Friday, August 17, 2018

Dress to impress when on business or holiday, or inconspicuous, anonymous and pickpocket-proof in crowds?

I must admit I dress to to be noticed.

Problem
When I travel, I am always colourful. I want to dress well and look pretty to get the best deal - maybe a chance of an upgrade on an airline, and to look good in my holiday photos.

For Glamorous Clothes
Pick out and pack those interesting outfits. I might be in the bar of a hotel, and in dim light I need colour and glitter to be noticed. All those outfits which I can't wear in the supermarket on a Monday morning, must get an airing on holiday.

Besides, if the plane came down, my lovely clothes would have been a waste of money, never worn. Next year the fashion will have changed or my weight might have changed.

When I started teaching in a school in England where pupils wore uniforms, I wore a plain suit and white blouses - a different one each day, to look authoritative and not distract from my subject matter.

However, when I taught pupils of all ages in Singapore, English as a foreign language, the head of the school called me in. The pupils wanted me to wear colours, bright colours, different colours each day, not dull black and white.

So, now, in Singapore and the Far East, I am less conspiscuous if I dress like the locals in bright colours.

To go with the glamorous outfits, I should make my face look the part.

Against Make-up
However, when I got pregnant I gave up face make-up and eye make-up. I felt caked in make-up, caked in paint, horrible. My pores were blocked.

For Make-up
I admit that lipstick and a little blusher enhances me enormously, but I wash it off at night. Even if you have a mid-afternoon nap, if you forget, your pillow is covered in gunge and has to be washed immediately.

Safety When Travelling
Sometimes you want to minimise the appearance of being a tourist, a foreigner. Pickpocket-proof clothing comes in muted colours. I used to wonder why. The answer has just come to me. You don't want to attract attention from the wrong sort of people.

If you go to sports wear shops, you will find clothes in beige and brown, olive, grey, dark green and black, camouflage colours.

Here's a typical hiking hat in a dark green, hiding a zip. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.


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My convertible trousers (Americans say pants), brand name Regatta, convert from trouserts to short with a concealed zip and other concealed zips are to keep your possessions safe.

Useful Websites
Article about the Instagram face:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/5c237a34-7a47-4deb-a5b4-a23e77cc88f7

Discreet, Practical Travel clothes:
clevertravelcompanion.com (travel clothes)
clothingarts.com
craghoppers.com

Roundups of protection for possessions
https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/safety-tips/pickpocket-proof-clothing/
https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/pickpocket-secrets/

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

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