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WITH the
flurry of announcements that airlines worldwide will
start charging passengers for their check-ins, winging
it with just a carry-on is more than a convenience, it’s
a fiscal responsibility. But is it even possible to stow
a week’s worth of wardrobe in a space the size of a
breadbox without looking as stale as day-old bread? We
asked two of the fashion world’s most frequent fliers:
Michael Macko, former vice president of men’s fashion at
Saks Fifth Avenue and new fashion director at Details
magazine, and Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG
Fashion, which organizes fashion weeks around the globe.
When it
comes to carry-on bags, Macko swears by a custom-made
L.L. Bean canvas boat and tote—size large. “I get an
outside pocket put on, which is the perfect size for a
passport and boarding pass and luggage-claim stubs—and a
zippered top, so nothing falls out in the x-ray
machine,” he said. He leaves a black nylon Prada bathing
suit in the bag at all times (“They double as workout
shorts and fold up into nothing.”) and counts flip-flops
and Woolite among his must-haves. Among the space-saving
tricks he’s learned is getting dress shirts
professionally laundered and folded before departure.
“Not only do they travel better, but I reuse the plastic
sleeves later on in my travels—they’re good for wet
bathing suits or flip-flops when you’re out at the
pool.”
Mallis,
who calls her penchant for tote bags a sickness, often
can be found lugging one full of unread magazines
through an airport in one hand, with a soft-sided
leopard-print Dolce & Gabbana carry-on in the other.
“The straps are long enough to get on my shoulder,” she
said of the latter. “I haven’t mastered the flight
attendant’s wheelie bag yet, and it looks chic—at least
every few seasons when animal prints are in.” Her travel
essentials include black cashmere sweat pants to travel
in and a sweater by Egg (“It can serve as a blanket, a
shawl or a wrap and get you through all kinds of weather
patterns.”)
You both
live in New York. If you had to fly to Los Angeles with
just a carry-on, how long a trip could you take?
Michael
Macko: Five days—no, I could probably go a week.
Fern
Mallis: Two days, maybe three.
How do
you maximize style in minimal space?
MM: When
I’m traveling, I always try to do a color story. For
example: navy and gray or khaki and navy, so it all
mixes and matches and you don’t have to worry if shoes
and jackets go together. If you just pack by outfit, you
get in trouble.
On a
summer trip I’ll bring a navy blazer, a khaki suit and
some Michael Bastian sport coats, and I’d probably wear
a navy suit on the plane. And I have a light gray Prince
of Wales check suit, so that jacket will also work with
a pair of white jeans and my Dior Homme skinny khakis.
I also
always lay out things and make a mental note of my
outfits. And I usually wear my heaviest pieces, which
saves a lot of room in the luggage.
FM: I
try to stay in a black or neutral color story—but some
trips are more successful than others. I usually stack
stuff up on my bed, and then I’ll go back and take out
all the brown pieces or gray pieces that are throwing my
color story off. The goal is keeping it to black and
white with some accent color pieces thrown in.
And I
only bring the things I know I am going to wear.
If you
were limited to a single carry-on bag, what would be in
it?
MM: A
Ralph Lauren Black Label navy blue blazer with silver
buttons—it’s a nice slim cut—and a pair of dark,
straight-leg Levi’s 511 jeans. With that I could go
anywhere.
FM: One
pair of slingbacks or dressy sandals that will go with
almost everything—usually a Manolo (Blahnik and Piazza
Sempione makes these capri-length pants—the ‘Audrey
pant’—I bring those in black, khaki and white and
intermix them with a variety of long tops and tunic tops
by Eskandar and Sabyasachi, an Indian designer I really
like. They are comfortable and can be dressed up really
easily with a long scarf or jewelry. Sometimes I’ll wear
a legging underneath that’s just a little narrower and a
little bit more dressed up than the pant.
What
about accessories?
MM: The
best way to get a lot of mileage out of your wardrobe is
to bring ties and a lot of pocket squares. I just got a
bunch of really great Brooks Brothers Black Fleece ties.
Thom (Browne) did these great madras shirts with
matching ties, two bow ties and a classic skinny tie.
I’m bringing them all. It’s like they’re the new twin
set.
FM: I
bring the bangle bracelets that I bought in India
because they go with anything, and I always travel with
a couple pair of dangly Judith Ripka earrings that dress
up everything.
When it
comes to keeping your wardrobe wrinkle-free, do you have
a secret weapon?
MM: I’m
a firm believer in tissue paper. Turn a suit jacket
inside out, fold it in half, put tissue between the
halves, fold it in half again over a rectangle of tissue
and lay it in the suitcase. It acts as a kind of buffer.
FM: I’m
a tissue-paper packer—I wrap my clothes just like they’d
wrap them at Saks, with several layers of tissue paper
in between. Through the years I’ve almost never needed
to have anything pressed. |
