Why Pack Light for Europe?

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of packing light. What do I mean by packing light, well it means being able to “carry-on” your luggage on the airplane.

No checking in suitcases, no waiting at the carousel wondering if your luggage made it, no wondering who may have rifled through your belongings while in transit.

Packing light requires some planning, but when running at full speed to make your overnight train to Venice you will be happy that you have a light load.

Packing light will help you avoid the pain in the butt (and back!) of shlepping your heavy loads of luggage from train station to pensione. Even if you take a taxi you still have to navigate a crowded train station to get to the taxi stand, a task made much easier with a lighter load.

Don’t forget that you will also have to accommodate your luggage onto trains. You will feel silly taking up multiple racks of luggage space when the European traveler next to you has their entire luggage reduced down to one bag.

Packing light also means you will not be horrified when you realize that the cute little pensione you’ve booked in Florence is on the 5th floor (that’s over 100 steps if anyone is counting) of a building with no elevator.

Please take these scenarios into account when you get the urge to pack a separate outfit for every day of your trip. The old cliché of “less is more” definitely applies and should guide you in choosing what items to pack. With my detailed suggestions I’ll show you how it is possible to pack light without sacrificing style.

Mmmmm....Moleskine City Notebook

The Moleskine City Notebook contains all the classic Moleskine notebook features such as its handy portable size (9 x 14 cm/3 ½ x 5 ½"), elastic closure, and accordion pocket. The Moleskine City Notebook has added features to aid European travelers in organizing and transcribing their travel experiences.

The City Notebook features metro/subway maps, a Key Map that provides an overview of the city, and up to 36 pages of zone maps that contain street indexes. City center maps are presented in large scale.

One of the most ingenious features is the inclusion of 12 translucent sticky type notes for placing over the maps and tracing out the route of your itinerary. This keeps the map glancing efficient and to a minimum; helpful when trying to avoid looking like a tourist.

The Notebook provides 12 tabbed sections, the first 6 tabs are printed the rest are blank for you to individualize as you wish or you can used adhesive labels that come with the guide. The printed tabs include food (places, legends, recipes), drinks (bars, wineries, stories), sleep (places, dreams, adventures), people (names, faces, encounters), places (info, shopping, art), and books (movies, music).

In the City Notebook you will find sections for planning your itinerary, pages for before-going and while you are there. The ever so helpful clothing size conversion charts are included. 32 removable sheets for loose notes or for exchanging messages seem like a handy idea (perhaps for exchanging digits with some sexy Swede). 3 different colored ribbon markers help you keep track of multiple sections at once.

Keep in mind this is not a traditional guidebook. There are no suggestions on what to see, where to sleep, or where to find the best ice cream in Paris (that would be Berthillon if anyone’s interested though). The maps are as far as it goes. This is really a place for you to fashion your own guide based on research from other guidebooks, talking to other travelers and locals, and stumbling upon little gems along your way.

Most important of all in the City Notebook you have plenty of good old blank pages so that you can write, record, and make sense of all the myriad experiences and emotions that you encounter while traveling. While it may seem like a chore to document your dramas during travel it is really worth it. After every trip I always regret not taking enough photos and not at the very least outlining my experiences of the day. This guide provides a framework for penning all those memories as well as saving useful information such as your favorite frite place in Amsterdam.

Moleskine City Guides available for:
Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Prague, Rome, Wien

Available Fall 2007:
Florence, Venice

Moleskine City Guide, $14.95 (Amazon.com)

Where's your Stash?

With Reef’s Stash sandal you can stow your emergency credit card and cash while traveling.

The sandal contains a secret compartment in the heel that slides out and holds whatever you want to stash.

Carrying emergency funds while traveling is always a good idea because you never know when wayward pickpocket’s hands will find their way into your wallet or purse.

Most of your valuables should be carried in some sort of security pouch (money belt, neck pouch, etc.) but for a little extra piece of mind you can store extra funds in your flops.

The flops themselves meet Travelista standards as they are neither too sporty (in darker colors) nor too cheesy (like those super platform flip flops that I hate!). The black and brown versions are sleek and simple and will complement most travel ensembles. I have also found Reef sandals to be comfortable enough for walking in.

Reef sandals were originally geared for surfer types, but remember not to adapt a casual surfer look when planning what to pack for Europe. To keep the flops from looking too causal pair them with skirts and simple day dresses.

Guys can pair them with shorts if your shirt has some structure such as a button down shirt or polo. A tee shirt is way too casual to wear with shorts and flops, think Barcelona babe instead of beach bum. Pairing the flops with pants and a fitted tee shirt also works.

Linen or lightweight trousers are best for summer travel. Some European guys like wearing ¾ length or Capri length pants in summer but it is debatable as to how stylish this option is.

If you’re secure with your security pouch and don’t feel the need for an extra stash compartment consider the other dual function flops by Reef. The Dram contains a “canteen” in the heel with a screw cap, where you can store a shot size worth of duty free liquor. The Fanning style contains a bottle opener on the bottom of the sole. Alas these only come in men’s sizes so order a size down if you’re a gal and like to pop a Pilsner or down some Dewar’s.

$46 at Piperlime.com

You MUST wear a scarf in Europe

Alright I’m about to give you the true secret to achieving a European look, it’s all about the scarves and wraps.

If you don’t wear a scarf in Europe you will feel absolutely naked, because EVERYONE wears them, seriously EVERYONE. On my first trip to Paris, the first day I had to go buy a scarf because nobody gave me the memo that they were de rigeur. I had to figure it out the hard way. Don’t make this same mistake.

I think there is some sort of law that forbids Europeans from leaving the house without a scarf somewhere on their person, even if it’s in the form of a turban (which I’ve seen work on really cute French girls).

The ways in which Europeans tie their scarves have to be some sort of family secret. The scarves are tied in a deceptively simple manner. While I cannot profess to having cracked the code of European scarf tying, a few basic looks will carry you far. Trust me scarves will not be going out of fashion in Europe anytime soon.

Since we aim to blend in with our European counterparts a scarf or wrap become necessary accessories. Fortunately there is much function to be found in them.

Scarves can really help you fight the “blahs” of wearing the same set of travel clothes for the duration of your trip. A thin weave pashmina style wrap can be used as a shawl or scarf and can be worn several ways. Large wraps can be used as blankets on planes and trains as well.

Thin and lightweight silky scarves take up little packing space so please splurge and bring several. Scarves can introduce color and pattern into your neutral travel wardrobe and of course add that little je ne sais quoi that we’re all after. Different styles and sizes can be worn different ways.

Young ladies, I know that scarfs are typically thought to be a bit on the maw maw side but they can look quite youthful when worn correctly. An oblong scarf is the easiest style to work with because it can be worn around the neck, as a belt, or even a headband. Scarves combat “couchette head” after an all night train trip by working as a babushka or headband. Even just tying a scarf to your handbag adds an element of nonchalant chic.

On a more practical note, scarves can help you keep track of your travel mates. In crowded streets surrounded by a sea of dark clothing it’s difficult to find someone. There were several times on a trip with my mom that we would lose track of each other in the course of window shopping. The only way I could find her was to look for the flash of pink and white on her vintage Christian Dior scarf. Thank goodness otherwise I might still be wandering the streets of Sienna asking people if they had seen my mommy, embarrassing if you’re over 30. For more tips on what to pack for your European trip check out my travel clothes section.

What’s the Skinny
Ah the dreaded Skinny Jean, fashion can be cruel sometimes. Any article of clothing labeled “skinny” of course causes us to cringe. However, thanks to tunics and layering dresses we can get the most out of this look by wearing longer tops that hide any problem areas.

Unless you yourself are skinny, treat the skinny as a more structured legging and pair them with long or voluminous tops. Layering also makes these pants not only trendy but versatile while traveling in Europe because you know many a European gal will be rocking the skinny. Pair these with a comfortable shoe for sightseeing such as a comfortable ballet style flat or a walking sandal with a slight wedge.

Do you still fear the skinny? Don't know if you should even pack denim for your trip to Europe? Check out my travel clothes section for a more detailed look at denim.

Technicolor for Travel

Bright hues were seen all over the runways for Spring 2007. Think colors that skew a little 80’s: royal blue, yellow, kelly green, bright purple.

A big bold splash of color livens up an otherwise neutral travel wardrobe. All of a sudden a bold royal blue works with basic black.

Consider a shot of color when planning out your travel wardrobe. Limit your color frenzy to accessories, its hard to coordinate a whole travel wardrobe around fuchsia and turquoise.

For more on incorporating fashion trends into your European travel check out my Travel Forecast and for basic packing advice check out my Travel Clothes section.

$50 Nordstrom.com. One luminous and chic sliver of color is what these Alexis Bittar bracelets provide.