Friday, October 1, 2010

Imagi-packing

Whenever I am planning a trip, I always, always spend the most mental energy planning on what to wear.  Not the sights, not the itinerary (though that's probably second highest), not booking the hotel, or traveling from place to place.  It may come from the fact that what I pack is comepltely in my control, whereas hotel availability, cash funds, event schedules, etc. are not. It may also come from the fact that when I travel I want to be prepared for all situations, weather-wise and socially.  And also that I want to present the best version of myself.  But mostly that when you travel, you don't necessarily have to be the everday-version-of-you anymore. 

In my next trip, I'm taking on the persona of "Arts Journalist - loose in NYC."  I'll get to wear my best business/casual chic and hopefully catch the eye of fashion journalist Steve Schubert.  Unlikely, as I think he's in Paris and anyway, I'd be hard pressed to morph my pure MidWestern comfort-chic into his prefered style of tailored Euro bohemian fashion forward-ness. 

Not only that, but October is a changable month.  It could be 80 degrees or 40, rainy, snowy or wonderfully sunny.  I need to look professional and put together.  The good thing is my wardrobe is eclectic.  The bad thing is that I dress very emotionally on a typical day, pulling items from the closet based on how I feel.   With the contents of a suitcase you can't really do that.  Blerg.  I wish I were one of those variation-on-a-theme type of dressers, but unless you count the very broad theme of always-having-some-sort-of-cardigan, I don't do that. 

I'm excited, though, to present the very best version of my professional self and I'll let the fashion cards lay where they may.

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