and clothes in my hand luggage becuase we've had quite a few occasions of lost luggage!
I travell really light since I just go to Hong Kong most of the time so buying new clothes and things is really cheap for me :)
Great post ^^
ALL your stuffs are so cute and original! Love your document and passport holder! DIY rules!
Jillian- Aww I'm so glad you liked the post! I feel very honored that you saved it ^_^ I hope you come back soon!
Naka- I loooove my fan, they are cheap, cute and very useful! I completely agree with taking a change of underwear on the plane, I've had lost luggage too and it really sucks :(
Gypsy on the move- Thanks ^_^ I love my document holder etc, I was very pleased with how it turned out! It's funny, I actually drew the pattern on the passport holder because I got a glue stain on there but I really love it now <3
I STILL HAVEN'T unpacked yet … hehehehe… Actually, with all our stuff also packed for the move, i've been living out of my clothes form Singapore, its so wrong wrong wrong.
Anyhoot, good lucks with your moves, and BTW, I'm doing a Freebie Giveaway for my headbands :)
Sorry but I can't see to comment as http://www.livingfootprints.com.au
love love
Arielle- I entered :D Moving is so terrible! I've got like 2 outfits unpacked at the moment and they both suck XD I think it'll be at least a week until I dig deep enough in the boxes to find some more *_* Ah joy.
Are the passport holder, document holder and little bag tags from Prue Trollope?
Thanks for commenting, they didn’t come with any brand names attached or in packaging. I bought them from a local newsagent here in Brisbane/Australia.
Thank you Violet! I’m always having troubles when it comes to
travelling, this has really helped!!!
Kat Cupcake
x
Aww anytime Kat, I hope it’s given you some useful information!
This is just crazy helpful. I am very glad I clicked on this. It’s been a long time since anybody commented thought ^^ I do love the emergency nail kit! So cute and so helpful.
Yay I’m glad it was helpful :D The emergency nail kit is so helpful! Seriously I won’t travel without one now!
Very prepared for my trip to Madrid now, just no idea what nail varnishes to choose :D or even how to do them…… Eek!
Ooow I hope you have fun in Madrid! I think any nail polish is a good polish :D
Hi there, I stumbled upon your blog by accident today. i was online doing some research about cute stuff related to travel and here I am. Anyways, I thought your readers might enjoy cute stuff from my shop. I make dark and dreamy sleeping masks handmade and super cute. Cute hand stitched motifs like owls, racccoons, kitty cats, vampire owls and more. Take a look.
Thanks for the thought :) I’ve removed your link as I don’t allow advertising in my comments section. The link is still available in the original url field. Thanks for visiting.
Brilliant! I’m planning on travelling to L.A in June so I’ll definatly be using these tips!!!!
I hope they help!
Going to leave for Houston, Texas in 9hrs and before I put my bags in the vehicle, I doubled checked this to make sure I have everything I need :) Thank you so much for this !
:D Anytime! I hope you have a fantastic vacation!
Oober helpful. I don’t travel much anymore, but I’ve done quite a lot of it. One question though, where did you get your adorable “airplane approved” bathroom liquid containers? :D
It was a long time ago but I bought mine at a $2 store in Brisbane, I know that you can get them at stores like Target too now that they’ve been more popular :D Good luck!
I’m going to New York in the end of March so these tips are very useful to me!! I’m going to decorate my luggage to, since it’s also a regular black case. Perhaps I could paint it!
Riechan recently posted..Making your own whipped cream
That’s a fantastic idea, if you’ve got hard luggage you could totally paint it something awesome!