It happens to the best of us – we’re on holiday and can’t resist buying accessories or clothing that we’d never normally consider wearing in our daily lives: outrageous prints and bold colours when our usual wardrobes are based around calm shades of beige, for instance.
Or we somehow acquire merchandise from organised tours (caps, bags, T-Shirts) that no-one wants to wear once the trip is over. Rather than simply throwing these items away, though, it can be fun to hold onto the holiday memories by working them into your regular outfitting. Here are some styling and upcycling ideas to turn tourist tat into wardrobe gold.
The branded tote bag
Whether it’s a renowned museum, a quirky art gallery, a cultural festival or even a local supermarket chain, many of the places we visit overseas offer a branded tote bag among their merchandise. These are a handy buy while for carrying things during your holiday, but they also add personality to a casual outfit when you’re on home turf.
Keep one in your handbag for those extra purchases on shopping trips or use it as a library bag. You may even like to put a look together with your tote in mind – the most basic of outfits instantly becomes more interesting when you’re carrying a bag that clearly announces where you’ve travelled.
The tourist jewellery
In some travel locales it’s nearly impossible to avoid buying a piece of shell jewellery, braided bracelet or some other cheap, wearable trinket made specifically for tourists. While they’re rarely glamorous, these can also serve to bring a playful touch to your everyday wardrobe.
The trick is to style them so you don’t look like you’ve just walked off a beach at a tourist resort.
Rather than wearing them with a casual tank top and shorts, for instance, pair them with more tailored, urban looks such as collared shirts, fitted pants and classic jewellery. Try a souvenir shell choker with a fine gold necklace, blazer and linen pants, or pair colourful friendship bands with a well-cut white shirt for an outfit with just a dash of fun colour.
The location T-Shirt
Another item that can easily be dismissed as tourist tat is the location T-Shirt: the kind printed with big, bold writing that commemorates a city or perhaps a fun park or particular tour you’ve been on.
While they may seem like a good idea while away, these are often relegated to that section of the wardrobe that is never seen in public once home, or taken straight to the opshop.
But sometimes a little tackiness can really bring an outfit to life. Again, styling is key, and it helps to play with proportions – tuck one into a pencil skirt, wear one loose over cigarette pants but roll the sleeves up, or tie the hem into a knot at the waist when paired with a maxi skirt.
The emergency polar fleece
How many of us have underestimated the cold on winter holidays and snapped up the first polar fleece we’ve seen in our desperation to feel warm again, despite it having horribly uncool logos or branding?
But if your emergency buy is cosy and well made, there’s no reason to throw it out once you’re on home ground. There are many ways to cover up unwanted text or imagery on a garment: try pinning on a fun mix of costume jewellery brooches or button badges (the more outrageous the better) or sewing on scraps of fabric, ribbon and so on in a crazy quilt style.
If you love collecting souvenir patches on your travels, why not stitch them to the fleece as a way to display them? Cloth patches are available as iron-ons, but as polar fleeces are synthetic, it’s best to avoid using an iron to prevent accidental melting.
The colourful kaftan
Despite being lived in on tropical beach holidays, the kaftan is usually relegated to the role of seaside cover-up once back home. But with some imagination and styling tweaks, you can get a lot more wear from it.
If it’s long, think of it as a maxi dress – perhaps add a belt for definition – while shorter versions can work as tunics worn loose, tucked in or knotted at the waist with skirts, pants and shorts. It’s often the bold prints and colours that make kaftans challenging for those of us more comfortable in neutrals and monochromes.
Tone your holiday purchase down a bit by adding a tan leather belt and sandals or wearing a neutral linen duster coat with a maxi kaftan, or tuck a tunic-length style into jeans and add a plain shirt over the top.
Have you ever had souvenir regret? Why not post your purchase woe in the comments section below?
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