BY CLAY LARROY
Traveling can be an important
part of your life, whether for business or for pleasure. Take time each day to
alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot
of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another
one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will
make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
You
can choose to either independently book your fashion tour where you have the
freedom to visit only the places that interest you and the freedom to spend as
much time as you want at each place, or you can choose to book a guided fashion
or shopping tour with a set itinerary. There are advantages to both options,
and your choice will depend, very simply, on what you want to do.
By
booking independently and with the help of a travel consultant, you can create
your own itinerary and visit the areas of the shopping or fashion districts
that really interest you. For instance, you may be much more interested in the
shopping end of a fashion tour than in a behind the scenes look at a designer’s
warehouse or museums. If you create your own itinerary, you can make your tour
heavy on the shopping - and still see most of the sites you’d fins on a guided
tour.
Personal
preference may also prompt you to design your own tour schedule. You may choose
to stay away from fashion houses or designers who use fur or leather in their
fashions, for example, which may not be as easy to do if you are working with a
tour operator. If you choose to design your own itinerary, you will have to
spend time researching the fashion districts. You want to make sure you don’t
miss out on any important experiences.
Fashion
and shopping tours are increasingly popular in the specialty tour industry.
Presently, the majority of tour companies offer tours in the most high profile
fashion cities, but the demand for fashion tours is pushing into new
destinations. In the US, cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, San
Francisco, Boston and Dallas all have bustling fashion districts and those who
produce fashion tours will be adding them to their roster of must-see fashion
spots. The options in Europe are increasing as well. If you want to visit a
city that doesn’t have a professional guided fashion tour, there may be one
soon! Of course, you and your travel consultant can always create your own
personal fashion or shopping tour - it’s easier than you might think.
Most
tour operators offer tours ranging from high-end shopping to outlet malls. Some
specialize in boutiques, and some in the larger department and ready-to-wear
stores. And many will customize a trip just for you and your companions. It may
seem like you could easily take care of shopping on your own, but having
someone else who knows where to go also take care of the accommodation and
transportation logistics can really free you up to relax and have a blast.
By
choosing a guided tour with a set itinerary, the research will already be done
for you. A good pre-planned tour will make sure that you hit all of the
important stops in the fashion district. In addition, traveling with the guided
tour may give you access to areas of the district which you wouldn’t have if
you chose to travel independently. You may not have access to tickets to a sold
out fashion show that the guided tour has, for example. As another example, a
behind the scenes look at a designer’s studio included in a guided tour may be
unavailable to the general public.
A
good shopping or fashion tour operator offers the secret addresses of showrooms
and shops not found in the guidebooks, plus local shopping tips only a native
will possess. If traveling out of the country, most tour operators will offer
bilingual guides that do not work on commission and are therefore capable of
providing objective, unbiased advice. Best of all, a good tour operator will
help you make the most of your time away from home. Your time at your
destination will be well organized and efficient. Additionally, some of the
activities and shopping opportunities available on a guided tour may be
discounted for clients. If you are looking for very particular items, make sure
to pass your request on to your travel consultant very early in the booking
process.
Finally,
a good shopping/fashion tour operator will be able to arrange a variety of
special touches such as limo or car service, spa services, special meals at
hard to arrange dining establishments and even meetings with some designers.
Whether
booking with a tour operator or independently, your travel consultant often
will be able to track down attractive accommodation and flight options packaged
at a discount. Booking early is important if you book during the holiday season
when shopping is at its peak in most cities.
If
you are creating an independent tour, much preparation will be necessary, less
so if you are booking with a tour operator. With a copy of your itinerary in
hand, you may want to do a little research on what you’ll be seeing so that you
can make the most of your tour. While on your tour, you are bound to hear the
names of many designers, fashion houses, high-end stores and the like and you’ll
want to know ahead of time who these people are. For example, if you’re taking
a tour in New York City, you may know who Calvin Klein is, but what about
Cynthia Steffe or Brian Reyes? If their names were mentioned, wouldn’t it be
good to know a little about them? Knowing the newest names in haute couture or
the latest bridge designers will provide you with interesting insights into the
very latest fashions and trends.
In
addition to studying shopping and designer basics, there are a few general tips
to keep in mind for shopping in an unfamiliar location. First of all, know what
types of fashions are best bought in a location. For example, some locations
are great for the trendiest new shoes, while others offer the best deals on
handbags or leather goods. Once you know what items to look for, you should
plan to focus your shopping on those items. Other than staying focused, one of
the most important shopping skills is patience. It is easy to want to buy
everything you see as soon as you see it, but you should take the time to find
the right items for you at the right price. Do you need it? Do you love it? Do
you really love it? Would you buy it even if it wasn’t on sale? Can you return
it later if you need to? These are all good questions to ask, because - after
all, you don’t want to run out of money or luggage space on day one of your
fashion tour. Also, be sure to give some consideration to the etiquette of
bargaining; some cities practically expect negotiation while others would be
highly offended.
If
you are visiting a non-English speaking country, learning a few choice phrases
is always a good idea. If you have booked a tour with a guide, you may have an
English speaking guide at your disposal to ease any translation worries, but
English is widely spoken in most fashion destinations.
Pack
wisely. You may be touring the culture that lives for the five inch heel, but
this is travel we are talking about, and you’ll be doing plenty of walking.
Comfortable shoes and clothing is a must. Of course, you’ll want to look your
best, so start by considering ballet flats. You should also pack an empty bag
(or two). After all, you will be touring shopping districts and chances are
that in those districts, you’ll be doing shopping. You’ll need a way to take
your new fashion treasures home with you. Ask your travel consultant if you’ll
need to budget extra for luggage charges, if you are traveling by plane.
Whether
you are a serious student of fashion, a passionate fan of the industry, or
simply a serious shopper, you should definitely consider a fashion tour for
your next vacation. On your tour, you can gain an education, an appreciation
for the fashion culture in an inevitably exciting city, a unique experience,
and possibly even a closet full of fantastic new clothes and accessories!
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
“The difference between style
and fashion is quality.”
Giorgio Armani
Travel and create wonderful memories for your family!
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