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Today’s travel fashion girl is Laura Bronner. She is originally from New York, but has been living abroad for the last four years. After graduating from college in 2010, she left for what was supposed to be a gap year and hasn’t looked back ever since. In that time she has lived in New Zealand, Australia and now calls South Korea home.
Read on to learn all about Laura’s travel style!
Interview: Laura Bronner
Q: How would you describe your travel style?
Beach chic, maybe? I like to look like I’ve just spent the day lounging in the sun and swimming in the sea – long, messy hair, tan skin and a loose dress thrown over a bathing suit.
Q: Do you prefer to travel carry-on or with a regular size suitcase or bag?
Up until recently I have been traveling with an 80L backpack. I CONSANTLY overpacked it with things I didn’t end up using. So now I have a 35L Karrimor. I’m hoping to fit everything I need in it for my upcoming trip around South East Asia. I don’t want to have to check my bag or have my boyfriend lift it up just so that I can get it on my back without falling over. We’ll see how it goes.
Take a look at our step by step guide for choosing luggage.
Q: Are you an overpacker or do you underpack?
Definitely an overpacker. I like to have lots of makeup, shoes and dresses in my bag in case I get bored of what I’ve been wearing. I then end up wearing the same two or three pieces for the entire trip.
Q: How do you stay stylish while traveling without access to an entire closet?
Loose dresses and belts. I like to pack lots of both so that I can mix and match. I think a little bit of makeup can make all the difference too. I always have mascara and lipstick in my bag for days I’m feeling a little bit frumpy.
Q: What are your three must have travel essentials?
My Kindle (part of my cronic overpacking was due to the small library I used to cart around), my point and shoot Samsung camera and a cross body purse for being out and about during the day.
Q: What destination was the most fun to dress for?
Every trip I seem to get better at fashionable packing. I recently spent a few months in the UK and had a lot of fun with fashion there. I love picking up cheap, funky pieces from places like Primark and it was just changing to spring, so I could play a lot with color.
Q: What destination surprised you the most with the ways locals dressed or their type of clothing?
I didn’t really know what to expect as far as fashion in Korea, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have learned the art of layering from the masters over here. Women are impeccably dressed from head to ankle – I don’t understand the high, white socks with nice shoes thing.
Q: What’s your preferred travel outfit on a plane?
Skinny jeans, a loose top, bright colored flats (I tried heeled boots once, nightmare) and a big colorful scarf. A friend of mine once said to me “you never know who you might be sitting next to on your flight”. I think of those words everytime I dress for travel now.
Check out some of our favorite airplane outfits.
Q: What are your favorite travel accessories?
I love my sarong. I bought a bright pink one a few years ago in Bali and have carted it with me ever since. It’s a scarf, a dress, a skirt, a blanket and, at a push, a towel.
Check out the lazy girl’s guide to stylish travel accessories.
Q: What are your favorite travel beauty essentials?
I used to carry ALL of my makeup around with me when I traveled. Now I’ve got it down to a top five – tinted moisturizer, bronzer, mascara, lipstick and eyeliner. Three of them I wear pretty much every day, the others get used when I want to feel a little bit more dressed up.
Q: Do you have any specific hair or makeup products that work great for travel?
The ocean. I love how my hair looks after a swim in the sea. I want to bottle it and take it with me everywhere I go. It’s a good exfoliator too (as long as you have some lotion with you to apply afterwards).
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you travel with and what styles?
I try my best to keep it to a three shoe maximum. A pair of flip flops, a pair of flats and a pair of sneakers. Anymore seems excessive.
Check out TFG’s tips on choosing the best shoes for travel.
Q: Do you have any recommendation for cute and comfortable footwear?
J. Crew flats are my one true love. They come out in new colors every season and they are super comfortable. I have worn through a few pairs over the years and learned that pastel colors are not ideal for traveling, but I can wear them all day without an ounce of pain.
Find out our top 10 cute and comfortable travel flats.
Q: What was your biggest travel fashion or packing mistake?
Last year I did a 9 week backpacking trip around Australia. I used the above mentioned 80L bag. When I started the trip I could barely lift it up onto my back without some assistance. Halfway through the trip I realized I had packed a stack of shirts and skirts fit for a fancy dinner or a night out at a club – neither of which I was going to be enjoying on my trip. They were some of my favorite shirts, so I had to carry them around for the remainder of my trip.
Q: Finally, any travel packing tips for new travelers?
If it’s something you use or wear everyday at home, take it with you, otherwise you’ll probably just end up buying it for a lot more money on the road (or being miserable without it). And please, for the sake of women (and fashion) everywhere, don’t buy those zip-off trousers.
If you’d like to be interviewed on Travel Fashion Girl, please submit your details here.
For more traveler interviews, please read:
- Interview With Italy Insider Jasmine Mah
- Interview With World Traveler Louise Matthew
- Interview With Inspirational Globetrotter Emely Castaneda
- Interview With The Abroad Guide’s Jessica Dante
