We'll be traveling a lot through three different cities (Budapest, Vienna and Prague—recommendations welcome in the comments section!) so I want to keep my bag as light as possible. I was pretty impressed with how little I managed to pack and thought I'd share with you my top ten travel essentials. Enjoy! xoxo
1. Rag & Bone fedora: hats are a great way to keep dry and look chic while traveling, not to mention they're a great cover for bad hair days. I stuck to just one and will wear it on the plane to keep it from getting crushed in my suitcase.
2. Karen Walker sunglasses: sunglasses are another great disguise tactic to use while traveling to shield tired eyes and protect them while sightseeing. Karen Walker makes some of the best styles!
3. Bajra scarf: I always make sure to pack at least one big scarf. Not only do they keep you warm, but they can also be used as makeshift blankets, pillows or head wraps!
4. Canon PowerShot s95 camera: before my first trip to Paris I heavily researched the best non-SLR camera and almost every review pointed me to this one. It's easy to use and carry and unless you are a professional photographer, the picture quality is just as good. I had a lot of people ask me what camera I used for my Paris posts, and many were surprised to hear it wasn't an SLR.
5. Lot78 biker jacket: I invested in my first really nice leather jacket at the end of last season and it has already paid for itself in cost per wears. I thought about packing other coats but I know I won't want to take this one off. It's easy to layer under and universally chic.
6. J Brand jodhpur jeans: J Brand was nice enough to send me a pair of these a few weeks ago and I'm now obsessed! If you've ever worn their denim you know how amazingly soft it is, making them perfect for travel. The velvet paneling on this jodhpur style is particularly clutch since they can do double-duty as dress pants!
7. iPhone: I was an iPhone convert this year and it has made the biggest impact on my travel. There are a ton of great apps out there for traveling, but my favorites would have to be Lingopal for languages (they work on and offline and have tons of useful phrases organized by category) and XE currency converter.
8. 3.1 Phillip Lim satchel: a mid-sized satchel like this is perfect for traveling. It's big enough to fit the essentials but small enough that it won't weigh you down. You can wear the long strap to go hands-free for day, then remove it and use as a top-handle tote for evening.
9. Josie Maran argan oil: this product is a godsend! Not only does it keep tired, jet-lagged skin looking fresh and dewy, it also doubles as a hair serum and cuticle oil. Multi-taskers are a necessity while packing light and this magic little serum does it all!
10. Aldo sneakers: I mentioned last week about my shared obsession in the Isabel Marant sneaker craze (which has left them sold out in stores everywhere from NY to Paris and Milan!). What makes them so amazing is the fact that there's a small hidden wedge heel built in to the sneaker design to gift your legs that "skinny lift" you get from heels, all while making them surprisingly more comfortable. So imagine my delight when I came across a nearly identical pair (hidden wedge and all!) at Aldo this week. While it kills me to condone any knock-offs, I justified these because—to be fair—I had searched the entire globe looking for the originals and they weren't available! Until they are, these will be perfect for the bike and walk tours we have planned that will require a more athletic shoe.
Búcsú! Auf Wiedersehen! Nashledanou!
