Rachel Khoo, author of My Little Paris Kitchen and My Little French Kitchen is constantly travelling between France and London for work. She says she feels “quite at home at the Eurostar terminals!”
In 2013 Rachel spent months travelling all over France for research trips and photo-shoots for her latest book My Little French Kitchen – giving her suitcase a really good workout. It doesn’t seem to matter how far she travels though, she always look good whenever we see her and we asked her how she does it.
Many thanks to Rachel who says “Here are my trips for looking good while travelling…”
1. Think crinkle-free: be smart with your packing
Opt for clothes that are easy to iron (steer clear of pleats and crisp blouses). Or to keep things really simple – pack pieces in your wardrobe that don’t need ironing! I have a few go-to dresses that I always travel with. They’re op-shop finds, and dry quickly when washed, and can be worn in all seasons (with or without stockings).
2. Shoe polish = a life saver
Keeping your shoes in good nick will feel like an instant pick-me-up if your travelling outfits are starting to appear a little dishevelled.
3. Stick to a colour theme
Even though I love to wear loads of colours, when I’m travelling I try to stick to a theme of just a few colours. Prints are fine, just make sure the clothes you pack can be mixed and matched with everything else in your suitcase.
4. Keep things simple when travelling through airports
Wear shoes that are quick and easy to whip off (it’s not very chic fumbling with laces and buckles when asked to remove your shoes at airport security!)… and keep jewellery to a minimum to avoid hassles.
5. Pack a silk scarf
Especially helpful when the weather is looking a little unpredictable, a silk scarf is handy for a simple pick-me-up when you’re getting tired of wearing the same thing everyday when travelling. Silk also dries super quickly, which makes life easier if you need to hand wash it.
6. Pack travel-sized laundry detergent or soap for hand washing.
In case of accidental wine spills! You never know when you might need to give your clothes a rinse. I’m a fan of the blocks of laundry soap from Marseille (very cheap and sold in French supermarkets).
7. Fun socks can save the day
As you might have seen on my television show, I’m a fan of colourful socks! When you’re travelling with colleagues or in a group, chances are your socks will be seen – so why not choose cute, coloured pairs to keep things fun?
8. If you wear nail polish, remember to bring it with you
So annoying when you chip your brightly coloured nails, and you don’t have the right colour polish with you to fix them up. Keep some back-up polish in your travel kit.
9. Moisturise!
I’m sure you’ve read it one thousand times in magazines, but the air-conditioning on planes (and long trains for that matter) can be very dehydrating for your skin. I love the body and face moisturisers from Ren Aesop or Neal’s Yard.
10. Do your grooming before you travel
If you can, try and book in your hair appointments and waxing before you travel, so you don’t have to think about it on the road. Nothing more annoying than trying to tidy up your eyebrows in the unforgiving lights of a hotel bathroom!
