We’ve always admired Alyssa Coscarelli for her unapologetic, yet sincere approach to fashion and her fearless, head-first dive into the world of freelance after clocking in corporate hours for a whopping 5+ years. If your eyes aren’t already glued to the IG feed of this fun-sized fashionista, a) SOS — we’re convinced you may be living under a rock, and b) feel free to dive right into her Off Duty interview here to get acquainted. You won’t regret it, cross our hearts!
Alyssa is a jet-setter, in every sense of the word. From countless Fashion Weeks across the globe to vacations south of the border; Copenhagen to Stockholm and back to her home in NYC, this busy lady is forever providing us with green-eyed wanderlust. We’re currently wishing we could have been a plus-one on her most recent trip to Japan (Hello! Tokyo Disney and call us next time, okay Alyssa?) In the midst of wondering where she’s headed to next, we paused to ask ourselves: How the heck does she do it? How does someone who — in very Carrie Bradshaw fashion — uses half of her living room as a closet pack for days on end in a magic city abroad? So, we asked Alyssa to dish. Below the 20-something unveils her secrets to packing “light” (read: smart) and gives us the down-low on her favorite destinations.
How often do you travel? “I travel a couple times per month, at least.”
When traveling, it looks like you pack fairly light. How do you do it? “I definitely don’t consider myself a light packer, but I am pretty good at squishing in as much as possible. I like to roll instead of fold where possible, and I still usually have to sit on it to make it shut, [laughs]. I love my Away suitcase because it holds a lot more than you even might think when looking at it. I also pack a lot of mix-and-match pieces that can be worn with each other in different ways, and for bigger items like outerwear, I try to just pick one or two good ones to bring along and wear the entire trip. I don’t skimp on bags and shoes though. I’m the girl who packs like seven pairs of shoes for a three-day trip. You think I’m kidding — I save dust bags to use for packing shoes for travel.”
What are your travel essentials? “I’m pretty loyal to Away luggage, I love how light and durable they are and the phone-charging battery they come with. But, I also recently got a Steamline Luggage carry-on and it’s just the most beautiful, vintage-inspired little trunk for shorter trips. It gets tons of compliments! I also love my Sennheiser over-ear headphones. They really block everyone else out, and I find them very comfortable on my ears. I also always dress warmly for the plane because I tend to be freezing. That means socks and/or slippers and a big blanket scarf are a must.”
Shop Alyssa's Travel Essentials
What are you in-flight beauty essentials? “Lately, Caudalie Beauty Elixir and Tata Harper Creme Riche. I’m not big on masking on planes, but always the night after a flight. I like to use either the Caudalie or Tata Harper detox mask, or Drunk Elephant Baby Facial, or Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleep mask to help calm and clean post-airplane skin.”
Shop Alyssa's In-Flight Beauty
In-flight snacks? “I try not to eat on the plane if possible, my stomach just stays happier that way. But do what’s best for you!”
Is there a formula to piecing together outfits/looks when traveling light? “I try not to get too overly complicated with layers, if it’s possible. I also plan outfits as I pack according to my loosely planned itinerary.”
Favorite place you’ve traveled recently? “Tokyo is probably my favorite place to visit. I went for the first time last summer and promised I’d make it a yearly thing. And that held true this year as I was just able to visit again!”
Where are you headed to next? “I’m visiting both Berlin and Dubai for the first time in May. Excited to cross some new cities off the list very soon.”
Any good travel tips you can share? “Pick an airline and stay loyal to it if you can, it will pay off with perks and upgrades! For me that’s Delta. Their app makes it super easy to track miles and book flights. I also use Clear to get through security super quickly in most major airports that I frequent. The customs app, it’s called Mobile Passport, is also a game-changer for getting through customs quickly. I don’t have global entry yet, but using the app is the next best thing because there usually isn’t any line, so you pop out of U.S. customs super quickly if you don’t have anything to declare.”
