Gadling

Jeane Beiter is a style consultant to celebrities who want to remake their wardrobe or pick out the perfect dress for a red-carpet event. She’s also author of “The Be. System, Completing the Circle Between You and Your Style,” and former host of “Modern Girl’s Guide to Life” on E! Style Network.

She’s here to give us some tips on traveling in style. Read part 1 here.

What’s your packing process for a trip? Any tips for cutting down the time it takes?

My packing process for a trip is quite easy actually. I have a list, and I stick to it. Actually it is the list that I have in my book, “The Be.System, Completing the Circle between You and Your Style.”

Even if I am going on a trip that will last more than a week, I still pack only for one week. I can hand wash or re-wear anything at least three times, and let’s be honest, who wants to lug three bags around Europe or an island, especially in these restricted luggage times! Plus it is just so freeing to not have to worry about packing and repacking extensively!
I usually take just a black Coach rolling carry on bag and a matching diaper bag which acts as my laptop / magazine tote for the trip. I don’t have a baby, but this tote really works great for this purpose! There are lots of pockets to store documents, cords, etc. I even wrap the laptop in the changing table cover to protect it from getting bumped around too much!

I pack all my shoes/accessories and cosmetic items around the outside of the carry on, and roll the clothing into one big roll to avoid wrinkling and put it in the center of the bag. I wear the heaviest clothing to travel in, so I don’t waste space at all!

Jewelry is minimal as I am not going on vacation to advertise my economic status, and I generally pick up any liquid toiletries, vitamins, etc. when I get there to avoid wasting valuable luggage weight and space.

For a day at the beach I would recommend:

• A large tote to carry book/towel
• 85 spf sunscreen and hair spray with sun shield in it, 30 spf lip gloss
• Head band/ hair tie or bandana for a man
• Huge sun hat (with sunshield in lining) or baseball hat for men.
• Large sized sunglasses
• Bathing suit
• Haviana’s (my all time favorite for summer flip flops and admitted huge addiction…I am a collector!)
• Loose shorts and shirt combo in gauzy linen or cotton
• Pareo or extra large cotton scarf to use as cover up or extra lounge area

For a day of shopping in NYC I would recommend:

• Black simple pants, black lightweight knit v-neck cardigan in ¾ sleeve for woman. For Man, black pants, black jersey knit tee top.
• Light leather jacket , weather permitting.
• Simple pearl necklace or gold chain/ hoop earrings for woman
• Black or tortoiseshell sunglasses.
• Ballet flats in animal print theme, with gel sole inserts for extra cushioning and support for woman. Black driving shoes for man.
• Extra large black tote to stash the spoils of your labor for woman.
• The idea here is to dress chicly, but simply as you may have to be in and out of clothing to try things on . Black will hide dirt and always looks appropriate in any large city.

I always feel like a total dork when I’m back stateside decked out in whatever “native” gear I just bought. Are there outfits from overseas that can work here?

Any thing bought in Europe or the UK, such as France, Italy and England, is going to look great in the states. If you try to wear a sarong you bought in India here, it may not work too well, so stick to interesting accessories like tote bags, necklaces, earrings, or scarves to bring the culture home with you. Personally, I try to pick up scarves when I travel because they are light, unique and serve many purposes. Plus they are easy to take on other travels with me and act as active “postcards” of my travels at home and abroad!