“Excuse me, you speak English, right? You are my personal hero, hiking the rainforest like that.”
- Girl from Chicago
Here I am, pictured above, on the sea-facing coast of Ilha Grande, Brazil during my vacation there to see G. this past summer. Before this photo was taken, G. and I had hiked several miles up and down a mountain through rain and lots of puddles. I have just taken off my extremely muddy shoes so that I might dry my toes in the soft powdery sand.
I had only bought one pair of shoes to Brazil, some flat t-strap Mary Jane that were black, shiny and perfect for dressing up an outfit but still being able to ride my bike. I had such fun on this trip to the island! The sights were so wonderful that I didn’t mind offering my favorite shoes as a sacrifice to the Rainforest!
I have been traveling a lot lately in the past year – mostly to attend my own gallery openings or just to vacation to see old friends. Seattle, New Orleans, San Francisco, Providence, Belo Horizonte, Brazil: in each city I’ve managed to wear nearly 100% vintage with no hassle and little effort. I’ve made a list for you all below in hopes that you’ll remember it for your next trip!
I first discovered Tea Tree baby wipes during a layover in the Denver airport on my way to Arkansas for holidays in 2005. I bawked at using what is essentially a baby wipe at first, but I love tea tree oil and use it in my baths and as laundry solution so I wasn’t opposed to trying it. I’ve found that the wipes are indispensible cleaning tools for long days on airplanes, trains or walking city blocks. They freshen face, backs of necks, knees, and anywhere else you might need perking up.
Wear practical lingerie. At least two slips, one dark, one light, will suit most needs. In the first image of this post, you can see my trusty pink slip poking out from my print dress. It is a must! A comfortable, flattering base such as a lace full slip can also double as pajamas, as I am oft to forget to pack them in the first place. Also, you never have to get fully undressed if you wear a slip under everything, which is very helpful if one is staying in crowded hostels.
Part of the hassles of smart dressing means dealing with wrinkles in your fancy things. My solution? When packing, choose lace or patterned dresses; these garments won’t show that they’ve been squished in a backpack because the patterns are distracting. I roll each garment separately in a big ziploc bag so that nothing gets snagged while in transport. Those little lace bits are magnets for hook-and-eye closures to snag!
Still have wrinkles? I have been known to put a silk scarf over a screaming tea kettle to smooth the wrinkles out. Just don’t get the steam too close!
I am at the Musee Mechanique in San Francisco in front of the French Execution game in this photo. For this, I set my front kisscurl at night and put on a helmet cloche hat in the morning! It saves a lot of time and looks very chic at the same time.
This last trip to Seattle was a total treat for me – I got my hair fingerwaved by the loveliest young lady at the Aveda Institute. It cost about $20 and has lasted for four days so far! In my experience, those who are willing to do fingerwaves are either salons who cater to vintage styles or those fresh out of beauty school. Fingerwaves and pincurls are still taught in schools, I’m told, although most think they are outdated. I’m happy to find a stylist who is excited about fingerwaves, because usually when I phone a salon to ask if they provide them, I expect a groan!
Paired with a little dark lipstick and groomed eyebrows, the fingerwave will dress up any little black dress or spice up a vintage sweater set. Also, old ladies on the bus will smile and point to your head and whisper to their grand children, “That’s how grammy did her hair when she was a little girl!” It’s so cute!
Do you have any travel tips for Vintage Vivants?
Bon Voyage!
My flapper afro is slowly coming back…
This is how I fluff it up… by running my hands in small circles until it puffs up.
Madge Bellamy
From some ukulele sheet music I have, called “Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue?”
