OBOW in the Post

Palm Beach Post, that is. Your editor and Doug Dyment are quoted in this nice little story about packing light. I said:

“You’ll never pack light if you try to cover every possible situation or crisis you might encounter. Of course it might be colder or hotter than you expect, you might have time to do some hiking, you might need dressier clothing,” he says, “but if you pack to prepare for every last eventuality, you’ll always be overloaded.”

And, many travelers also take too much, says Doug Dyment, author of OneBag.com, because “they make all their packing decisions at the worst possible time: just prior to leaving.”

A better approach, Dyment says, is to learn – well in advance of your trip – how to leave things behind. “It’s difficult to imagine anything that will have a similarly profound effect on one’s travel experiences,” he says.

Both Dyment’s and Isbell’s websites are crammed with helpful advice on lightening your load. But for a crash course – no pun intended – we asked them, and some frequent travelers, for a few road-tested tips. - read more

Update on June 24, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

I might add that the most important thing that OBOW is “crammed full of” is reader-generated content and comments - useful, quaint, quirky, and creative. 

Comments

[Alan Birnbaum]

Nicely done article. I note especially the part that:

<<A certain class of traveler — men flying on business — have adopted a uniform over the past few months, says menswear expert and professional trend spotter Tom Julian....‘I was observing men of all ages in the same looks in airports — blazers, dress shirts, jeans, dress shoes, winter coat or trench coat, and sometimes the blazer is actually the suit jacket.’....What that tells Julian, author of Nordstrom Guide to Men’s Everyday Dressing (Chronicle Books), is the men have packed suit pants, dress shirts and ties into their carry-ons.>>

Given that the darned BLAZER or SPORTS COAT or SUIT JACKET, at least for me, is the hardest item to pack properly, not to mention the bulkiest, and prone to wrinkle at that, there's a lot to be said for that strategy, not to mention the jeans, which if you take them, typically are twice the weight of a pair of dress slacks. One can almost always find space in an overhead for a folded men's jacket. I may just handle my jacket that way the next time I travel. The only caveat would be that the jacket fabric needs to be something that won't be bothered by having a shoulder strap over it during transit.

[Alan Birnbaum]

Of course, when wearing one's blazer or other coat traveling wouldn't work well would be if the weather at either end of the trip is on the warmer side, though of course that can vary even by time of day. Even during the middle of our summer, my wearing a sportcoat onto the 6:30 AM to DFW (our preferred pathway to the East and South) might not be an issue, but a 2:00 PM hike from the long-term parking lot to our terminal during mid-July would be another issue entirely. Regardless, when appropriate, clearly this is one tactic to drop the weight of a bag a quick two pounds, or conversely, during cool or damp weather, to create space to carry something like my Rohan Hilltop Jacket, which weighs about that much, if I were headed to Seattle or Portland.

[Monte]

Alan, I agree with you regard the blazer and /or permutations of it. There are so many black and blue blazers they might as well be military uniforms, and where do you put them, how do you keep them looking nice, fold this way or that way, wear or not. I, for one am getting tired of seeing blazers all over the place, at least the dork worsted ones. I am in the market for a wrinkle-free, non-blue or black that looks a little more dressy than a Levi jacket.

Going to all solids is something I have nearly achieved. If single malt cane in a solid form I would be there.

Brad, This is a nice article and you are congratulated for providing an important service to so many people who desire to make part of their lives better. One question: could you show us a picture of the model who one-bags?

[Paula S]

Here you go Monte........
http://nymag.com/fashion/models/rclark/rachelclark/

[Monte]

Thanks, Paula. What about a blazer substitute, which is more important.

[Alan Birnbaum]

Relative to that blazer, for certain types of travel clearly it is not needed. Rick Steves' list:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlist.htm

does not include one, and only begrudgingly includes a tie. For my overnight trip to the mountains this weekend, I certainly won't take a sportscoat, but will take a lightweight black full zip fleece, and a full zip black windbreaker. For some city trips, I take a black full zip leather jacket, weight about the same as a sportscoat, but more casual, albeit versatile. As far as a very casual sort of sportscoat, such as this Zambezi Twill version from Orvis, that might complement darker pants, even jeans:

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=50P8

my chief stylistic consultant jas advised me...no way...not to mention that there's no room left in my closet, particularly for something I might wear only a few days a year. Perhaps that ought to be one test for a travel garment. If you wouldn't wear it regularly in your home town, should you really buy a garment just for travel?

[Monte]

Alan, The town I live in has a pop. of 800 when the dogs are all home. A good share of the people are farmers or work in farm related occupations. I wouldn't wear bibbers to Europe, or any where else although I do have a pair for emergencies.

Your information is well taken and thanks. I have been looking at a Tilley town jacket.

[Alan Birnbaum]

Monte is RIGHT. The over-riding principle probably should be dressing to reasonably fit into the sartorial scene at one's DESTINATION, speaking as someone who comes from a city, actually a pair of cities, combined population 800,000, not just 800, but where the all too often I see people dressed down, way too down, including in better restaurants, the worst sin being guys in T-shirts with graphics and the like all over them, a far cry from the neat monochrome T-shirt that can represent urban casual, and which in fact one of my partners routinely wears beneath his white doctor's coat.

[Buzz]

<i>If you wouldn't wear it regularly in your home town, should you really buy a garment just for travel? </i>

The answer is yes. I have clothes I use specifically for travel. Most of it is sink washable, quick drying and non wrinkling. They are made of microfibers. I also wear clothes that can all be mixed and matched so I can take less. (At home I wear mostly cotton because I have a washer/dryer readily available.)

When I traveled with a blazer/sport jacket, I had one that was a wool blend so it hardly ever wrinkled. And if it did, either a quick iron, or hanging it in the bathroom while I let the hot water run, did the trick. Today, most travel blazers/sports jackets are microfiber blends.

I also don't wear "safari" clothes in a city or country where safari's aren't common. Nor would I wear a t-shirt and shorts in Paris. I can assure you, when I traveled for work, I always looked professional. I may not have made it onto the pages of Vogue, but no one ever complained--including my bosses.

It's really up to the individual. There are some who would spend hundreds of dollars on a raincoat where my entire travel wardrobe doesn't cost that much. I pack for convenience and to limit my load. What others do is their business.

[Till]

First of all, kudos to Brad for the nice article. I hope it wins some new readers and posters for the blog.

Alan, once again your analysis of blazer use and pairing with jeans as to transport the heaviest and most fragile items on your body is correct. Unfortunately, also the assessment about shoulder straps and shoulder pads in suit jackets is correct. I have not yet encountered a suit jacket that takes kindly to the shoulder strap of a 12lb+ bag. When the shoulder pad in the jacket is ruined the jacket is ruined usually, as every mfr uses different pads in different shapes. It will be VERY, VERY hard to find or rebuild an exact replacement.

One way to inflict the least harm to your blazer/suit jacket is to drape it loosely between the handles of your carry-on. It doesn't count as a carry-on item and it will hardly get any wrinkles this way.

I just bought two blazers one dark blue and one dark grey. The dark grey is almost a hopsack wool fabric. Looks nice. The dark blue is a half-lined very light summer affair. It's more formal than the grey one. I think it's a super 120. I do avoid putting the shoulder strap on when I wear them.

[lisa@buybikini.org]

I've been reading your blog now for quite some time and really like it. I don't know if it's your style or not , but do you think you could do a post on the oil spill in the gulf?

I love your thoughts and opinions, and would love to see your comments on this tragedy.

[Eric]

LOVE the comments (in the article and here) on the "men's business travel uniform". I've been flying that way for the last year, and I end up with fewer wrinkles that way, even if I have to fold up my sportcoat and put it in the overhead bin on occasion.

I should note, however, that this mode of dress works better with a roll-aboard, since the jacket's shoulder's don't take well to long airport walks with a shoulder bag (as Till noted). I frequently drape the coat over one arm or over my bag when it's hot.

I wear only patterned sportcoats, and generally ones that will go with black pants. I don't have to wear a tie in my business, so this works out well and looks good. Most patterned sportcoats these days can be had in wool blends, which resist wrinkles and also hide wrinkles very well.

[DXElizebeth97]

A number of supplies which often you should think about usually are , oak and also cherry. In addition to currently being sturdy, are in addition easy to clear. Test averting decanter or glass along with pine pieces of furniture, particularly mainly because both are a lot more vulnerable and can cause harm to this any time chipped or perhaps busted. The vital thing it is best to always remember is actually the number of security the particular Residential Lots in Las Pinas supplies. You ought to avoid nearly anything manufactured from flimsy or maybe wobbly <a href=http://www.altalandrealty.com/list-of-lot-for-sale-in-las-pinas/>Lot For Sale in Las Pinas</a> just like scaffold boards in addition to safety bed rails on Las Pinas Lot. Thinking about acquiring components of for the dwelling? Are you interested for you to adorn your current yard? Do you think you're preparing to remodeling a person's ? You wish to perform both of elements but your isn't when deeply to cover what you look for.

A patio clearance store are available anyplace perhaps anywhere in the locality. A lot of boutiques give major deals and also have many pieces of upon clearance. Could possibly be occasions when you simply can't look to find the correct that may fit the bill. Patio clearance would probably help will certainly components of which might be upon wholesale sale made are the type of which can be often good old stocks or brought on not really inside style any more. Safeguard types of which could help to make any kind of household glimpse attractive and well-decorated nonetheless finding a inexpensive would be a problem. While confronting this issue, a furniture certificate could reply your business needs.

You can have astonished once you begin exploring for the best for ones along with the price is too high to your spending budget. This first thing to do is actually to possess a watchful begin what items to buy and begin in search of outdoor patio settlement sites on the net. When looking for an outdoor wholesale, constantly choose in advance of an additional year or so will begin. Almost all retailers commonly continue on a tremendous purchase every time a spring comes since brand-new think you are presented while in the . You may have pleasantly surprised when you start exploring for the best to your along with the prices are too much for ones spending plan. Your most important step can be to possess a thorough begin just what things acquire and initiate looking for outdoor patio settlement retailers on line.