post
6 Mar 2013
I have a love-hate relationship with travel clothes.
See if you can find the hidden tourist in this photo.
The hate:
- They look dorky (see photo as exhibit A).
- If you don’t wear them at home, they get limited use.
The love:
- They (mostly) don’t wrinkle.
- They come with lots of pockets.
So, should you splurge?
My opinion: only on a few key items.
I keep:
- one pair of pants (that zip off to become capris),
- one white long-sleeve UPF 40 shirt,
- and a UPF 30 hat.
The shirt and hat are good for keeping off the sun (it’s cooler – temperature-wise – to cover your skin rather than wear a tank top). Plus, when you’re traveling at different latitudes than you’re used to, you’ll be amazed how fast you burn.
Both of those items come in handy even when I’m not traveling. I sometimes use the shirt as a light cover when the sun is beating down, when walking around town or hiking here in Southern California.
For other items in the travel wardrobe, I go cheap.
For a light jacket I have a white exercise zip-up (polyester/spandex mix) that I bought at Target. It packs light, doesn’t wrinkle and dries fast.
I also have a t-shirt from Target that wicks moisture from the body – again, dries fast and was much cheaper than a “travel” shirt.
I supplement those items with articles from my normal wardrobe – a few cotton t-shirts, a pair of sturdy khakis, etc. I don’t need my entire travel wardrobe to be quick-drying – just a few items so I can wash them as I go and always have a clean option on the horizon (this is partly psychological… don’t underestimate the joy of a clean shirt on the road).
Aside from the items specific to travel, I do tend to buy things from REI simply because I like them – so I have some hoodies that are made for outdoor activity. But that’s only because I am magnetically drawn to hoodies and seem to be subconsciously cultivating a master collection. They’re not necessarily for travel (even if that’s how I originally justified the purchase).
What about you? Do you buy “travel clothes”?
