Wanderlust Must-Have Travel Essentials
Hey my travel doosts, wanderlusts, and adventure seeking souls ♥
For the next week, join me on all the adventures overseas to some of the most historic and mythical locations in the world — Rome, Florence, and Athens. To prepare for my trip to Italy and Greece, these travel essentials & tips are my musts!
You already know I’m a fan of light packing — who wants to be carrying so much luggage anyway? I’d rather focus on the moment, get lost in adventure while being practical with my wardrobe — comfort is just as important as style. I prefer to use a carry on.
How to get there for the best price:
I looked around a lot to find something within our budget and got the best and most reliable deal with Student Universe. Seriously guys, $650 round trip per person with a non-stop return. We’re flying with Alitalia there and Air France back. These airlines are great for oversea trips — I’ll let you know about the experience once we fly.
Warning: DO NOT USE Cheapbestfares1 — I booked through them ’cause I saw that I saved about $50 from our total but after I booked and was confirmed they called me asking for more money claiming it’s in their contract which they have no proof of — very lame. Also, they’re new — STAY AWAY. For a little more (but way less than what Cheapbestfares1 wanted to charge extra, I booked through a site I’ve used in the past and trust — Student Universe, they’re great!
My style travel essentials:
The weather is supposed to be nice — that means 80° and on ☼ so packing light is very doable. Take a couple of pieces you can mix and match with.TIP: Stick to a theme — something Kenya Thomas from The Skinny NYC and I stress a lot. This season, I’m really into dark/olive greens, grays, nudes, whites, and black. I pulled a few pieces from some of my favorite designers: Anjé, Imaji Studio, Saint x Sinner, and Bare Grounds.
Although the weather is getting warmer, a cozy overthrow is necessary. TIP: To keep my style elegant I’ve chosen to take this cashmere poncho by Anjé. Pictures coming soon ♥
Wondering about how many pairs of shoes to take? TIP: 1 pair of heels, 1 pair of flats, 1 pair of sneakers which is what you should be traveling in. For shoes, choose a color and style that works for your other outfits too. I’m choosing two pairs I received from my stylist Veronica Molina, open toed nude heels and leather black sandals: the nude Zara Basic heels from their Spring/Summer 2013 collection– yassss ♕ still in style!
For my sandals, I’m taking my Windsor Smith Bondi Black sandals. Both these provide all day comfort with style. To really take the comfort level up a notch, I’ll be wearing my Nike’s.
Travel essentials before you jet-off:
TIP: Change your currency at a bank or place near you. I also found that when I use my WF debit card overseas at ATM’s I avoid the currency fee exchange ツ I just pay the ATM fee which, from experience in Mexico and Germany, was less than paying for the currency fee. But don’t count on this, just know it might be an option.
TIP: If you’re in NYC — Omnex Group Uno Foreign Exchange in Herald Square doesn’t charge a conversion fee as long as your sum is over $300. You can find them at 33rd Street and 6 Avenue: 43 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001. But be sure to call first and ask about your currency before making that trip, (212) 279-6150.
Let’s face it, we practically need our phones so TIP: Call your phone company and let them know you’ll be traveling — some have great services to accommodate your travel location. While you’re at it — call your bank/credit card companies so you don’t run into unexpected problems. If not, you can get cut off and fucked.
TIP: Before you take off on your flight, go into settings –> Cellular –> Data –> turn it off! If not, you will be charged a lot. One single email can use most of your data, so be careful and use WiFi as much as possible.
TIP: When you’re at your destination airport, use your WiFi to connect to your Google maps app and put in your address so even when you’re off WiFi the arrow will follow you around and locate you. Guidance ✔
TIP: Sign up for Chase Sapphire Preferred — great for travelers and pays in the long run SO MUCH. Both my sister & stylist Veronica recommend it. They rack up points to use for airfare and get even cheaper options when booking through the Chase site itself. I’ve seen the magic this card does — so I literally just signed up myself. iA I get approved!
I hope these tips help ♥ let me know what other essentials you’d like to include.
