One of the biggest catch-22s about travel for me is the magazine buying. My mum is of the belief that magazines purchased on holiday are for perusing during long layovers and lazy afternoons, then tossing so as not to cart that heavy paper all the way back to australia. Waste not baggage allowance on boring magazines when it can be un-wasted on thing like jam and tea. I, however, always bring my magazines back. Partly because I collect them. But partly because buying magazines overseas always represents a saving of over 300% for me. You Europeans just have it so good. Elle UK for 4 pounds? Try $20 air freight in Australia (reduced down to $10 if you wait 2 months). When I was footloose and fancy free I used to spend horrendous amounts of money on air freighted magazines, but in light of saving up for my trip I stopped doing that this year and only bought them when they got cheaper. I hate being 2 months behind though. Which is why it's so fun for me to go overseas and be able to buy one or two or (ahem... 12) magazines. Even if they are super heavy.
So this holiday has happily coincided with me coming up to super speed with fickle fashion. One thing that's clear from the catwalk round ups is the "crafty"/ethnic touch trend. Think Isabel Marant Navajo sweaters and the entirety of the Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 collection in all its ikat, burnt orange glory. I've always loved the earthiness of ethnic touches that can ground an outfit in reality. It's about texture - fuzzy shearling, softly softly suede, waterfall fringing - and it's about pattern and colour. Dusty, rusty, moody earth tones and the wonderfully exuberant zig zags, crosses and exotic skins of cultures different to your own. Even just a hint of something ethnic or crafty is enough this season as witnessed at Couture Fashion Week. Simple summer outfits became showstopper with the addition of a woven belt or the upturned cuffs of a navy blue tee shirt. While waiting to board my plane from Hong Kong yesterday I mused over why we love the ethnic trend and why we keep coming back to it (Dries Van Noten, I'm looking at you). I think it's because it's so damn cool. Not everyone can wear the native and ethnic touches without looking like they're in a pocahontas costume. It requires a sprinkling of wanderlust, and great hair, and an effervescent personality that makes friend easily, because how else could you have gotten that fabulous mexican poncho except from off the back of some obliging Jose? The kind of girl who can successfully pull off that urban traveller vibe, denim cut offs and mountains of bracelets that bear the names of far off cities and challenging mountain ranges who wears converse and no make up and carries a backpack. In short, Daria Werbowy. And who doesn't want to be Daria?
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