We've all been there.
You walk into a discount apparel store and, about 2 racks in, you get overstimulated by the cheap prices, buckets of purses, and plaid abundance. One thing leads to another. You fantasize about your new styled self pulling off some hipster-chic, oversized coveralls and that's when you black out.
When you finally come to, you're walking out with a bag of stuff you don't need, will NEVER wear, and give off a slight smell of stale cheese. Just me? K cool.
Well I run the same risk when visiting a new place. I fall in love with the culture, the people, the history. I hear the enthralling tale of the pottery master's rise to fame and become convinced I can work an Indian motif into our one-bedroom apartment.
I blame the tourist goggles. I lose sight of my real identity and personal style and get swept away in my enthusiasm for new cultures. Well that ends now people. We're not doing a trip around the world to collect shot glasses. But you don't need a World Trip to be proactive about your foreign purchases. Below are 3 great articles I've found on the subject. Read up and buy right.
And cheers to your real-world self meeting your travel self and loving her outfit. Or at least her African mask collection.
Article from Everygirl.com: 5 ways to Cultivate a Well-Travelled Home. Most amazing tip? Bring home spices from your trip and recreate your experience in the kitchen. So simple and spot on.
Article from Huffington Post: The Souvenir Collections You Should Start. Leave the magnets, shot glasses, and key chains where they belong- at the shop in the offending country.
Article from CNN: The Biggest Souvenir No-No's. Great tips when purchasing for others. Sorry, pal. No one wants your leftover foreign coins.
