The perfect black dress is like a blank canvas. You can gussie it up with accessories or make your statement with bare necessities. No matter what, it will always be a fresh reflection of you.   

One major problem I have encountered with the little black dress is getting it from Point A to Point B without ruin. Fine fabrics are fragile and don’t travel well, often landing at their destination laden with creases so deep, hotel staff charge a premium just to make the dress presentable. Because I am cheap, I’ve often substituted a safe (read boring) pair of dress slacks and matching top for dressy occasions for my travel itinerary.

So, when I read about the “Get Up and Go Dress” on Title Nine’s website I was intrigued. The write up claimed the dress could be worn minutes after being yanked out of the bottom of a backpack where it lay scrunched with other items for days. Its straps, the write up continued, are designed to conceal even the most meandering of bra straps.

Pressed for the need of such a marvel for work-related trips, I tapped my credit card numbers into the keyboard for the $49 wonder wear. This knee-length, sleeveless dress, also available in coastal blue, is manufactured by the very green and very reputable outdoor clothier Patagonia. It is made of organic cotton (63 percent), polyester (27 percent) and Spandex. Full seams run along both sides and the middle of the back. There are no closures and it fits sizes 4 to 16. The scoop-neck cut is form fitting to the contoured waist, where it flairs slightly.  (Don’t skip those ab and glute reps, but by all means, do skip the extra cream!) Simplicity merits the Get up and Go Dress style perfect for everything from desk to dinner to dance floor, dressed up or down.

The fabric reminds me of yoga pants I own and is rather thin. There is no liner and little room for a slip. I recommend wearing the dress only in warm climates, regardless of how high the heat is turned up during New England winters. While the concealing cloth is earth friendly, it is hardly forgiving. The dress straps do not conceal bra straps. Undergarments must be selected and tested carefully before the big night out to avoid the unspeakable VPL and VBS, no matter how pretty.

I put it through the ultimate test on a recent trip to Daytona Beach. I purposely stuffed the dress into the bottom of my pack and did not pull it out until just before heading to a martini bar a few nights later. A rumpled mess, the dress appeared destined for the pink slip instead of a premier. I gave it a few shakes then pulled it on. Guess what? It fit beautifully. Not a wrinkle in sight. I never had to consider going to my backup plan.

Earrings dangling with pearls and silver beads, a pearl bracelet, simple clutch, Italian cashmere wrap and high-heeled slides and I was ready for a shaken not stirred night on the town. The dress kept its shape throughout the evening without compromising comfort.

Once home, I tossed the dress, inside out, into a cold-water wash with other dark clothes in the family laundry. I forwent the dryer, although you don’t have to. Three trips through the wash and the dress has maintained its color and shape. What more can you ask from the little black dress?

For more information visit: www.titlenine.com.

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PHANTASTIC PHOTOS



“Ice Art” Lubeke, Germany
by Denise Dubé

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Does it seem as the airlines and the government change the rules every time you fly? Don't know where to find the answers? Marina Farrell does — in her column, Travel Vitals, she shares her research. To learn more about the most updated regulations and where you can look when in doubt visit... MORE

Got a hot travel tip or vital travel information? Send an email to Marina at Travel Vitals and share YOUR bright ideas!

From the Traveler’s Bookshelf by Carol Sorgen, JSG Executive Editor

“Stylish, brutally frank, and sometimes, frankly brutal.” That’s how LUXE City Guides describes their accordion-pleated travel guides that are just the right size to pop into a pocket or purse. LUXE City Guides, headquartered in Hong Kong, first came out in 2002 with a series on—not surprisingly, Asian cities. Now there are 19 in the series featuring such tourist-friendly locations as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Phuket, Shanghai, Sydney, and most recently Istanbul, Madrid, and Paris.

The recommendations for each city guide are gathered from 25 residents of that particular city, and are then assembled by a local city editor. The publishing editor of LUXE then flies to each city to personally check out each of the final selections, with the yardstick being, “If we loved it, it’s in, if it’s not, it’s not worth it.”

Because of the format (the guides are printed on heavy card stock, with no illustrations), they can be updated twice a year so you know you’re getting the most current recommendations.

I recently ordered the Paris guide since that’s a city I know well…and always want to know better. The guide is subdivided into the usual categories of accommodations, restaurants, activities, shopping, and the like, but then is further subdivided into categories such as “Standout Stores,” “Smart and Casual Restaurants,” etc. There is also a section called “LUXE Loves” and “LUXE Loathes.” As often as I travel to Paris, I still found some recommended shops and the like that I wasn’t familiar with and will definitely make a note of for my next visit; for visitors who have never been to Paris, there is a good balance between the must-see attractions and the undiscovered spots that help you create a just-for-me type of experience.

What’s the most fun about these guides is the writing—light and breezy, not at all guidebook-y. Reading them is like having a chat with a very hip friend who’s telling you all the best places to go. And at only $9 a guide, the price won’t put a dent in your souvenir-shopping budget!

For more information or to order, visit www.luxecityguides.com.

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