Did you know that the world’s airlines carry a total of over three billion passengers each year?
More than ever before people are packing their bags and heading on adventures. Have you caught the wanderlust bug too?
But with long haul flights, jet lag, and dragging around a massive suitcase, your vacation might seem like more of a pain than a pleasure. On top of it all, packing your suitcase can feel like you’re playing a game of Tetris. Style can often get thrown out of the window!
You may wonder, what to wear when traveling? How to pack light but still look stylish? And what’s the most versatile clothing for travel?
What are you waiting for? Grab your sunglasses — you’re about to become dazzled with enlightening tips!
What to Wear When Traveling
Remember the good old days when only you saw your vacation album? Times have changed, and now your vacay snaps are live action on social media. You can’t get away with looking frumpy.
Staying stylish doesn’t mean you need to pack your entire closet. The key is to choose versatile clothing for travel that you can mix and match. These tips will show you how to pack light and still look totally hot on your vacation.
1. Destination Unknown
In 99 percent of cases, you know where you’re heading on your vacation. Before you start packing, consider your destination. You need to think about the climate, but you also need to be aware of the political and cultural climate.
Packing for a hot destination is generally easier than packing for a winter destination. For many tropical trips, you can throw in some swimwear, sundresses, shorts, and be ready to go.
But cold destinations are more difficult to pack for. Layering lightweight travel clothes is your best bet. And don’t forget scarves, a beanie hat, cozy socks, and gloves.
If you’re visiting a country whose culture sports a conservative style, you should pack accordingly. Wear longer skirts, pants, and shirts to show respect for their culture. Research your destination beforehand, then you’ll be sure to pack clothing that won’t offend the locals.
2. Back to Basics
Your stylish travel clothes should be a mixture of basics and a few statement pieces. About 70 percent of your lightweight travel clothes should be basics. This may include:
- Dark blue jeans
- Sundress
- Black skirt
- Plain tank tops
- Shorts or a warm coat (depending on the destination)
- Underwear (of course!)
If you pack the majority of your suitcase with the basics, you’ll only need a few statement pieces and accessories. Then you’ll be able to change up the outfit for each activity.
For example, you can wear a plain white tank top with shorts for physical activities. You can tuck that same tank top into a black skirt and accessorize with a statement scarf. You can wear this cute outfit when spending a night out on the town.
If you’re looking for basic pieces, you should shop this site. They have a super stylish selection of versatile clothing for travel.
3. Mix and Match Colors
When packing a minimalist suitcase, you need to choose stylish travel clothes that match. This means you should be able to mix and match your basics into several different outfits. You can do this by choosing pieces in three matching colors.
This mix and match traveling closet will allow you to create several outfits. Then you’ll be ready for different days, occasions, and events without looking like you’re wearing the same thing over and over.
You can choose your colors based on your destination. For instance, if you’re traveling to an urban city, try combining white, navy, and charcoal. Or if you’re heading to a tropical island, try khaki, off white, and a vivid shade like orange.
4. One Dressy Outfit
Add at least one formal outfit to your luggage. Of course, if you’re backpacking through Thailand, you can skip this one.
Forget the bulky dresses and full-on suits as they can take up a huge amount of space. Opt for lightweight travel clothes instead.
For instance, women could wear a slip dress, high heel sandals, and some bold accessories. A man could wear some slacks, a lightweight blazer, and a crisp shirt. He could pair this with loafers.
Whatever you choose, make sure you can mix and match it with your other basic items.
5. The Shoe Rule
Shoes, glorious shoes! It can be extremely hard to reduce the number of shoes you want when packing. They take up a lot of space, so balance is key, especially when you’re backpacking.
Stick to the basic three pair rule:
- Exercise sneakers
- Comfortable daytime shoe (low boots or sandals)
- A dressy pair (high heels)
Men can get by with two pairs, sneakers and loafers. They can wear the loafers both day and night.
Whatever shoes you choose, make sure you can wear them with more than one outfit. Then they become part of your ‘basics,’ just like women wearing crocs.
6. The Right Accessories
Now you’ve got your basics ready, you need to choose the right accessories. A few key accessories can transform an entire outfit.
Pack costume jewelry, such as oversized earrings, and a chunky bracelet for dressier events. Stick with a simple pendant necklace and gold or silver studs for casual looks.
You should always take a scarf or two on your vacation. They can dress up or dress down any outfit. It depends on how you wear them.
7. Come Fly with Me
Last, but not least, here’s one of the sneakiest packing hacks. Wear what you can’t pack!
If you’re heading on a winter vacation, wear your thick winter coat while traveling. Of course, you can always stow it away in the overhead compartment during the flight. The same applies to bulky cardigans and scarves.
As for any other vacation, try wearing exercise clothing. Yoga pants and other workout outfits are ideal for flights and for sightseeing. These easy travel clothes are not only lightweight and simple to fold and pack, but they’re also comfortable.
Adventure Awaits for the Stylish Traveler
If you’ve caught the wanderlust bug, you’ll be ready for your next adventure. And now that you know what to wear when traveling, you’ll look super stylish while you’re seeing the world.
But traveling is more than investing in packing cubes and nailing your wardrobe. There is a whole bunch of other stuff to plan and think about.
Want to find out how to travel like a pro? Learn the best travel hacks here.
