Travel

How to Travel In Style Without Sacrificing Comfort or Convenience

If you want to travel in style, you don't have to sacrifice comfort. 

We all love to visit new and familiar places, but the getting there can be a huge hassle. When some people travel, they do so in a way that maximizes comfort over looks. However, just because you want to know how to travel in style, you don't have to sacrifice comfort or convenience. It’s easy to catch a plane dressed in pajamas, carrying your charging cords, devices, and valuables in a plastic shopping bag. Yet, it’s just as easy to find chic travel gear, stylish clothes, and comfort accessories that will turn the heads of your fellow passengers.

So, if you want to travel in style, what sort of things will you need? The answer, of course, is largely dependent on where you’re going and how you’re getting there. From a short flight to a long sojourn, you’ll need to figure out what essentials to prioritize before looking for the products to help you travel in style.

Here’s What You Need to Travel in Style

When preparing to take a trip, you have to anticipate your needs. Your winter overcoat may be the height of style and comfort, but it won’t do you any good if you’re heading to Aruba. Still, no matter where your destination lies, there are certain things every traveler needs to be sure she has before it is time to leave.

Naturally, specific destinations require equally specific items to ensure you make the most of your time away from home. If you’re heading to the beach, remember things like sunscreen, beach towels, and maybe a motorized surfboard. If you’re heading to a ski resort, remember extra blankets, your best clubhouse gear, and, of course, your skis!

Weather-appropriate clothing

Your fashion sense is one of the ways you can express your personal style, but make sure that it matches your destination. For instance, your bright yellow Speedo is likely not suitable for your skiing trip to the Alps. While you're free to wear what you want, ensure you pack appropriately for the day-to-day weather, humidity, and precipitation.

Proper Luggage

The right luggage set can literally make or break your trip. If you are heading into the Australian outback for a month, make sure to bring more than a carry-on. Similarly, if you are trekking, you'll want to invest in a heavy-duty hiking pack, whereas if you're checking into a luxury resort, a rolling set should do the trick.

Travel Accessories

From your trusty travel pillow to your favorite devices (and their charging cords!), make sure you have what you need to make getting there as painless as possible. You never know just how important each accessory is until you're sitting on the plane and realize you've forgotten it at home.

Stuff for the Kiddos

Your little one will say all he needs is his fire truck and favorite picture book, so it’s up to us adults to ensure all their needs are met. Between toys, luggage, clothing, and accessories, covering your bases can be the difference between a screaming toddler and one that is content to play with her dolls.

Gather Your Gear -- How to Travel in Style

If you’re ready to walk the door to a hotspot in Puta Cana or Barcelona, then it’s time to gather the things you’ll need to travel in style. Here’s what you should have on your packing checklist. Make sure that you don’t leave without these crucial items that will not only make your trip more enjoyable, but will keep you looking good while on the go.

The Right Outfit Can Both Look Fabulous and Keep You Comfortable

Credit: Betül Yıldız, Flickr

Obviously, if you want to travel in style, you have to first have some style. Some people travel in pajamas because they want to be comfortable, while others travel in pajamas because that’s all they ever wear. But fear not -- looking good does not mean you have to endure tight dresses or stiff jeans for the entirety of your trip.

Look for soft, breathable fabrics and ensure that the clothes you ultimately choose are best-suited for your destination. If you’re leaving a cold climate for a warm one, you’ll regret wearing a comfy sweater, jeans, and boots no matter how amazing you look.

Get a Go-To Bag for Short and Long Trips

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No one likes to carry luggage. Airports could put baggage check-ins on the off ramp and people would stop just to be rid of the bulky bags. Still, everyone has to have that one bag that they use for everything. Ideally, this would be a piece that could work both as your single bag for short trips, or your carry-on after you check the rest of your bags.

Additionally, it should be able to hold the stuff you need for the trip -- tablets, computers, a hygiene bag, and even extra underwear and shirts in case you end up delayed. And, it can look amazing, too. There are plenty of choices, but our favorite is the Cenzo Duffle Vecchio Brown Italian Leather Weekender Travel Bag. It is handmade in Italy, has both carry handles and a shoulder strap, and only looks better with age and wear!

Choose a Sturdy Toiletry Bag so You Can Freshen Up

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If you want to know how to travel in style, you can’t show the rigors of your journey on your person. No matter how nice your gear is, you won’t feel very stylish if your hair is a mess, your face is dirty, and your breath still smells like the garlic chicken in-flight meal. The solution, of course, is to bring along necessary hygiene products to help you stay fresh on the trip. So, a good toiletry bag is an essential part of traveling in comfort and style.

Toiletry bags are one of those inexplicably gendered products, but such distinctions are meaningless. For example, one of the best toiletry bags out there is the Maxwell Scott Luxury Handcrafted Italian Leather toiletry bag, which they identify as being exclusively for men. However, it’s best suited for people who have a travel bag like the one we featured above. Both are made by hand in Italy, and both are excellently suited for holding your stuff fashionably.

Safely Store Valuables in Stylish Specialty Bags

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Just like hygiene products, with their tendency to spill scented mess everywhere, other things you travel with need to be stored appropriately. If you’re traveling with jewelry, you risk damaging or losing your pieces if you just toss them in your bag with the rest of your belongings. Thus, make sure that you have a travel case suited to the pieces you want to bring.

This doesn’t mean traveling with a bulky jewelry box. There are many styles of jewelry cases that are made to travel. For example, the Royce Leather Jewelry Storage Case features sturdy ultrabonded leather on the outside and soft suede on the inside. The case holds rings, earrings, and necklaces in a case that can take a jostling. Instead of ending up with a tangled mess of jewelry, a case like this will keep them neatly organized.

Bring Somewhere to Rest Your Weary Head

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Part of what makes traveling such a strange experience is how we’re thrust into intimate situations with strangers. Nowhere but on a plane, train, or bus would a person fall asleep mere inches away from someone they don’t know. Still, you don’t want to find yourself resting your head on some stranger’s shoulder when you wake up. Thankfully, comfort geniuses at sleep science factories across the world have developed one of the greatest inventions of all time: the travel pillow.

They help millions of people sleep comfortably when it shouldn’t be possible. But these miracles of comfy design aren’t just curved pieces of foam. They can be very high-tech. Take the Cabeau Evolution Cool Travel Pillow. This pillow is made of a dual-density memory foam and wrapped in an innovative cooling system so every side is the “cool side” of the pillow. You can store it in a bag that squeezes it down to half it’s size, and the cover is easily removable and safe for the washer.

Make It Night Time Anywhere with a Sleep Mask

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The travel pillows have your head and neck comfort covered, but none of that does any good if you can’t fall asleep. Thankfully, you can block out visual distractions from harsh overhead lighting to the persistent glow of tiny screens with a sleep mask. You can find these masks most anywhere or even make your own using a bandana or scarf. But if you want to travel in style, why not take things to the next level?

As noted above, we live in a technological world today, even when it comes to sleep masks. The Ilumy GTS-3000 uses technology modeled after that used by NASA to help astronauts maintain their sleep cycles. This mask gradually darkens and illuminates your field of vision in order to simulate what it’s like to go to sleep at home. It also comes with technology they claim can help people who suffer from insomnia or have a tough time waking up. Either way you can program the mask from a smartphone app to wake you up at a certain time using both their imitation “sunrise” and a gentle alarm chime.

Use Noise-Canceling Headphones to Keep Out Distractions

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We all like to listen to music or podcasts but bringing your headphones won’t just help you avoid impromptu conversations. Noise-canceling headphones can help you tune out distractions like chatty neighbors or other noises. There are many options for those who want to travel in style, including headphones that fit over your ears along with simple earbuds. It’s a matter of personal taste, but earbuds may be the better option for travelers who want to get some sleep.

One such set of earbuds are the Raycon E60 True Wireless Earbuds. They have active noise canceling and connect via Bluetooth. A single charge lasts for four hours, and a full recharge only takes an hour. The recharging device also doubles as sleek case so you don’t risk losing the tiny earbuds.

High-Tech Necessities To Stay Safe and In Touch

Credit: Ludovic Bertron, Flickr

We live in a digital world, and if you want to travel in style you’ll need to find a way to stay connected. Unfortunately, it also exposes new vulnerabilities for travelers. The chips in most modern credit and debit cards or payment applications on smartphones are easy targets for high tech crooks. There is also the problem of making sure your device stays powered up, even in the face of long delays.

While this might scare some into locking up their devices or checking them with their bags, there is no need. For example, you can pick up a wallet that blocks RFID signals, making your cards hack-proof. Not only does it block RFID signals and hold your passport, it also contains a power bank you can use to recharge your phone without ungainly cables. You can check it out by clicking the button above.

To Record Your Memories In Style, Look Beyond Your Phone

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We are fortunate to live in a world where you always have a camera in your pocket. Gone are the days of remembering to pack a camera and enough rolls of film. Still, if you want to know how to travel in style, consider branching out when looking for ways to save memories. Sure, you can bring a DSLR camera, and find stylish and convenient cases to keep them in, or an HD video camera. But, that’s not the only way to record your experiences.

Behold this beautiful journal, wrapped in soft leather and full of five individually bound bundles of cream-colored paper. Each bundle holds 60 sheets, and they aren’t refillable. The journal can roll up neatly, making storage a breeze. You can keep a travel diary, sketch your surroundings, or use the pages as a scrapbook. When it’s full, you have a lovely keepsake far more interesting than a series of photos, no matter how pretty they are.

All It Takes to Travel In Style Is a Little Planning and an Eye for Quality.

Hopefully you’ve realized that traveling in style doesn’t mean leaving necessities behind or being uncomfortable for the sake of looking good. All of the above items are not just things that will make your journey less of a hassle, but will catch the attention of your fellow travelers. Yet, that’s not what’s important about style, is it? You don’t travel in style to turn the heads of your fellow passengers. You travel in style because it makes you feel good, about yourself and the trip you’re about to take.

What do you think? Share your reactions to the list and share it with friends you think might need a little help before their next trip.

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