Here in the New York area the evening and early morning air already has that cool and crisp feel to it. That means winter will be here before we know it. I personally love the winter season and enjoy wrapping myself up in plush sweaters and sporting stylish boots, but lugging around all of these wardrobe essentials on a trip can be challenging. Here are my favorite tips for packing and traveling smart when winter strikes.
1. The power of the packable puffer coat: Remember when puffer coats made you look like you had just gained 20 pounds? I am happy to report that these garments have come a long way. I actually have just purchased a sleek and slimming lightweight packable puffer coat from Tahari during a great Macy’s sale. It is made of a warm yet cool-to-the-touch sumptuous sateen material, and best of all it stuffs into a small pouch that fits easily into a tote bag. This is really going to come in handy by letting me stow it away while going through a busy airport or taking it out when cold air suddenly strikes while out for a day of sightseeing.
2. Invest in cashmere: Besides being a very luxurious textile, cashmere is a fabric that keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the spring and early fall without the bulk. To me, it is the ultimate winter must-have. Among another one of its benefits, it does not wrinkle too easily, which makes it perfect for travel. My favorite place to purchase cashmere is Purecollection.com, a U.K. brand that has amazing quality at reasonably fair prices. A long-sleeve classic sweater will run approximately $150, or as low as $90 if you catch a sale. Adding one or two of these into your winter wardrobe will let you look and feel like a million bucks.
3. Bulk it up on the airplane: If you are headed to Siberia or a ski vacation and need to bring heavy duty boots or outerwear, wear your bulkiest items during your flight. This will allow you to take along a smaller suitcase and save a few dollars on excess baggage fees to keep within luggage weight limits imposed by the airlines. You can also make good use of this extra gear by creating a “do-it-yourself” pillow for your flight by rolling your scarf, sweater, gloves, and hat into the sleeve of your coat.
As always, I wish you all the happiest of travels!
