The Art of Travel, Part 2: The Glamour

If you still think travel is tedious and exhausting and packed (pun intended) with emotional nights, long days (and delays) and extended difficulties, let you persuade you otherwise...

Oh – and the next post – the last for the year – will be a beautiful one about Paris and France. It will also include some details of how you can see the best of it next year in a wonderful tour we're organising. Do stop by if you fancy a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the gardens of France. We'd love to have you come along with us.

The beautiful, whimsical, travel-inspired windows of Hermès' flagship store in Paris. I'm not normally an advocate of using taxidermied animals in store displays, but I suspect this was an old exhibit from Deyrolle on the Left Bank. Look how magnificent he is! Look at that luggage! {My photo from archives}

A wonderful, wonderful video about luggage and Christmas and coveted orange boxes that will make you laugh, also by Hermès. Link here or here – www.youtube.com/user/hermes

The sexiest camera ever produced... Leica's Hermès limited edition version. Would buy it, but would have to sell the husband for it. Then again... www.leica.com

Another fabulous camera... Paul Smith's version of the Leica. Look at the whimsical detail. The sketch of a light bulb that appears on top of the pop-up flash was drawn by Mr. Smith himself.  leica-camera.com {Via The Wall Street Journal}

And if you can't afford the tangerina Leica dream, here's a mobile / cell phone cover made to look like one of the coveted cases. Love this.

Louis Vuitton's windows in Paris: luggage stacked to look like the Eiffel Tower. Isn't this lovely? {My photo}

An uplifting video (so to speak) about the beauty of travel... Louis Vuitton's hot air balloon video 'L'Invitation Au Voyage', shot in Paris. Just beautiful... Link here or here – www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-JgJGU5wXo

Karen Blixen's luggage. This has also come via Hermès. It was specially designed for the author by the French company. There were two pieces made. Reportedly the latter consumed 368 hours of work and was an extraordinarily complicated piece of luggage, truly worthy of an aristocrat facing the demanding African landscape. This makes me want to read Out of Africa all over again.

{Via Luxury Insider}

Antique luggage used as bar carts and other irreverent things. We saw this at the Nomad Hotel earlier this year. Each room had a magnificent vintage steamer trunk upended to create a mini-bar. So inspiring... {Via Jennings and Gates' lovely blog}

A glamorous ONA camera bag, as seen on A Cup of Jo's blog. {www.onabags.com}

Be still my beating heart... Have you ever seen such a beautiful camera? This is an antique Leica from the early 20th century, which has faux-lizard skin and gold plating. There were only 95 of these early models made. This one was sold recently at Bonham's auction house, and expected to fetch $230,000. Still, that's a bargain compared to the rare 1923 prototype camera which a Chinese bidder paid $2.8 million for this year. I'll just breath out now.

More converted luggage, this time as wardrobes, although I'm not sure what they're doing out in the snow? {Via Jennings and Gates' beautiful blog – jenningsandgates.blogspot.com}

Mai Tai's Picture Book is one of the most instructive blogs on the Internet, full of great advice on how to travel without looking like a troglodyte who's just come out of a hole (or economy class). Her trick? A gorgeous scarf. She even takes special scarf holders when she travels. Her work is impressive. {maitaispicturebook.com}

More cheeky, irreverent travel stuff from Louis Vuitton. These are 'bag charms', which you attach to your handbag or luggage to identify it. Here's the video about them. I love the palm trees. Link here  or here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5STIqA99Q

Me too.

And lastly, two Library readers challenged me (in good humour) to illustrated how you can pack for a 2-week holiday using just a carry-on bag. Put my money where my mouth is and all that... 

Last time I did a post on this I used mostly winter clothes. So here is how I'd pack for a holiday that encompassed city and beach, with some garden visits and perhaps a few evening shows scattered in between... Little tip: Pack hybrids, or clothes that can go across not just one, but two or three situations. I toss in oversized scarves that can double as beach wraps, frocks that can go from day to night, and handbags that can switch from casual to business meeting. It's difficult, I know. But it just takes some thinking... Here are some ideas.

Colour: Keep your colours to a minimum, so everything matches. I usually use navy or black as neutrals and then toss in a colour, such as orange or pink. Everything has to match with everything else. Everything. If it won't socialise with the rest of the clothes, toss it!

INVENTORY FOR A CITY/BEACH HOLIDAY WITH GARDENS VISITS AND EVENING SHOWS IN BETWEEN

Lightweight trenchcoat (orange for glamour; this was one $5 from Chapel Street). Essential for showers in London or Paris, additional layering on chilly days, or to cover a dress that hasn't been washed for 2 days and is showing the rigours of long-haul flights. (Only pack if you think the weather is going to be at all chilly, otherwise it just takes up space.)

Flat loafers. Flat shoes are essential for flights and walking. (Ballets are no good because they don't have adequate soles. And your ankles will likely blow up in-flight, making their tight curves hard to slip on for a day or so afterwards and therefore contenders for blisters.) Loafers are my choice, but there are lots of pretty flat shoes around,

Espadrille wedges. Brilliant 'cross-over' shoes that are smart enough for both daywear / beachwear and business meetings. (Well, my casual publishing ones anyway; you may wish to include a pair of 'proper' heels for more formal appointments.)

Smart sundress. Find one or two frocks that are dressy enough for evenings as well as daywear. Include a belt and accessories to jazz up for business meetings or shows.

Tailored blazer. I always, always include a blazer or jacket. It will immediately smarten up any outfit, and be a glamorous safeguard if you find you want to suddenly attend a tradeshow or business meeting, have a date with an ex-boyfriend, go to an evening play, or simply try for an upgrade in a hotel or flight. Try to find one that's well cut (this is my favourite Armani); that way, it will hide the cheaper lines of any $50 frocks. 

Navy linen 'boyfriend' shirt-dress. Shirt-dresses are great because they're easy to wear on planes (throw some leggings underneath if you're cold); they're smart for cities (enhance them with lovely chunky necklaces), they're fab for slipping on beside a pool or walking along a beach, and can, if desperate, be used for dinner wear. (Just wear some fancy jewellery – say, a gold cuff and some dangly earrings.)

Two colourful dresses. These are great to wear around the pool / on the beach, but will also suffice for city walks.

Coloured Bensimons. Pretty sandshoes are nicer than flip-flops, and will do double-duty for walking. (Flip-flops are not smart enough for cities.)

A cardigan. I love long ones that can do double-duty as wraps on planes. 

One pair of swimmers and two or three scarves, which can double as sarongs. (You can sneak in a second pair of swimmers, if you want.)

FOR THE CITY VISITS AND/OR FORMAL AFFAIRS (meetings, shows, etc): Wear the more-tailored dresses (with the blazer, if cold) and more formal jewellery and accessories.

FOR THE BEACH: Wear the brighter dresses (which can also cross over to the city; wear a cardi or trench, if cold).

FOR GARDEN VISITS: Wear the flat loafers or Bensimons (you won't need boots, unless it's winter or chilly; in which case pack pants too), with bright dresses and a cardi. Buy a cute hat somewhere to keep the sun off. Take the bright trenchcoat or bright scarves if it's cold.

Here's how it all fits into a small carry-on suitcase, together with toiletries and a travel umbrellas. (Note: You'll be wearing some of the clothes.) I can even squeeze in a tripod and a second handbag / clutch. This bag may be over the luggage limit so you may have to check it in, but it's still an ideal size for travelling.

Lastly, more than 40 people have emailed me to ask how they could help my dear friend Jane Green from Life on Planet Baby. (lifeonplanetbaby.com) Thank you so much. Your cards and notes will no doubt boost her and her family's moral this Christmas. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone. Your new year has certainly started off in the right spirit! Sending you all a hug. xx

Tomorrow or Thursday: Preliminary details of The Grand Tour of Paris and France...

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An Affair With Orange

Orange is one of those sneakily seductive colours. You don't notice it right away, which is strange because it's extroverted enough. But it does take a while to recognise it between all the hoopla that black, white, red, cobalt, hot pink and even yellow make. Orange is like the quiet wit of the colour party. It waits until there's a suitable pause in the conversation, and then says something so clever, or funny, or just plain charming, you wonder why you hadn't noticed it before.

2012 has been a big year for orange. Trend forecaster and colour experts Pantone nominated Tangerine Tango as the Colour of the Year For 2012. Tangerine, they said, would be the colour to watch. And it was. In fact, many of us fell in love (or back in love) with the vivacious, summery shade of ripe mandarines. {Above image via Luella}

We're now winding down the year, and Pantone is making new predictions for 2013, one of which is that Art Deco-inspired shades will become very big; a trend inspired, perhaps, by The Great Gatsby. So here, to send tangerine out in style, is a tribute to this year's unexpected hit.

So long orange. We had a great time.

Wishing you all a fun-filled weekend.

"Orange is the happiest colour." 

Frank Sinatra

170 East 78th Street, New York. {Via Curbed}

J Crew's new collection.

Hermès.

Iris Upfel's apartment. As elegant as the woman herself.

Jessica Lange, looking radiant at the Emmy Awards recently. {Hollywood Reporter}

Fabric from Black & Spiro's design studio. {Via Absolutely Beautiful Things}

A spread from Vogue China. {Via Dustjacket Attic}

A Hermès beach pareo.

A design from Artiga fabrics in France. 

(Their canvas fabrics make great deckchairs, drapes and chaise covers. They're fabrics for those who have grown tired of Les Toiles des Soleil.)

A cover-up from the beautiful Balinese fashion label Mist, widely available in Australia.

A rug design from The New York Rug Company.

A rug design from Madeline Weinrib.

Barefoot style in India. {Via Mist}

A pair of Mandarina dancing shoes.

Marimekko's New York store. Gorgeous window merchandising. This was an entire dinner party created from fabric. Just extraordinary.

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Hermes School of Decorating, Part 2

Since the first post on The Hermès School of Decorating was such a surprise hit, I thought I'd try another. Orange is still making headlines as a colour (the effects of Pantone's Tangerine Tango prediction perhaps?), and in fact is starting to be recognised as a 'classic' for women's wardrobes, alongside white and black. (It always looks amazing with either one.)

Someone told me recently that the Preppy's answer to orange was coral, but I don't know. I still think orange has a lot of life (and style) left in it... I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to a long hot orange summer.

Hermès' new wallpaper range, which is inspired by its scarves. The collection includes ‘Bibliothèque’, a drawing of a collection of equestrian books, and 'Pêle-mêle', a panorama in which horses and Hermès family members are playfully depicted. “We wanted to offer the possibility of dressing your home with that same Hermès quality and style," says a Hermès spokesperson. I love the orange print (above), which seems to epitomise Hermès' quirky elegance. The papers landed in stores in June this year.

A splash of orange lifts this monochromatic interior. I'd love a Hermès blanket but they're $1600 here and our dogs would make them look like $1.60 blankets within a day. {Via Habitually Chic}

The office of Japanese interior decorator Yasumichi Morita. Such a beautiful backdrop. {Via The Selby}

More framed scarves. This trend of framing silk scarves seems to be coming back into interior fashion. It's a lovely idea. Hermès scarves are so expensive they're almost investment pieces. {Via Skona Hem}

Although this is perhaps taking the scarf-as-art thing a bit far... {source unknown}

This was cute: a classic Chanel No 5 bottle reimagined in orange for a watercolour. If only Chanel re-released it in this shade? {Via Habitually Chic}

Christian Louboutin's country house. Look at how he's even decorated the doors and chairs in Hermès orange. Some people might think this is too much, but I think it's beautiful. Although it only works because of the scale of the room. {Via German Architectural Digest February 2007}

Grace Coddington's new memoir, designed with an uplifting, slightly retro, Cecil Beatoneque-meets-Hermès shade. Out in November. (I've already put it on the Christmas Wish List.)

 David Hicks' books on decorating. David was a big fan of Hermès orange. I've been trying to find editions of these but without success. (Cheap editions, that is.) Will keep looking. I love the turquoise cover: David Hicks on Living With Taste. Makes me laugh every time I see it.

Here's a vintage copy in Kate Spade's SoHo New York store. It wasn't for sale. I asked. They use them as part of the merchandising. Very witty. Although I'm not sure if David would have approved... (He would have gone in and rearranged everything.)

A classic film poster in an unexpected shade. Funny Face, with Miss Audrey.

Sweet! Although if the bike was in orange, it would be even better. {Via Russian Vogue}

A cheery orange carousel in Lisbon Portugal. I have a thing for carousels. Love them. LOVE them. There are several in Paris, and they always make for beautiful photos. {Via This is Glamorous}

America's First Lady Michelle Obama publicising her kitchen garden book. Michelle's a fan of orange too. And not just in the garden. {Source forgotten; will find and credit}

More coral-red than orange, but I'll still take it! Love this. Imagine it on a beach somewhere? {Ditto source}

A vintage Dodge in just the right shade of Hermès orange, perfect to cruise the summer streets in. Love this dashboard. Weren't cars simpler back then? The bucket seat is cute too. Oh, for a car like this! This is a real beach car.

I found this on iTunes the other day while searching for Stevie Nick's songs. (I was having a Seventies moment.) Loved the cover. Although I'm not sure what the third song, 'Fertilizer', is about?

Loving this too. So fabulous. Orange trench. Orange boots. Orange handbag. Too much, do you think? Perhaps. But isn't it eye-catching? I could see this on the streets of New York this winter. It almost needs a shiny black vespa to complete the outfit. Wish I knew who designed this coat. The bag looks very Hermès-ish.

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