My New Men's Multi-Pocket Vest

My new multi-pocket men’s vest is versatile, practical and fashionable. Now you can keep all your vitals close at hand, in any of the six zippered pockets. This is no travel vest that ends up making you look like you’re about to hike the Appalachian Trail. It was designed to either be worn casually with jeans, for example, or along with a suit jacket and a dress shirt as part of your business attire. Whether you’re going to a brew pub or to a business meeting or trade show, this multi-pocket vest will keep you secure, holding everything from your cell phone to your passport, credit cards, cash and more.

We're taking pre-orders on this item and anyone who's interested and wants to know more can contact me directly.

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Sneak Peak - New Men's Multi-Pocket Vest

I'm happy to announce that I now have a fashionable but practical man's multi-pocket vest in my collection. This is a sneak peak at this Made in America item that's constructed of a blend of cotton and poly. And, unlike typical men's travel vests, this one can be worn under a suit jacket for business meetings or trade shows when you need to look good and also keep all your vitals close at hand. Of course, it can also be worn with jeans and a casual shirt if you're traveling domestically or far-afield where it's vital that everything from train tickets to your passport are secure. The six zippers are all on the outside of the jacket and each pocket provides enough room for everything from your cell phone to a small notebook. We're taking pre-orders on this item and anyone who's interested and wants to know more can contact me directly.

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How To Travel For A Week With Only A Small Carry-On Bag

Iceland is one of my specialties: I travel there about once a year and have been since before the country suffered that infamous bankruptcy in 2008. I usually fly Icelandair but recently I traveled on WOW air, a budget airline flying from Newark Airport in New Jersey non-stop to Reykjavik. The downside of budget airlines is the carry-on allowance. Since I don’t ever check luggage, this meant I had to find a bag that was no bigger than 17” x 13” x 10” and weighed no more than 22 pounds. The small backpack you see below is what I used to pack everything I’d need for a week.

There are many tricks to packing this small and light:

• I wear clothes with lots of pockets, including the chic and practical Pocket-Change Vest that I designed -- it has 10 hidden pockets.
• In addition, I wear clothes in one or two color, usually black and some other neutral color, so there’s lots of mixing and matching.
• I wear my heaviest dress, sweat and jacket/coat on the plane
• I pack thin dresses, tops and skirts in Merino wool, such as those sold by SmartWool, Icebreaker and Title Nine.
• I don’t carry much in the way of toiletries and, those I do bring, include travel or sample-sizes, as well as small leaves/papers impregnated with shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Even the deodorant is tinier than you’d find in the travel size aisle of the drugstore.

• I only travel with two pair of shoes: I wear the heaviest on the plane and pack the other pair, usually a slim Mary Jane style.

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Video: Innovative Stylish + Savvy Vest for Women Travelers

I often travel the world alone, whether to far-flung lands or domestic destinations. Either way, I avoid being a target. I dress modestly, I don’t wear bling jewelry or anything gaudy and, most importantly, I don’t ever carry my vitals --  aka credit cards, passport, driver’s license, cash, cell phone, and so forth -- in a splashy designer bag. Nor do I opt for a fanny bag or other bag or pouch that labels me as a tourist. The idea is that I want something that has a minimalist silhouette and allows me to go from the boardroom to the wine bar.

That’s why I designed the Pocket Change Vest. It’s a stylish vest (it’s lined in satin) for the savvy woman. The 10 pockets -- 6 on the outside, 4 inside -- are so hidden, you’ll be the only one who knows where they are. This is a vest that’s both fashionable and practical, which is what I’m all about. No one will label you a geek when wearing the Pocket Change Vest. If you’re a financial analysis who has meetings all day in Madrid and then you want to get together with friends at night at a tapas bar, you can wear the Pocket Change Vest from day to night, whether with business attire or jeans.

In this three-minute YouTube video, awesome actor and writer India Choquette demonstrates how she uses the vest while waiting to meet a friend.

The Pocket Change Vest is Made in America. It sells for $175, and 10% of annual net profits go toward supporting the efforts of She's The First, a nonprofit that sponsors girls’ education in 11 low-income countries (including Nepal, Guatemala and Sierra Leone) with the goal of creating first-generation graduates and the next generation of global leaders. (After all, I’m a first-generation graduate of Barnard College, and a former educator.)

To find out how to get one of the few of the first-run of this limited edition Pocket Change Vest, contact me here. 

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Innovative Stylish + Savvy Travel Vest for Women

As a veteran travel writer, I have long been a fan of hands-free touring, with no bag whatsoever. What that usually means is wearing a multi-pocket vest that makes me feel like a fly fishermen, or a geeky tourist. Either way, I hardly feel ready for the runway.

That’s why I designed the Pocket Change Vest, a stylish, practical and handy garment that can take you from day to night, from the boardroom to the wine bar. With 10 hidden pockets -- 6 outside and 4 inside -- you don’t need to worry about toting along a bag of any sort, and you’ll look great too.

My inspiration for the Pocket Change Vest (and another product of mine, the atta-Bag) came from being robbed of my valuables in broad daylight in a capital city a few years ago. The thieves were able to unzip my tiny backpack, removing my credit cards, passport, cash, plane ticket and much more, leave the non-vitals behind, and re-zip it without me noticing anything.

The Pocket Change Vest fits in with my minimalism design aesthetic. It’s for the woman who wants to be safe and savvy when she’s traveling -- whether at home or in far flung lands -- without having to sacrifice stylishness.

The Pocket Change Vest is Made in America.
It sells for $175, and 10% of annual net profits go toward supporting the efforts of She's The First, a non-profit that sponsors girls’ education in 11 low-income countries (including Nepal, Guatemala and Sierra Leone) with the goal of creating first-generation graduates and the next generation of global leaders. (After all, I’m a first-generation graduate of Barnard College, and a former educator.) I couldn't be happier to partner with this inspiring organization that has made it their mission to increase the number of female graduates around the world.

This is a sneak peak of the vest. (That's awesome actor and writer India Choquette.) If you'd like to be one of the first to order the Pocket Change Vest or you'd like to find out how to get your hands on one of the few of this limited supply item, contact me here. 

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