Because being on vacation doesn’t mean a style rest
There’s a saying that goes, “The more you travel, the more you know.” With a few vacations in our arsenal, we can grasp what these words mean stitched together, but it’s likely that not everyone can attest to it quite like stylefestph mentor Leah De Guzman.
RELATED: Non-Boring but Safe-For-Work Styles According to Editor Sarah Santiago
It’s an understatement to say that Leah’s seen her fair share of the world, but it’s equally a disservice to say that she’s quenched her thirst for travel. So who better else to give us the ins, outs and in-betweens of traveling in style?
According to Leah, the biggest style mistake that people often make while they travel is looking like a tourist. That means big bags that carry everything (ahem, water + sunblock + jacket + sunnies + shawl + snacks) and wearing clothes that don’t translate local.
This lady boss suggests actually looking at what the locals wear before packing your bags and getting on a plane. It’s easy enough to google what people wear in LA/Paris/Tokyo, so look things up and style it as your own.
Leah admits this little tip takes up a lot of time before the trip, but it also saves a lot of time during the trip. What she does is excel her entire itinerary out as much as she can and first plots her ideal outfits right next to the activities. When she finds an item she’s only listed once, she tosses it for something a little more versatile.
And she claims you’ll thank yourself for all that effort when you’re looking at your luggage in an unfamiliar city and wracking your brain for something to wear. See, while the rest of us look at clothes on a bed in confusion, Leah looks at her excel file, changes and walks out the door looking appropriate, put together and ready to conquer.
Some people say that a choice has to be made between comfort and style but if this is so, it’s a choice that Leah refuses to make. Her middle ground means packing the items that will give her comfort but can easily be dressed up. This usually means that leggings, sneakers or flats and a jacket or cardigan always make it to her flights.
Safe to say that if airlines didn’t charge an arm and a leg for every excess kilo of luggage, we’d be bringing our closets across seas and oceans. Leah’s solution to this always-problem is to make space for easy-to-mix-and-match basics. That way, you can reuse items without outright looking like you repeated an item (or two or three).
All these things said and done, there are some things you just cannot plan for. Maybe you make friends in your travels that know better spots to visit and activities to experience, or you’ve already ticked off everything on your “What to do in Barcelona” checklist with some time to spare. Well, a seasoned traveler like Leah knows just what to do to avoid these unexpected activities: Bring the non-negotiables
But what exactly are the non-negotiables? Easy: A jacket, a great pair of jeans and a black dress. These three items give you options upon options upon options of style possibilities.
RELATED: Non-Boring but Safe-For-Work Styles (Men’s Edition)
The next time you buy a plane ticket, upgrade the vacation with Leah De Guzman’s travel style tips. Trust us, you’ll never find yourself rummaging through your bags looking or hurriedly scouring stores for that perfect outfit again. And hey, you deserve to look your best—you’re on vacation, for Christ’s sake.
Catch what Leah’s up to next as she joins the rest of the stylecouncil help the next generation of designers by following stylefestph on Facebook and Instagram.
Art Alexandra Lara
This website uses cookies.