Travel Beauty :: Gorgeous Hair in Five Minutes

[trip style = any]

{Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!}

I recently took a few trip style = weekend trips with my family, which includes a squirmy, out-of-control one-year-old. Add to the fact that I'm almost 8 months pregnant and you'll understand why I literally never get more than five minutes to apply my makeup and do my hair. I've come to realize that unless I'm going out for a big night, none of us need more than five minutes to complete our look. All that's need is a plan and the right products and tools.

Let's start with hair {the five-minute face is coming next month!}; here are a few variations of my favorite style, the ponytail. Ponytails always look chic and put together, and best of all, they take minutes to create.

Sleek Create a deep side part then lightly smooth the hair back and secure into a low ponytail, leaving out a small 1" section of hair underneath the pony. Take that section and wrap it over the elastic band, securing it with a pin underneath. Brush through the ponytail to smooth the hair and use a light hair spray {I love Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Humidity Hair Spray} to hold the style and keep frizz away.

Casual Start by spraying a texturizer like Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray throughout the hair for a beachy, piecey look. Use fingers to tossle the hair a little, part it down the middle and gather it at the back into a loose ponytail. Allow layers or bangs to fall alongside your face.

Trendy Use a comb to carefully backcomb the top portion of the hair, and lightly smooth it back maintaining volume. Gather hair back into a high ponytail, keeping the sides of the hair sleek but leaving the top of the head voluminous with height. Secure with an elastic and spritz with hair spray.

Romantic Create a slightly off-center part, then use a large barrel curling iron to curl the hair into big waves. You don't have to curl all the hair, just choose key pieces so you have more waves than straight parts. Don't brush the hair, rather use fingers to create this look as it's a soft, loose style rather than smooth and sleek. Gather the hair over one shoulder and secure into a loose side ponytail, allowing the curls to fall over your shoulder. Spray with hair spray and allow any layers to fall along the side of your face.

More Travel Beauty A Sky-Vival Kit The Best BB Creams For Travel How To Prolong Your Gorgeous Glow In-Flight Beauty Masks Q&A With OPI’s Founder {Nail Tips For Travel} On-The-Go Teeth Cleaning St. Tropez’ Celebrity Tanning Expert’s Self-Tanning Secrets  Q&A With Dr. Murad

[collage by @tripstyler with images sourced online]

You = Greener At Hotels

[trip style = any]

Green: environmental friendliness through the efficient use of energy, water and materials

Hotels, resorts and cruise ships know they are putting a huge strain on natural resources, but it takes two to tango. Looking inward, we are the ones traveling, so how can WE be green at hotels?

At home, many of us keep the environment in mind turning lights off, using natural heating/cooling {when we can} and limiting water use, yet when we're staying at hotels we quickly forget our regular energy-saving techniques in lieu of vacation. Why should a holiday put more strain on Mother Earth?

A few weeks ago, I caught myself unknowingly doing the I'm-on-vacation-so-why-should-I-care-about-the-earth-thing when leaving my room at the Metropolitan Hotel in Vancouver. As I was closing the door, I realized I'd left every single light on, so I quickly ran in and turned off all the switches. I know this isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of life, but if everyone is wasting a little {plus taking 20-minute showers and requesting new linens daily}, every action adds up a lot.

Because we can't all stay at zero-waste retreats all the time, here's a few VERY SIMPLE techniques for being your own ecotourist at hotels:

• Let housekeeping know that you don't need them to replace your sheets and towels every day; this will reduce energy AND water usage. Simple solution: don't leave towels on the ground {indicating they need to be changed}, or opt out of daily housekeeping.
• Turn off the lights, air conditioner/heater and the electronics in your room while you're out. Even when I'm in tropics I turn off the a/c when I'm gone, opening windows and doors when I return.
• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth, and take a shorter showers.
• BYO toiletries, or if you use what the hotel provides, make sure to take what's leftover home. Think how many little soaps are being thrown out, and the millions of petite plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles created. Plus, hotels always give you two soaps, so who needs two soaps and a shower gel???
• If the hotel doesn't have a recycling program, try to find a bin close by for take-out containers and water bottles.
• Take advantage of free bicycle programs.

Do you use other green techniques at hotels?

[images sourced online]

Travel Staple :: The White Shirt

[trip style = any]

The white shirt and travel meet very seldom. If fact, they are kind of estranged. Like two people living on different sides of the river, they want to be friends, but they're scared what their peers or parents might think of a relationship. We know how the rest of the story goes...

White shirt, meet travel. Tide Pen, meet white shirt.

The white shirt is timeless. The white shirt is unisex. The white shirt works in the morn, aft and eve. The white shirt goes with any trip style's ensembles. Contrary to popular belief, the white shirt SHOULD circumnavigate the globe; it should sip champagne atop the Eiffel Tower; it should play in the sun on Bondi beach; it should go shopping in NYC. After all, there's a reason 99.9% of hotel linens are white. White is easy to wash and easy to bleach, and for this reason is becoming a staple in my travel wardrobe, even after labor day!

How To Wear The White Shirt {for guys 'n gals}

• The close-fitting V- or crew-neck: great for any trip style where you won't get too hot or sweaty. Can be dressed up or down with ease and the right accessories. James Dean; need I say more?
• The loose T: good for travel days {who wants a tight top on the plane}, and versatile enough for a trip style = weekend morning, or a night on the town with dressy bottoms.
• The blouse {women}/The button-up {men}: best for day or evening wear {or even worn as a bathing suit cover-up}.

A Few White Garment Travel Caveats The White Blazer The white blazer has been a fashion staple for a while {mentioned in our recently published Airport Style Trends}, and I love it, but if you bring it on the road, make sure your trip style allows for a trip to the dry cleaner, or your wallet allows for a $40 hotel laundry bill. The thicker fabric used in blazers can be tricky to DIY spot-clean in your hotel room.

White Pants White pants look nice, until you sit on a chocolate chip or craisin leftover from your morning scone. If you're set on bringing white pants, bring them as an accent piece versus an everyday staple. Once you sit in seven consecutive chairs, you realize the world is a little dirty.

For the record, I like white Ts from American Apparel and blouses from Equipment.

More Travel Fashion {Airport} Runway Style NOT Packing For An Overnight-cation Like a Virgin {flight attendant} Celeb Travel Must-Haves Airport Style

[photos sourced on pinterest and instagram]

KinderHop :: Seattle Back To School Shop 'n Stay

[trip style = any]

KinderHop is published once monthly and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

With the tail end of summer still sizzling and sunning, it's hard to believe kids went back to school last week. My own little guy will be starting preschool this month too. We have a lot to do, and picking up a few new duds is at the top of my list.

Living in Seattle, I know the shopping scene is bursting with kiddie shops that can send your little one---and mine---back to school in style. Here's some of my top picks for a kid-themed, trip style = weekend shopping extravaganza:

Downtown Don't miss the trendy duds {read: pirate shirts or hand-made skirts} at Boston Street in Post Alley near Pike Place Market, then head up the hill to Bootyland in Capital Hill for Ivy Studio hoodies and Red Fish Clothing dresses.

The One-Stop-Shop If you are looking for a one-stop shopping experience wander over to University Village. Kid’s Club sets the bar on the playground with brands like Tea, Roxie Girl and popular preschool backpacks by SkipHop. Next door check out Nordstrom’s latest acquisition Peek Kids which opened this year. Not to be outdone, J.Crew has its own Crew Kids just across the way. Wrap up your shopping with a stop at Sole Food to pick up a pair of Frye boots or outfit your little skater chic in Vans sneakers.

East Seattle For those headed to the Eastside, make your way to Bellevue Square, where Splendid and Janie and Jack will have your young miss or mister turning heads on their catwalk down the grade school hallway. For extra savings drive over to Bellevue’s neighbor, Kirkland, to hit up the Kate Quinn Organics outlet. Oh how I wish her lounge dresses came in my size.

Luxe For Less After all this overture on outfits, trust me, you don’t have to break the bank to get your kids outfitted this season. Sela’s Small Couture (Queen Anne) and Me & Moms (Ballard) make it easy to get your kids the most sought-after brands for less. If your tastes run towards the looks of yesteryear, pop by Commune (Capital Hill) and Retroactive Kids (Columbia City) for beautiful vintage finds.

Stay & Eat Why shop 'til you drop when you can savor the experience? Check into the Four Seasons in Seattle or Westin in Bellevue one-night getaway {don't miss our overnight-cation packing guide}. Allow yourself to take your time and wander the shops. Grab a mojito and pernil slider at La Isla’s kid-friendly happy hour (Ballard) or dig into Pink Door’s mouthwatering pesto lasagna (Pike Place).

PS - Shop 'n stay in style with the Westin Bellevue's shopping package. Rates from $209 include a $100 gift certificate to the Bellevue collection {aka, the mall}, plus free parking.

More KinderHop How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids KinderHop – Meet The Columnist 

[photos by keryn]

Miles :: To Free Or Not To Free

[trip style = any]

At TS, we love using "strategery" {as George W once said} to choose when and where to redeem the air miles we accumulate flying around the world toward free travel, but there's an art {and science} to air miles redemption.

How To Calculate The Value Of An Airline Award Ticket The generally excepted miles-versus-dollars calculation {according to Travel+Leisure} is "use the 1.4-cents-per-mile rule to calculate the value of an award ticket. If the cash price is considerably cheaper than the award ticket calculation, save your miles. For example, if a flight will cost you $300 cash or 50,000 points, you'll get more value paying cash as 50,000 points equals approx $700."  Here are some examples of my recent travel that will help provide miles-versus-dollars insight:

When It Makes "Cents" To Use Airline Miles

• Colorado/Spring 2012: used 25,000 Aeroplan miles instead of booking a $1,100 ticket
• ABC Islands/Fall 2011: used 25,000 American Airlines miles, instead of booking a $1,000 ticket
• Eastern Canada/Summer 2010: used 25,000 Aeroplan air miles, instead of booking a multi-city $1,500+ ticket

When It DOESN'T Make "Cents" To Use Airline Miles Thailand/Spring 2012: I didn't use air miles because I got a business class fare on a super sale, tilting the scale in favor of a cash purchase. To add value, I chose a carrier that would add to my American Airlines miles accumulation efforts. Not only did I fly business class for a heavily discounted rated, but got 22,000 AA miles in return---just 3,000 short of getting from Vancouver to Aruba AND achieving elite status. Win!

Saving Points {Dream Trip Anyone?} Looking ahead, like any wonderstruck world traveler, I'm pining for a trip to the Maldives, saving my Alaska airline miles to get there. On business class {hey, it's a long flight!} the trip costs $9,180 from Seattle on Emirates {it's $14,000 from Vancouver!}, or 115,000 miles. The points trump the cash purchase because any ticket costing more than $1,610 {115,000 miles x 0.014} is good value.

Are you saving your air miles for a Maldives-esque dream trip? Do you use air miles when it makes sense, or all the time?

More 'Free Travel' Tips The Six-Week Rule {When to buy airline tix} Free Travel 102 Free Travel 101 Going The Distance With Your Air Miles

[photo by wallpaperswide.com, text overlay @tripstyler]