Hi.
Welcome back!
I want to talk about travel - specifically, fashion and travel. It's one of those things that seems so fun in theory, but in practice... there's a lot of moving parts that need to be coordinated to make it work for me. As someone who loves their daily routine, packing properly for my trip is the make-or-break aspect of whether I'm going to have a good time.
Since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, I've been on a travel spree with a goal of visiting every province and territory in Canada. I became a Canadian citizen earlier this year which made me realize just how little of this country I've seen (despite living here for almost 10 years). As I get older, I've developed a deeper appreciation for nature, and Canada is a vast land of natural beauty waiting to be explored.
Due to the nature of my work, my vacations last typically under a week; as a solo traveller taking short trips, I'm only packing a carry-on bag. As you can imagine, this presents a whole host of issues for a fashion fanatic.
Packing a Carry-On Bag as a Fashion Fanatic
One of the most fun aspects of travel for me is dressing up. I have a sense that even people who don't care much for fashion in their day-to-day life are more interested in what they'll wear when travelling. This intuitively makes sense to me: there's the novelty of being in a vibrant new destination, the anticipation of the adventures that lay ahead, and the desire to look your best on a trip you've been looking forward to for months.
So, how do you fit all of this novelty and adventure and desire into a carry-on bag?
When I turned to Google for advice, in a very similar vein to the advice for professional headshots, it suggested neutral colours that can be worn in multiple outfits. Obviously, Google's advice isn't in line with my personal style, so I'm challenged between an authentic expression of style and realistically fitting that style into an overhead bin-appropriate bag.
I find that external restrictions to my ability to express personal style often lead to my most interesting outfits. My first blog post looked at the expectations of the workplace as a restricting factor. With travel, the physical smallness of a carry-on bag presents a completely different challenge, one that is just as interesting to try to overcome.
Another limiting factor is the purpose of travel. My recent trip to Prince Edward Island was geared towards hiking and on-foot exploration of the island. With a rainy fall season and recent destruction wreaked by Hurricane Fiona, sturdy and warm athletic wear was naturally indicated.
My advice to fellow fashion fiends struggling with light packing is to make peace with the reality that your vacation outfits may not be the perfect travel style you envision. My final outfits were a decent compromise between the economical packing suggested by Google and an expression of my style.
I did end up relying on neutral colours (pink is a neutral) and combined a few items of clothing in a variety of different outfits. It's not an exact reflection of my sense of fashion, but it was protective against the elements and allowed me to take in the beauty of the island in an unrestricted manner.
I found it hard to put a personal touch on athletic clothing as it's so clearly made for a purpose. I ended up wearing sunglasses (despite the overcast weather) and a lot of jewelry, which satisfied my desire for a unique stylistic take on waterproof hiking gear.
my rainy day outfit for hiking and exploring the Anne of Green Gables house in Cavendish, PEI
Ultimately, this experience was an opportunity to reflect about the ethos of travel.
The ability to travel the world is an immense privilege from so many perspectives - money-wise, time-wise, responsibility-wise. It's a rare opportunity to experience the wonders of our natural world, meet new people, and make a lifetime of memories.
I know that the ability to travel the world far outweighs the 'difficulty' of looking good on a vacation, and a few days of imperfect outfits does not destroy a decade of carefully cultivated personal style.
In the meantime, I'm embracing the challenge of economical, practical, stylish carry-on packing for my next trip. I'm headed to the coastlines of British Columbia which will present an entirely different environmental and meteorological landscape. We shall see if I rise to the challenge.
Finally, Prince Edward Island: you are a gem. If you're interested in local-grown, farm-fresh food and exploring a massive variety of natural habitats (forests, sand dunes, beaches, and more!) this is the location for you.
Something I learned during my trip is that the Indigenous people of this island - the Mi'kmaq - know this territory as Epekwitk, which means 'cradled by the water'. A beautiful name for a beautiful place with a wonderful community coming together after Hurricane Fiona. Thank you for your hospitality!
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