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Seeking Travel Wardrobe Advice

Staysfit

Veteran

One of my goals for 2017 is to build a versatile travel wardrobe. An empty nest, aging parents, and family spread across the United States means I sometimes need to pack up quickly to go across the country. DH travels all over the world for his work and with no children in school to worry about, I am free to join him. DH and I also plan to travel for the purpose of exploring various locations for our future retirement, and of course just for leisure. I expect my travel to take place year round, to include all climates, and to include a wide variety of locations both urban and rural. My guess is that the majority will be in urban or at least suburban areas. I am not sure how likely we are to visit tropical locations, but I'm not going to rule them out.

I have a certain amount of exercise and medical gear that gets packed when I travel, and it takes up space in my bag making it very important that whatever I use for travel be light weight, coordinated, and possibly something easy to wash and quick to dry so I can pack less.

My everyday clothes don't seem versatile enough to meet my travel needs. I find it takes me too long to pull together a light travel capsule from my wardrobe. Things get too bulky and heavy, or I need more pairs of shoes to make outfits work.

I have thought about using a capsule wardrobe in a solid color and all from one place. Two that come to mind are Comfy and Eileen Fisher. I have doubts about this though. Neither really fit with my personal style. The choices available are mostly neutral, and not those I would normally choose. There are also so many silhouette choices. The fit is not perfect for me, they are designed for someone slightly shorter.

How important is it to maintain my personal style when I travel?
Is it okay to trade style for convenience?
What bare minimum number of pieces would get me through a four season travel itinerary where I wanted a one week period without duplicate outfits, but garments can be used in more than one outfit during the week. (Maybe twice in a week.)
Does anyone here travel and wear EF or Confy? Any other suggestions?

General

55 replies

Latest reply was from

Anonymous

I think you don't have to trade style for convenience - Angie's travel posts prove that! How to do that however, is the challenge. I'm not sure I can answer that one yet.

Runcarla

Veteran

Travel capsules are the synthesis of your style to its most key elements. Also, be aware (very aware!) that travel will change you and possibly precipitate some style changes.

1 pair jeans, and 1 pair stretchy pants and a selection of your favourite tops, and one jersey dress, plus 3 pair comfy shoes will get you around the world.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Staysfit, I think the style choices we see from you most of the time are for professional wear or religious services. Probably neither of these things is what you would choose to wear while traveling. Also, I do not think your fitness gear fits the bill. So maybe think of just your color choices, and move on to brands that offer the needed practicality.

I find Eileen Fisher clothing useful for travel to conservative Middle Eastern countries (it is easy to find voluminous, body obscuring clothing there). But otherwise I am more likely to choose pieces from e.g., Athleta or Aday or James Perse. For travel wear, I like pieces that are light weight and don't wrinkle easily, and that can be layered up or down to suit the temperature.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Staysfit, this is very personal and also idiosyncratic -- not just to personal style but to the particular trip. If you are going to go all over the world at different times of year, and plan to do different types of things on your trips, there is no way that just "one" set of travel clothes would do for all situations. It's just not possible.

Carla is (almost) right, I think, in terms of what you need, at bare minimum, to bring -- assuming you can do laundry. I would add a blazer and some scarves/ throws/ wraps myself. But even if you narrow it down to that -- you would need different tops in colder weather than warm. You would need different footwear. Plus, what if you go on a longer trip to two locations with different weather?

I understand the frustrations of needing to bring gear. I often end up with a checked bag because I am always active on my trips. If it's not the hiking and/or gym and/or running shoes, it is extra pairs of footwear for urban walking. Or both. Maintaining activity is important to me so I make that trade off. Other times I bring the gear in an extra tote sized carry on.

I am sure you could put together a cohesive and attractive capsule of stretchy clothes from EF -- but they might not feel like "you" and would lack the structure you prefer. And they would not work for all climates without a lot of layering.

My system (such as it is) is to know my own wardrobe essentials very well, and then to consider what I will actually be doing each day of the proposed trip. If I am going to a memorial service this requires a different outfit than if I am going hiking with my friends and then to a pub. If I am going to humid Shanghai, that requires a different outfit than cool and chilly Vancouver -- and sometimes I do both in the same trip. So I need clothing for both.

I then imagine outfits for each day (and plan for different weather conditions). If I have something to wear for each key activity, I know I'll do fine. I often take photos of the outfits in advance (or used to -- I don't really have to do that so much any more.)

Many people advise starting from the footwear and moving up. It makes sense.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

This is going to be a fun challenge. Actually it sounds like you are going to have a lot if fun as well!

I think you will need more than one capsule, based on the climates of where you are going. Perhaps some pieces will go everywhere, but you may want skirts and sandals as part of one capsule, and booties and sweaters in another. Perhaps develop a spectrum and you grab from the left for warmer climates and the right for cooler and the middle pieces go to both... if that makes sense.

I wouldn't sacrifice your style, you need to be true to you. But you may develop a unique travelling style as this progresses.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

In the end, no matter what the reason for the trip, I always start with the shoes and the inevitable compromises follow. I also need something to wrap up in on the plane and freezing hotel rooms. Once those two things are decided, everything pretty much decides itself.

What would you wear to a staff retreat or medical conference at a golf course or stateside resort? That might be a starting point rather than a whole new capsule.

Gaylene

Veteran

Much depends on how much, and what kind of, luggage you will choose. My own feelings are the fewer the belongings I'm lugging around, the more fun I have. On the other hand, if you travel in business or first-class, stay in full-service hotels, and use taxis instead of public transport, then check your bags and pack whatever you want from your regular wardrobe.

My own ultra light travel wardrobe consists of two pairs of black pants-one slim everyday pair and the other a slightly fuller, "dressy" pair; a skirt; a moto-style jacket; a black merino cardigan sweater; 3-4 lightweight tops, two pairs of shoes (black leather sneakers for everyday and a low-heeled, walkable sandal for dressier/warm temps); a black windshell, and my Gortex raincoat.

ETA: My travel wardrobe is very plain, but every item is of high quality. Travel is hard on clothes, so poor quality just doesn't stand up to the rigors of constant wear. I also have everything tailored to fit because I'm in these items for days on end--poor fit would be unbearable. I also prefer fine merino gabardines, washable silks, cashmere, and high grade leathers. These fabrics just look better, especially if I'm going into higher end restaurants and to the theatre.

Joy

Veteran

My travel wardrobe is much like Gaylene's. I travel very light in a 19" carry on or backpack so that I can handle it myself. I have some EF pieces that have gone on every trip. I like black because it is easy and practical. I take 2 bottoms and mostly silk tops, ( which are very light weight) from sleeveless to long sleeves, one med. grey neutral cashmere pullover, 2-3 pairs of very comfortable flat or low wedge shoes in black and metallic. At one time I would not have worn sneakers as one can be spotted as a tourist and targeted by pick pockets, but now they seem to be worn by the natives too. Vortex raincoat, usually a dark neutral that can be dressed up by removing the hood and adding a nice scarf. A sort jacket or blazer that can be worn under the coat. I used to travel with 3 bottom pieces, but found that I came home too often with one unworn. Now I take 2 plus leggings that double as pj bottoms or a warm layer under the pants. Hardly any jewelry but I do take silk scarves to add color and pattern. My coat is my "robe". These are the basics year round. They can be tweaked for weather and area. If a dressy outfit is needed, I have a long black EF skirt to pair with a black silk top and patterned scarf. I only take separates that will allow me easy access to my waist security belt with passport, money, credit cards, plane tickets etc. it is like a very flat fanny pack with zippered compartments. I also carry a bag with a bit of cash. I buy an umbrella locally and abandon it when leaving because carrying one in luggage makes it look like something weird, maybe a weapon, when luggage is x-rayed and causes delays.

Staysfit

Veteran

I think it's true that I will need more than one travel capsule. For example, I know we have a week in Maine some time this summer. I expect that capsule will be different than what I will need for two weeks in France next summer (also on the agenda). I guess by different, maybe I need something more sporty casual for my Maine trip. I love the idea of Athleta, which is where I get most of my exercise gear. I haven't looked at their merchandise with an eye towards travel before. For France, I imagine wearing dressier business casual clothes similar to those that I would wear to a medical conference in NYC, or Philadelphia. I would dress much differently for a conference in a warm climate, or a more casual atmosphere, like Orlando.

In terms of bags, I try to avoid checking luggage. Some flights I take do not have much space because they are short, 45 minutes to an hour, so the planes are not equipped to hold much.

I prefer a dress or skirt over shorts, unless I'm hiking or walking around a location where shorts are preferable.

Maybe I should put together some imaginary capsules from my current wardrobe to see what happens. I need to think where to start. More later.....

Gaylene

Veteran

Ha, Joy and I are travel twins! Her travel wardrobe and mine sound identical.

Just a word about all that black. For me, it's the shade which hides the dirt and grime of daily living, but still looks polished and sophisticated when I'm off to an elegant venue. Scarves help with the color deprivation, but a monotone wardrobe definitely makes it easy to get dressed easily and quickly. It also helps me blend in in urban settings. And, if I do buy something along the way, I have no trouble pairing that new piece with one, or more, of my essentials.

Penny

Veteran

For me, neutral dresses (with a knee-length trench or coat worn on the plane when traveling to colder climates), tights as needed, a scarf, and comfy flat shoes are space-efficient and versatile. When vacationing, I trade some style in footwear for convenience / comfort (e.g., if I'm only taking two pairs, they'll probably both be flats or wedges, and shoes that I don't mind getting beat up by long walks).

With respect to maintaining your personal style, although that's totally up to you, if you take a lot of photos on your trips, you may want to consider wearing clothes that you'll look on as fondly as your memories from the trips.

rachylou

Veteran

I think how you'll be traveling will matter a lot. If you're renting a place and/or staying a month or if you're changing locations every 2-3 days. 3 bottoms and 3 tops gives you 9 outfits. And that will fill up a carryon.

karen13

Veteran

Last summer I drove the Ring Road around Iceland, hiked around Mont Blanc, and spent 5 days in Copenhagen over 27 days with only a carry on bag. Yes, serous style compromises had to happen - hiking boots and 1 other pair of shoes - but it can be done. Ibex, icebreaker and smart wool merino wool are your friend. I also use a lot of Athleta bottoms.

I only have my phone, so will add more when I get a real keyboard. I will follow this with interest as I am trying to build a more stylish travel wardrobe.

Sal

Veteran

Sounds exciting Staysfit.

I personally do compromise style when travelling, depending on the location and the occasion. I also think a simple colour palette of quality pieces that wash easily and do not need ironing is important. Merino is a great fabric to travel with - lightweight, natural and non-creasing.

I personally start with the shoes and find four pairs gets me by (running sneakers, another good walking option, a dressier but still comfy pair, and flip flops (beach, pool, shower etc).

I know you have a good denim wardrobe and in winter/fall/spring travel this is a good place to start with.

Bijou

Veteran

Travelling with only carry on is tricky for me because I have fussy feet and like to have multiple comfy shoe options. I have a lightweight roller case that is very easy to manage and travel with a small backpack for my carry on. What I take really depends upon the temperature and my planned activities. Usually I travel to cities and do a lot of walking. I like to travel most in Spring and Autumn - so a trench coat and jeans is my travel uniform.

Staysfit

Veteran

karen13, I have done lots of hiking and camping, and agree that merino wool, and clothes from Athleta and someplace like Ibex are wonderful for that sort of adventure. DH would love nothing better than to conquer all the Adirondack peaks, or to head back to Chamonix and hike up Mont Blanc. (Something we did before we had children). He is an incredible athlete, and would literally pull me along!

Picking a single neutral and then adding scarves has some appeal. I have typically picked two to three colors when I travel and stick with them. Most recently, I went to Michigan for a full week and managed with two bottoms, two sweaters a dress, two turtle neck tees, and PJ's plus my exercise gear, sneakers and booties. I picked three scarves for color. My color scheme was charcoal and royal blue. I wore one of the bottoms, the tee and a sweater on the plane, along with my sneakers. Oh, I forgot to say I also packed my winter coat. Good thing because I came home to a Nor'Easter and 3 feet of snow burying my garage door.

If I picked a single color, I agree it should be dark. Most of my wardrobe is light though; "light" is one of my style adjectives! I have no black. I have limited Navy. The darkest color in my closet is a medium dark grey, which looks very dark on me, but compared to black is probably medium in value. I could use greys. It would go well with my hair, and then I could use absolutely any color in my palette as an accent. It's a neutral that can work year round, although in summer, the lighter versions migh be preferable. I also have lots of grey in my closet. I don't mind mixing in some denim along with the grey, maybe a pair of jeans that are indigo, not grey.

The Cat

Veteran

Thank you so much for interesting post and comments. I think it will be useful to many of us.
I can recommend the blog "The Vivienne Files". LOTS of packing tips there! See for example the post "A travel Capsule Wardrobe - Packing the Last Minute Suitcase", about packing for emergency cases.

Staysfit

Veteran

The Cat, that's a great suggestion. Packing the last minute suitcase is particularly helpful for me because I find recently I have been called for either a crisis or semi crisis and have to quickly fill my bag and head out the door.

Another part of putting together my travel capsule is going to be figuring out my cosmetics/makeup and medications, and what to bring and how to store them. It takes me a long time to gather everything each time I travel. I have a checklist but even with that it's cumbersome. I think I may pre-pack my cosmetics so I have a separate set ready to go. I travel often enough now that they will get used. Medications can't be prepacked, but I can still come up with a way to organize them so they are easier to manage.

When I was in Florida in February, my shoes were a problem. I thought they would be comfortable, but when I spent the entire day walking around the Kennedy Space Center, Theme Parks, and Botanical Gardens, I ended up with blisters and had to do an emergency mall run for another pair. It was a minor inconvenience, but I am not sure how to prevent that from happening? I picked shoes that were well worn for the trip, so I was caught off guard.

Marlene1

What a useful thread this is - thanks for starting it! I commute by car so I don't walk a great deal. Maybe that's why a travel capsule would make sense for me as well - I can't use a lot of my "regular" clothes because the shoes I need to wear don't work with my "regular" pants, skirts, and dresses. Tops not so much a problem.

Author Linda

Veteran

Traveling without checked luggage is the way to go, though increasingly more difficult with airlines restricting carry on luggage. Traveling for business requires more by way of clothing options than my current friends and family trips, where I can throw all that I need into a soft bag that can fit under my seat or in the overhead. EF pieces are great for travel because I can easily wash them in the sink and they dry overnight.

Do check out unefemme.net. https://unefemme.net/category/travel-wardrobes

Sue's travel wardrobes are fun to read about and very useful.

Staysfit

Veteran

Here is the link to the Vivienne Files Last Minute Travel Post. I think it's very useful because she shows pictures of her capsule and she lists the types of activities she has considered and they are very diverse and include yard work romantic dinners, board room, hospital visit, site seeing, etc. I am most interested in the shoes she chose. One pair of what look like fairly practical, sporty-ish ballerina flats, and kitten heel pumps. Everything mixes and matches together.

http://www.theviviennefiles.co.....tcase.html

The one missing feature is exercise gear. I always bring that with me. I could never fit all that plus my medication and cosmetics into that small of a bag. I like her lightweight nylon bag too! She wears the largest and heaviest of her clothing pieces on the plane, I do that also, but sometimes I get too warm, and want to stuff my jacket or coat into my bag. I'm not sure how well a nice crisp blazer would travel, knits seem better suited, and the same with a trench. I think something that has a plisse effect or is meant to be wrinkled as part of the design would be perfect for travel so it doesn't look rumpled! (I'm generally not a fan of wrinkles, but I do need a new raincoat/trench for travel as my favorite seems to have vanished somewhere between home and one of my work places.)

unfrumped

Veteran

A great and timely post!
I'm not a good packer but am facing a wee bit similar situation being a new grandma and having intermittent, often last - minute opportunities to travel to visit. My old modus operandi of dithering for a day or weekend about what to pack no longer works.
I also found it might help to have a slightly separate capsule so it'd all be there ready and clean. Probably that's not practical to maintain not- worn items just hanging there, but at least I'm looking at my casual capsules differently. For these trips I need washable and so there's not full overlap with work items.
So that was random but getting more specific:
I don't rule out " gear" for travel ever. There are too many times I might mix urban and off- road activities. The key is looking at gear- brands for overlap styles. For example I had some Eddie Bauer bootcuts gray pants in one of those quick- dry fabrics, could combine with knit blazer and scarf for restaurant.
Footwear is my nemesis. For major walking with no chance of " rescue " that I would have on home turf, I just about need an athletic shoe or a " European walking" shoe. Fortunately some shoe trends are helping here, as "sneakers" and comfy, rubber- soled oxfords would work for some days, though not off- road hikes. That can make it easier to pack 2-3 footwear that are versatile enough.
I hear you on wishing all could come from one brand, but would not recommend you set that limit. Instead explore brands you might not have used for work , but that have benefits. think best of each. EF has some fabrics that are machine washable and some styles that are stretch comfy and lots of dark neutrals, but only a few things ever fit my shape or style.
Travel Smith has " capsules" ; also Magellan. May seem a bit hokey or dowdy so again, may not work to use the whole capsule as shown, but would give ideas.
Scarves are a good way to have a dark neutrals base while preserving your soft light colors as face colors . Navy knit blazer or moto + scarf. Scarves are amazing in that it's okay to have a selection that really fits the bill in exact colors and materials. Cotton- linen for warm climes and wool challis for medium- cold.
Same for knit tops and cardigans which come in so many colors and fabrications, and really not that expensive, that you can indulge in fine- tuning a travel capsule by getting just the ones that seem to work best, either very versatile or different season- and city- specific options. I also like merino for anything except really warm weather.
Having toiletries duped and ready is key. I also have some travel cubes pre- packed with things like my travel sleepwear, things for making tea if not going to be available; jewelry case, , travel slippers; " outdoor" kit with things like more sunscreen and travel bug repellent than would need for quick city trip; even some socks and undies since I know what works usually and what I have been known to forget! I keep all that inside suitcase in closet so instead of gathering each time, I " reject" those things I don't need for a particular trip.
I also started using the contact lens holders for small amounts of cosmetics. A little goes a long way for short trips.
I tend to stick with long pants( including ones that can be rolled) even though crops are trending. I run cold and also I think they are more forgiving for travel footwear and just to have the bottoms more background and not showcased allows me some leeway. Of course for hot summer I pack shorts or some kind of rolled or cropped lightweight pant.

I guess the main thing I'm learning is that I DO need capsules planned and tried on ahead , and to be more ruthless about how thing mix and match becsuse that's the only way to pare down. That does require, for me, some intentional shopping for the right colors and silhouettes that will go together in a way I'm HAPPY with.

MovingFashionForward

Fascinating thread! I'm interested in the talk about starting from the shoes and about the compromising idea, because I travel so much and walk so much that my style evolved in a way that places footwear at the heart of my style in general, not just for travelling. My whole life is travelling and walking really, so that is the most significant part of my style and wardrobe. I do have a number of pairs of high heels and clothes I avoid travelling in or taking with me when I travel, but basically I wear the same stuff whether travelling or not.

I too am a structured dress wearer, and that is the last thing I'd change when travelling. I don't do dry cleaning when travelling (or not often anyway) so of course I avoid taking dresses I think might need to be dry cleaned, but rather than changing my style to travel I use tricks like layering washable teeshirts under less-easily-washable dresses.

I personally haven't found black to be the ideal colour to wear for travelling, as it does show paler 'dirt'. Not as problematic as white and very light colours but still more dirt-showing than greys and other neither light nor dark colours, and of course patterns. I am not big on patterns except for in my silk tops, but those patterned silk tops are fabulous for not showing dirt. (I actually find sturdier silk tops fine for travel, along with thin merino layers for warmth when needed, and yes I do (carefully!) wash silk despite what the label says.) I do sometimes wear a (light rather than heavy) pair of indigo denim jeans with these silk tops for variety, but often not. I don't find jeans comfortable, and unless you wear mid-toned ones I find that they do show dirt.

I have some skirts that look structured but are unlined and surprisingly light (I have been known to weigh individual items of clothing when determining what to wear on a big trip with hand luggage only). I also have a slightly A-line leather skirt that is old that I suppose is on the heavier side compared to my lightest ultra-light unlined skirt, but that leather skirt is fun so I do sometimes travel in it (not if I'm wearing a leather jacket though, obviously).

I have one indestructible paler rather than darker grey sheath dress that I particularly like wearing on long flights due to its perfect ability not to appear dirty or crumpled even after an extremely long flight. I wear it with a leather jacket, colourful scarf and optional merino or cotton underlayer, and I often get compliments in it. Or I just wear one of my standard everyday dresses that I love (opting for the more indestructible ones for long flights).

I sometimes wear the heels and carry the walking shoes and trainers on flights, but often wear the heaviest pair, which in my case is the playful Dr Martens or other super-walkable shoes selected for their style not just their walkability. (Valentine Gaultier loafers (I have these, for example: https://www.thelabelmonster.co.....-leopard-m) if I won't be in rain, mud, snow or the sandy dust of the Middle East. Adorable snow boots for ski resorts and Canadian winters, etc.) I never ever wear trainers when not running or otherwise working out. Wearing ugly footwear particularly disturbs me, so given all the walking I do I really worked on that aspect of my style.

I have the lightest packable actually-waterproof (nowadays difficult to find!) jacket I could find for lots of walking in heavy rain (as I am expecting when I'm going to be travelling through Eastern Europe in a couple of months), which is a Marmot Women's Essence. I got a mid-grey one, but I rather love my husband's red men's one. I have never carried an umbrella. I don't even like carrying bags, let alone an umbrella!

I definitely wouldn't recommend switching to unstructured black EF stuff if you prefer structured light stuff. You won't feel good. Find a way to make your own light&structured style work. Experiment within your own style rather than thinking you need to veer off into a style you dislike. It is definitely worth devoting significant effort to finding footwear you love that will work for you. Think of this new chapter in your life as a great opportunity to have a huge amount of fun discovering what will work for you in your travels.

Sarah

Suz

(website)

Veteran

"When I was in Florida in February, my shoes were a problem. I thought they would be comfortable, but when I spent the entire day walking around the Kennedy Space Center, Theme Parks, and Botanical Gardens, I ended up with blisters and had to do an emergency mall run for another pair. It was a minor inconvenience, but I am not sure how to prevent that from happening? I picked shoes that were well worn for the trip, so I was caught off guard."

Because I walk so much when I travel, I'm really careful about footwear and also preventative measures. First, fashion sneakers are a godsend to travellers wanting to maintain style and comfort. Sockettes inside these sneakers will help with blisters. I like Smartwool because it breathes. If wearing sandals, even broken in ones, I like to use body glide on my feet, along with blister barriers -- little flat clear patches you can put on your foot in a place where the blister might develop. It's really helpful.

Also, lots of shoes!! Switching up my footwear has saved my skin-- literally -- a lot of times. (I learned that the way you learned it -- when my sandals broke in New York and my other pair had given me awful blisters, I had to go emergency shopping.)

Again, this makes the bag bigger/ heavier. But unless my trip is extremely short (i.e. 1-3 days or nights) or extremely focused in activities (rare, for me) I always need 4 pair.

On a summer city trip that might mean:

Fashion sneakers
Block heel sandals
Running shoes (for fitness)
Low wedge sandals

On a different trip in a cooler climate it might mean:

Hiking boots
Fashion sneakers
Low or mid heeled Booties
Dressy pumps

I do sometimes make a judgement about which fitness activities I will do on the trip. Sometimes if the trip is short and urban I simply count my extensive walking as my fitness and avoid carrying the gear. Other times, I cheat and use my cross trainers (supposed to be my "indoor" gym shoes) and go for a short run with them. But since that is how I think I gave myself PF, I should probably be careful about that in future.

Having said that, I have travelled with 4 pair of shoes and a 19" international carry on for multiple SUMMER/ EARLY FALL/ LATE SPRING trips without problem. The trouble comes when you are dealing with extreme winter weather and you need bulkier sweaters (or multiple layers), more substantial footwear, and a winter coat to keep warm. Or when you are travelling to multiple locales and have many different roles on your trip, as I often do -- work, socializing, hiking, etc.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am another who thinks a uniform of black is not the way to go -- both because it does not fit your personal style and -- (sorry Gaylene) -- in my experience, it tends to show the dirt rather than hide it!

Mid-tones (like mid-denim) and grey are superb. I typically use navy and denim as my core but greys would work fabulously. I've also travelled successfully with whites. It depends on the nature of the trip. I wore my white jeans last year in London on the tube and all over and had no problem. Wore them about 3 days of a 7 day trip!

I have no problem managing either my carry on or a larger suitcase (which is not too huge -- I have the Briggs and Meyers bags). I lug my stuff everywhere -- onto trains and into cabs, on the streets, in airports, up stairs. Weight of a bag is more an issue than size of bag, assuming we're not talking about a monstrous trunk. Of course, checking luggage means waiting for luggage, which can be a pain at times and you need to watch if you are making connections. I prefer to use the carry on when I can, but it is more important to me that I feel comfortable, well-dressed, and happy on the trip than that I fit some imaginary ideal of "light traveller."

A wool crepe or gabardine blazer can travel brilliantly. Mine never seems to wrinkle even if I leave it in the suitcase for a week or more (as I had to do on my most recent trip.)

JAileen

Veteran

I definitely trade style for function and convenience. I like leather and now seatbelt bags, but when I travel I take something lightweight with zippers, such as a Baggalini. My shoes are especially awful - my Salomon hiking shoes and Teva sandals. Even if we're in a city, my husband will suggest some muddy birding spot so I need to be prepared for anything.

Also, jeans are very heavy and also take a lot of space. I don't have a suggestion for them. I took nylon hiking pants to Turkey, and when we visited my son's school in Georgia he was horrified. Even though the village seemed rustic, the people dressed very fashionably. Oops.

Runcarla

Veteran

Although I pack to get the highest number of wears possible from travel clothes, I don't mind doing laundry enroute. The sink is okay for Lycra workout gear (baby shampoo is an all purpose cleaner by the way) but I prefer a pit stop at a laundromat during longer trips. If there is a college or university in the town, there is a laundromat, and every laundromat is an opportunity for a mini adventure! I start collecting coins in the currency of the country at the start of the trip so I don't have to scramble on laundry day. I've been pleasantly surprised that several places we've let that aren't standard hotels actually have a washer and dryer ensuite.

FWIW, I've done laundry all over North America, the Caribean and Europe!

Below is the website of a nice laundry in Bath, England that I 'visited'!

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Staysfit

Veteran

Author Linda, I found the Une Femme posts very helpful. I like her emphasis on using what you already have to build a travel closet. It was interesting to read her post because it was like she had read my mind and was addressing everything I have been thinking about.

Unfrumped, thanks for sharing your travel wardrobe wisdom! I think it's a great idea to pre-pack travel cubes and store them in the suitcase so they are ready to go, especially the frequently forgotten items. For my family that includes items like dental floss and hair brushes, but also sunscreen and insect repellant. It's often much more expensive to purchase these items once you arrive at a travel destination, so the pre-packing would pay off.

I haven't looked at the Travel Smith or Magellan catalogs for a long time. My desire to have an entire capsule from the same place seems a bit juvenile, kind of like Garanimals! I may not be spelling it correctly, but that was the capsule line of clothing for kids where if the tags matched the clothes would go together.

Movingfashionforward, you have some great tips that are particularly useful for me given my style preferences. (When I'm in an adult mindset.). I have to look look at some more gear like brands for rain trenches, and didn't think about Marmot. I predict that a replacement trench is going to be a HEWI. I also dislike carrying an Umbrella.

Suz, four pairs of shoes? What type? I agree it's good to switch shoes, but I need to give the ideal number and their functional purpose some careful thought because that's a lot of suitcase real estate. I can imagine, as in your suggestions, the type and number of shoes being different depending on the activities planned, the weather, and even the accommodations. For example, when staying in a warm climate where there is a swimming pool or sandy beach I might want three pairs of shoes, one of which would be some supportive Fit Flops that can get wet and be dried easily with a towel, but would protect my feet from heat, small rocks, broken glass, or whatever. The other two would be a pair of sneakers, and then a pair of dressy but supportive comfortable shoes, maybe low heeled pumps, maybe ballerina flats, that can go with a dress. I am going to give your suggestions some additional thought. I think you have traveled more than me and have some better insight about what might work. I absolutely agree it's a good idea to carry some form of blister intervention if there is a problem.

When I look in my closet at what I already have, the three color schemes that jump out at me for possible travel capsules are greys, light blues, and whites. My closet accent/accessory colors are jade, turquoise, Aqua, light teal, watermelon red, fuschia, pink coral, and lavender. I love the idea of prints and patterns for travel. I agree they are the least likely to show dirt and stains. I have fewer patterned tops than solid. The same is true of my dresses. I think some accessory bundles might be useful for travel. I want to think of my wardrobe in color groupings. If I pick light teal as my accessory color, I would then have certain scarves, cardigans, shoes, belts and a purse that I would use along with my basic neutral pieces to add interest. I would also have one or two tops. It might sound like a lot of work, but it really isn't going to be that bad, and in the end, it should save me time, and also some money because I can avoid spending on something I am unlikely to wear.

If I really want to streamline things, I could pare my neutral base capsules down to a grey capsule, and then a light blue capsule with some white pieces added in since whatever I wear with light blue is going to work with the white unless it is very dark. My uses for white as I can only imagine them at present, are limited for travel. I am amazed by others who can wear it and stay pristine.

Staysfit

Veteran

Runcarla, DH and I have many fond memories of Bath. A laundromat is a good suggestion, and one I have made use of when traveling in Europe. My mom buys socks from Travelsmith. They dry quickly. Also, they make good plugs for small sinks when they don't have them and you want to do some laundry. Baby shampoo has many uses. I clean my makeup brushes with it, and remove eye makeup with it as well when I'm traveling. My favorite travel soap is Dr. Bronners.

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