How To Dress for Travel – 8 Quick Tips
Travel is amazing. But with travel comes the daunting task of packing. You either pack too much, or too little. And so you either end up dragging around a bulky luggage, or end up being cold and your experience quickly turns miserable. Or you pack just about the right amount, but you end up with a bunch of mismatched outfits.
With travel, it is important to focus on function over fashion, but you can still look stylish doing so. By planning your looks according to plans, and incorporating some basic foundations, your packing will be so much easier.
1
Layer Up
It is undeniably true that travel involves a lot of temperature shifts. Whether you’re on air crafts, buses, trains, and metros – it is often either too hot or too cold. Freezing at the airport, and steamy at the metro.
For this reason, make sure to layer up. Go for a good base layer that will keep you warm and wick sweat away. I suggest a lightweight top in neutral colours. As for your mid layer, dare to be be bold and make a statement. For the outer layer, choose something that will keep you warm without adding too much bulk. Colour-wise, I like to keep my outer layer in a neutral color, such as black, camel, navy, beige.
2
Opt For Items With Pockets
When navigation through mass transit and shopping at the local market, I need easy access to essentials such as cash, my passport and boarding passes. I don’t like having my key items tucked away in a wallet, buried somewhree at the bottom of my rucksack. I much prefer the convenience of being able to keep them within reach in my pockets. I love a vintage denim jacket with oversized pockets, or a pair of jeans with deep set pockets.
3
Base Your Foundation On Timeless Neutrals
Whenever I travel and have limited packing space, I try to go with fashion neutrals. Hues that can go with anything and everything – black, gray, brown, khaki, navy and white. I build my base around the neutral colours, using them as a foundation of my wardrobe. To add some splash of colours, I add accessorizes, a pair of shoes or a bag in an accent colour. This way I can pull of an outfit without looking plain or boring.
4
Accessorize
It’s all in the details. When sticking to neutral colours, it’s always fun to incorporate some bold accessories to really make the outfit pop. A few simple accessories have the power to polishing, personalizing and perfect any basic look. Select a few key items, sunglasses, bag, watch, scarf or piece of jewellery, and incorporate them into your outfit to make a statement.
5
Choose Loose Fitting Clothes
This all comes down to personal preferences, but whenever I embark on adventure excursions, I always make sure not to wear tight fitting clothes. I would hate to be hindered in my ventures by a piece of clothing. When traveling to tropical climates, nothing beats a flowy dress or a pair of breathable, wide-legged trousers in linen. For urban sprees, I prefer a pair of relaxed boyfriend cut jeans, paired with a loose tee and a statement belt.
6
Always Bring A Day Pack
I never leave my hotel room without a day pack or a small handbag. I make sure to it fits my travel essentials, my camera and a bottle of water. The type of daypack I bring depends on my destination. For urban travel and city breaks, I prefer smaller backpacks or cross-body bags. For adventurous wildlife exploration, I bring a larger, heavy-duty rucksack.
7
Pack A Poncho
A poncho will keep you stylish but also provide warmth when needed. It’s so easy to store, and if you choose the right material it won’t crease. Whether they’re hooded or not, short or long sleeved, light or heavyweighted – you can’t go wrong with a poncho. Personally, I love a classic V neckline, full fringe poncho in a neutral colour that is easy to dress up or down.
8
Do Your Hair
A nice hairdo will not only complement your look, but it will also keep your hair in place whilst you hop from one destination to the next. I’m all for travel-friendly hairstyles that are easy and effortless. A fishtail, french or dutch braid (single or doube) are all hairstyles that can be dressed up or down and don’t cause much breakage. They keep every strand neatly in place when you’re en route, and later can be undone for simple, natural waves.
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25 Comments
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Nordh
I also prefer to travel with nothing but a carry-on, but if I bring my photo gear with me I don’t have any space over for anything else at all. For shorter trips I manage with a carry-on, for longer trips I need checked-in luggage.
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MICHELLE GWYNN JONES
Depending on where I am going and what I will be doing I usually pack a lot of white or a lot of black. That way things can be part of more than one outfit. Throw in a few items for a splash of color and I am ready to go.
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Lavanda Michelle
These are great tips and every time I travel I find myself wishing wore something different. Thank you so much, for my next trip I will use this post
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Nordh
I am exactly the same. Every time I have second thoughts and wish I’d have brought something different! That’s why I’m trying to just focus on the neutrals now.
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Jenn and Ed Coleman
I love packing scarfs. They are super cute accessories and so useful when I’m out. If I’m cold, I can wrap up and on the “on my god” hair days I can cover up. In more demur countries, you can cover your shoulders and comply with all rules.
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Cassie
Layering is always super important to me when we travel! I get freezing on planes and it’s so good to be able to take stuff off or pop it back on as you please
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Nordh
What’s up with planes beeing freezing cold? For my latest trip we were provided blankets at least …
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Chrissy
You mention a lot of rookie mistakes that I made when I first started traveling. Great heads up for those who don’t travel often enough to figure it out 😉
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Dahn
Great tips and good timing for me. I am taking a long road trip in three days and definitely need to consider what I will be packing. I do like to take pretty neutral colors that can mix and match
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Sondra Barker
Great tips! Being able to be fashionable while packing light is always a struggle. Hopefully I can combat that with these on my next trip!
Sondra xx
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Cindy's Travel Diaries
Great tips ! I do agree 🙂
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Terri Beavers
I need to get a poncho before I go to Chicago next month. I know it’s going to be chilly and your post reminded me I need to do that and plan to layer up too.
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Caroline
I don’t get to travel as much as I’d like to unfortunately. But these are really great tips, I think when you accessorise and do your hair you feel like a million bucks!
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Rebecca
Some great tips! I’m definitely guilty of over packing too many clothes!
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Angela Ricardo Bethea
Those are some awesome tips especially the first one. I usually wear comfortable clothes but also with a bit of fashion style.
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Nordh
I LOVE combining comfy clothes with fashionable clothes, and I also love how we can still be fashionable, yet dressed-down.
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Melanie Frost
These are excellent tips for travelling. I like to wear clothes with pockets as well. You can never have too much storage when travelling light!
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Jen Temcio
These are all good tips. I try to only take a carry on so I dont have to check luggage so I take only clothes that can all be coordinated together and I am prepared with layers and pieces for any occasion and weather.