I had the good fortune to cross paths with Daniel Patterson, aka The Dapper Traveller, a few years ago at the University of Utah. Small world, no? It’s a wonder that one English department could handle so much style. Daniel recently made time to share some advice about travel and the creative life. The photos are his, as is the bio below:
I am a native of Southern California, a brief resident of New York City and currently make my home in Salt Lake City, Utah. I am a husband and father, a writer and filmmaker, and a world traveller passionate about food, art, literature and style. I have an ever-growing collection of bow ties, pocket squares and tobacco pipes, and have a fondness for full-bodied Cabernets, Islay Scotch, and smoky Kentucky bourbons. I absolutely love travelling by train, and I have symbolically disowned my native state for their foolish decision to outlaw the production and sale of foie gras. When I’m not writing for my website, I write and produce travel videos for a boutique production company.
WanderChic: Why did you start The Dapper Traveller project in addition to your video production work?
The Dapper Traveller: By profession, I write and produce video for a boutique production company that specializes in travel video. Consequently, I travel a great deal, filming resorts and destinations in locations around the world. The Dapper Traveller began primarily in response to friends and family wanting to know more about all these distant and exotic places.
Of course, there are plenty of resources out there to get travel tips and recommendations – there was nothing terribly meaningful I felt I could add there. What I could share, however, were stories of my own adventures and escapades. As a culture we have access to plenty of information; what I wanted to offer was inspiration. If even one person who reads the Dapper Traveller decides to get out and see a new part of the world, I will consider the project a success.
WC: How do you define dapper-ness? I’m suspecting that it’s about more than bowties and pocket squares (not that they aren’t important). Is it a way of dressing? A way of being? And is it something specific to men?
TDT: Dapper actually has very little to do bowties and pocket squares, although they can be wonderful additions to a dapper wardrobe. The word itself is, of course, an older one, something that was more commonly used in the twenties or thirties. As such, I think there’s an automatic association – and rightly so – with an older set of values, particularly when it comes to dress and appearance. A dapper gentleman was someone who was neatly dressed and, more importantly, dressed appropriately for the occasion. The way you would dress, say, for a football match was different than the way you would dress for an evening out on the town. Men – and women – knew when to dress up and when to dress down, a practice that isn’t as readily appreciated today.
Interestingly, one of the origins of the word “dapper” comes from a Middle Dutch term meaning strong, stout or quick. Fast forward to our modern definition and I think you’ll find that the dapper individual today communicates a certain strength in their appearance or demeanor. Dapper isn’t foppish. Each stylistic choice, from pocket square to umbrella, has a practical purpose. Ultimately, I think dapper is as much about the confidence that you’re properly prepared for whatever setting you find yourself in as it is about style.
WC: I’ll guess that you’re not a Crocs-and-sweats kind of traveler. What’s in your day-to-day wardrobe?
TDT: Part of the quiet confidence of being dapper is simply being comfortable in your own wardrobe. Personally, I’ve always felt at ease in suits and ties. While my profession doesn’t require me to dress up, my day-to-day wardrobe is typically an oxford button-down shirt, chinos (often brightly colored) and a bowtie. Depending on the weather and occasion, I’ll wear a blazer – usually navy or tweed – and throw in a pocket square for color. It’s professional enough that I can step confidently into just about any business setting, yet still relaxed enough that I feel comfortable rolling up my sleeves and working on location.
When it comes to travel, comfort is paramount. Thankfully I’m as comfortable wearing my daily “uniform” on a plane as I am wearing it in the office. But here another consideration comes into play for me: occasion. I think people forget that when they travel they become part of a collective, a community of individuals thrown together into a swirling public space. And for better or worse, we treat each other based in part on how we present ourselves. Whether I’m on a plane, train or boat (or anywhere, for that matter) I would like to be treated respectfully. How I dress signals to others whether or not I respect the occasion and, by extension, them. With all the travel I do, I find that I am consistently treated better when I dress a little nicer and behave a little more respectfully.
WC: I really like the definition of travel from your web site: “travel is a collection of experiences, good and bad, that breaks us out of our routine and connects us with something bigger.” Could you give an example from your travels of when you’ve experienced this?
TDT: To connect with something bigger you have to connect with the culture, and that means connecting with the people. All the logistics and planning that go into travel are really just a means to get to an authentic experience with real people.
One of the most profound travel experiences I’ve had was on my trip to Israel. My crew and I spent several days filming in some amazing locations around Jerusalem and across the border in Bethlehem. We had unbelievable access to holy sites and shrines, ruins and temples and countless historical landmarks. It was an absolutely inspiring experience.
But the truly “connecting” moment was when our elderly Arab driver took us to his favorite out-of-the-way, family-run restaurant. We were received warmly and without hesitation, and treated to a meal of such amazing scale and simple perfection that we could barely move from the table by the end. Our driver would stuff handfuls of lamb in our mouths as he regaled us with stories of the area, the food and the people. We laughed and joked and drank and ate. In that moment we were no longer clients or tourists – we were family. I gained more insight and appreciation for the people and culture of the area in that one experience than in all the iconic sites combined.
WC: What advice would you give to readers who want to break into travel writing and video work?
TDT: If you are truly passionate about travel writing, the first thing you need to do is travel. The second thing you have to do is write. There’s really no mystery to it.
And you don’t need to travel to far off exotic locations – some of the most amazing travel writing describes the twenty miles immediately surrounding the author’s home. It’s about capturing a sense of place, and that can be anywhere. Write a lot, read a lot, and in time your own voice will emerge. If you want to get into the media side, consider film school and internships with production companies or networks.
Beyond that, I’m probably the worst person to ask. My path to where I am today has been anything but conventional. I began working as a copywriter over twenty years ago and have since worked in everything from marketing and media to theme park development. Along the way I travelled, both for business and pleasure, to numerous cities and countries around the world. This definitely fed my passion for experiencing new places. In time, chance and the right connections eventually led me to where I am now. And while it’s anyone’s guess where I’ll be in another ten years, I guarantee travel will be a part of it.
WC: Do you travel often with your family? Any wisdom for traveling with kids?
TDT: Travelling with my family is one of my favorite things to do (although my wife has to occasionally remind me to get out of the alpha-producer mode). With extended family and friends in countries around the world, we’ve enjoyed giving our boys the chance to experience new cultures, foods and languages in a variety of settings. Of course, we also live in Utah, a state that offers some amazing outdoor locations. Within just a few hours we can be camping in the Rocky Mountains or among the brilliant deserts of Moab and Zion. For us, quick weekend getaways are often as much fun as big international trips.
The best advice I’d give for travelling with kids is be realistic with your expectations. A four-year old isn’t going to travel at the same pace and in the same way as you do. And trust me, a ten-year old isn’t going to travel the same way as the four-year old. Plan accordingly. Give yourself plenty of time to get through the airport, pack things that are going to make their travel experience enjoyable, and be prepared to move slower than you normally would. Most importantly, make them part of the process. Kids of any age know when they’re being herded – and they don’t like it any more than you do. Have them help pack their bag, get them a little backpack, let them select sites and activities – the more they feel a part of the experience, the less likely they are to melt down.
WC: What can’t you live without on the road (in the air, on the water…)?
TDT: Travel opens up my mind, heart and spirit – and that all needs to go somewhere. For me, it ends up on the page. I’m constantly scribbling notes, ideas, stories and sketches: a notebook and a good pen are the two things I carry with me on every trip.