2016 Travel Gift Guide for the Stylish Traveller
By now you already know that travel pillows, eye masks, and portable phone chargers make great gifts for travellers. So this year I want to help you elevate your traveller’s style with gifts that are practical, useful, and beautiful.
Sudio Vasa Blå – Wireless Earphones
Me and in-ear earphones have always had a rocky relationship. They sound great, until they pop out. It was only when I received a pair of Sudio’s Vasa Blå earphones in white and rose gold that I actually Googled to figure out my problem. These headphones were chic and I wanted to get the most from them. Turns out I need the teeniest silicone sleeves and not the standard ones. Yay for small ear canals? Once I jumped that hurdle, I loved these earphones both for their look and their sound. No need to worry about adapters and dongles, their Bluetooth connection will work with iPhone 7 out of the box and with the cable attaching the two buds and the leather carrying case, you’re less likely to lose them than a pair of EarPods. Extra bonus: by being in-ear they really block out all that extra noise when you’re trying to sleep on a plane.
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Butterfly Twists Foldable Flats
Your travelling fashionista is always looking for a way to fit in just one more pair of shoes to their bag. Wearing just one pair of shoes for an entire trip is unthinkable, but so is not leaving room to bring home the inevitable new purchases. Butterfly Twists ballet pumps are highly packable since they can fold in on each other to take up very little space in your bag. They’re squishable but have enough support and tread so that you don’t feel like you’re walking around in slippers, like some other foldable flats.
Tile Bluetooth Tracker
Sometimes you lose stuff when you travel. Tile is a small, lightweight Bluetooth tracking device that connects to your phone and helps you find those lost things. It will keep a record of the last time the Tile made a connection so it will tell you exactly the last time you had your keys, passport, or whatever else that has a Tile attached. What makes this extra cool is that other Tile users update the location of your lost Tile, if they happen to be near it. Just want some peace of mind while in transit? Bluetooth signals can travel through the floor of the plane into the cargo hold so you can check whether your bag made it onto your flight. Also be alerted when your bag is getting close to coming down the chute at baggage claim. No more crowding and craning your neck in case you miss it.
Blanket Scarf
I love versatile things. I love beautiful things. When they combine…whoa Nellie. Which is why I never go on a plane these cold, winter days, without a soft blanket scarf. Fashion statement aside, it can be used to keep your neck warm, as a wrap, a blanket, a pillow, a rain bonnet, a sarong, or even a towel in a pinch. Every travelling fashion girl worth her salt should have at least one of these in her wardrobe. If she doesn’t…you know what to get her.
Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Compression Cubes
This was one of my favourite finds in 2016. For a few years I’ve been using compression bags to maximize the space in my suitcase but since they’re essentially cylinders, they left a few awkwards spaces. I know many people rave about packing cubes, but I wasn’t ready to give up my compression. For those things that could get squished – jeans, pjs, camis, socks, etc – I could get them to take up half their normal space with compression. The Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter compression cube set solved both of my wishes: compression and a more convenient shape. It’s like a regular rectangular packing cube with with an extra zipper that you can use to compress the contents.
Pixi by Petra MultiBalm
I love finding double duty beauty products. In my hunt I’ve come across dual colour lipsticks, hand cream that you can wear on your lips, and more. The MultiBalm line from Pixi by Petra fits the bill perfectly when trying to downsize your make-up bag but not minimize your look. Available in five shades, the multiuse, stay-on crème-powder formula is infused with aloe vera, shea butter, and rose hip oil to protect your skin.
Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo
We all know the wonders of dry shampoo for reviving second day hair or just giving a lift to flattened tresses after that airplane or bus nap. But those cans take up precious suitcase space and aren’t carry-on friendly. Enter Aveda’s shampure dry shampoo. I’ve tried handfuls of sprays and powders and this one works the best for my hair, hands down. It gives my fine hair volume while also absorbing oil and leaving a nice, but not overpowering, scent. The best bit? Since it’s a powder mist and not a liquid, it’s completely carry-on friendly.
Swims Penny Loafers
These will be the coolest pair of water shoes your travel lover has ever owned. Loafers are hot again thanks to Gucci. Tap into the trend with these TPU/Lyrca loafers from Swims. Whether you’re lounging at the resort, sailing, rafting or just wading on rocky shores these should be your go-to choice. Never wear Crocs again.
Mime et Moi Interchangeable Heels
This one is only available to our European friends at the moment via a Kickstarter campaign but once they’ve available for general purchase in Canada, watch out wallet! Shoes with interchangeable heels are a packing game changer. I’ve seen previous versions of this from folks like Tanya Heath but the shoes have never been able to fully go from stiletto to almost flats, like these Mime et Moi ones promise to do. If you get a pair with dual neutrals like black and blush you’ll be ready for daytime, nightlife, and everything in between while only having to pack a couple extra heel bits.
Gift Certificates
Before you throw your hands up and say “That’s a terrible gift!” hear me out. I’m not talking about giving your travel lover a $25 card to Walmart. Instead, if you know they have a trip coming up, why not gift them with a Flytographer photo session or an adventure via Viator? If there’s a great restaurant or spa that you know of in an upcoming city on their itinerary, look online to see if they offer gift certificates. Or if your wanderluster likes to be pampered, pick them up a lounge pass for a future flight. Give the gift of experience.
What’s on your Christmas travel wish list this year?
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November 22nd, 2016 at 2:35 pm (#)
I love the british flag foldable shoes! They look so stylish! I would be tiptoeing around the Christmas tree if I’d get that from Santa!
November 25th, 2016 at 6:45 pm (#)
I’ve been looking for a good dry shampoo. I’ve hated the ones I’ve tried so far. Thanks!
November 25th, 2016 at 8:32 pm (#)
Sometimes I use this one on 1st day hair even, just to add a bit of volume and texture. It’s lasted me a lot longer than cans of spray too.
September 14th, 2018 at 6:21 am (#)
So delicious and yummy food and so good information you shared about that palce.