Travel Tip #004: Scarf Tactics

I know I have mentioned this before, but some things are so genius they bear repeating. And that's definitely how I feel about this travel tip, which has proven essential to my happiness and general well-being on more than one occasion. Whenever I travel anywhere - be it by airplane, train, bus, or car - I always wear an oversize Pashmina-style wrap as a scarf around my neck. In addition to keeping my neck warm and being a cute accessory with casual clothes, and serving as a wrap with dressier outfits, it also serves a multitude of other functions in my travels. They are big enough to spread out over yourself and use as a warm blanket (beats those static-y fleece numbers the airline may or may not provide) or wad up and use as a pillow. In a pinch, I have used one as a towel, a picnic blanket, a mop, and a beach cover-up, and I've even tied one around my waist to cover up a massive coffee spill on the front of my pants (Gwyneth Paltrow once famously did the same thing to cover her derriere when her leather pants split a seam on a red carpet).
Depending on the blend of the fabric, most of them are machine washable (just don't put them in the dryer!), so you can use them to death without fear of dry-cleaning repercussions. I buy inexpensive wraps in every color in bulk from the street vendors who peddle them on every corner in Manhattan, so when they get truly filthy, I don't feel guilty and can easily replace them. But if you want to invest in something a little more special, all of these options are lovely, versatile, and durable. There, now all your travel problems are all wrapped up.

Top left: Gray Love Quotes wrap scarf, $78, from Zappos.com; top right: Crinkle jersey wrap scarf, $39, from J.Jill; bottom left: Lightweight cashmere scarves, $49 each, from Restoration Hardware; bottom right: White fringed wrap, $13, from Overstock.com.