More hats, say a gal’s must-have carnival hat – or, for travelling, a Hokianga Hat, collapsible, washable, made in New Zealand on the isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Pacific. Yes, there are other luxury travel hats.
Flying out of Paro after a blissful trip to Bhutan, another passenger on Druk Air said ‘like your hat’. It was King of Hats, Alex Tilley (he is actually king of travel gear, not only in Canada but worldwide).
And the Hokianga shares space in the Rimowa case with my all-purpose The Rockies running, touring cap. Sometimes it is good to pretend to be Canadian.
And then from time to time a hard-hat is needed – say when visiting the Itaipu Binational dam blocking the Paraná river, bordering Brazil and Paraguay. Every time a luxury hotel is about to open, I get there first, be in the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi (now Viceroy) or the lovely Jumeirah Frankfurt or, most recently, Belgraves London, opening in three weeks’ time. Hard-hat times.
Style is not only on – or in – one’s head but in the understanding, so to speak. Style is shoes, be they Jimmy Choo, Louboutin or Manolo, or even, when magnificently displayed, Kurt Geiger.
And it is simple things, like paper bands around napkins (which must be real linen, beautifully ironed).
And travel, be in the bike of the moment or the car forever, particularly if it is red and gorgeous and starts with an F – and if, like my favourite cuisine, it is Italian.
More style tomorrow, what can it be?