Did you assume that travelling light was a fairly recent phenomenon?
Well, it seems not!
I have just been to the "Grace Kelly: Style Icon" exhibition from the Victoria & Albert Museum, showing at the Bendigo Art Gallery.
One display showed an issue of the April 1955 Women's Home Companion (an American magazine). It was opened at an interview with Grace Kelly and she gives her tips on travelling light. She wears an ensemble of tweed travel coat over a worsted suit of jacket and straight skirt and blouse with a big bow at the neck.
Her coat could be worn over anything in her wardrobe, except evening wear. Sounds familiar doesn't it? And still great advice today!
Her aim was to avoid going over the 66lb (30kg) luggage limit!
So many points jump out at me.
Firstly, she was a Hollywood star - why would she worry about paying for a bit of excess luggage? Secondly, the outfit, while very elegant, looks just so uncomfortable. A tight woollen skirt on a flight across the Atlantic? - Hmmm.
And how have luggage regulations changed? - 30kg? Well I guess she would have been travelling First Class.
It all harks back to different times.
One thing that did resonate with me though, was that she always made a list of what to pack. That is the best travel tip ever, whether it is the 1950's or 2012.
So when you are wearing your trackies across the Pacific or wherever, carrying just cabin baggage, think about Grace Kelly, style icon of the twentieth century.
Light travelling!
Marie
