With a limited wardrobe (read: just some clothes crammed into your luggage), you’ll probably feel a bit less stylish. Hey, don’t sweat it, just let it go! Go with the flow! There is a whole new style for you out there: the relaxed traveler’s style!
But: this is not to be confused with the hobo-on-the-streets style, which in some countries is frowned upon. For instance, in Laos they really appreciate hygiene and clean clothes. There is no need in wearing shirts that are threadbare and falling of your back as you walk around.
Buy local
When traveling in Southeast Asia, buy some light weight cotton pants there on a market. They are much more comfortable than shorts, great for covering your legs for mosquitoes and very cheap to buy there (about $3 on the markets). Long pants are usually better than shorts that may be too revealing to walk into temples and make you feel very self aware… You don’t need to go for the low crotch ones (that other backpackers may wear), there are elegant harem pants too. Or the Thai fisherman pants that wrap around and fit almost any size.
A poncho or kimono style jacket are also great to combine with any style.
Color coded…
An easy way to keep some style while traveling is keeping the clothes in your backpack or suitcase in one or two colors. Black is an easy choice, and can look elegant or sporty depending on the type of clothing and accessories. You can look great with some cheap jewelry or a funky colored scarf bought on a local market.
Blue in different shades can look great too.
FYI: white is not such an easy color when traveling in countries with lots of dusty roads and some wonky washing ways. That is, unless you don’t mind that your whites won’t be as white after a day or two, and probably never will be again…
… or not?
But having everything in one or two colors can be a bit boring too… So, why not go for colorful clothes, and make sure they all could be worn with one another. So every t-shirt must be able to be worn with every shorts, pants and skirts, and vice versa.
When you bring a top that only goes with one certain pair of shorts and not with any other clothing, you won’t be wearing it often. Because what if that one pair of shorts is in the laundry bag?
Comfort above all
The key word when putting together your stylish backpack, is ‘comfortable’. Believe us, nothing is less comfortable than putting on tight jeans after a day in the sweaty jungle. Or what about a top that is so low cut, that you have half the male population of the village following you back to your hotel?
Washable
You should bring clothing that can be washed at a low temperature (sometimes the only choice is a cold washing cycle), and what you don’t mind putting together in a washing machine. You don’t have the opportunity (or time) to do all separate loads, plus those loads would be too small for a washing machine anyway.
If you decide to have your clothes washed in Thailand (great 24 hour service), don’t bother with the ironing service. They fold your clothes so compressed and neat, that there will be no wrinkles in any of your garments, not even your undies! The washing is very cheap and usually paid for per kilo / per 2.2 lbs. If you end your trip in a country like Thailand, it is a great idea to have everything washed just before you go home. You’ll put everything clean and neatly folded in your backpack. And at home you only need to put it straight into your closet. This way you don’t need to do a load of washing when you come home!
No ironing
In general try to bring clothes that can handle being crunched at the bottom of your back pack. Because a toiletries bag and a pair of shoes will be on top of it at some point. Also bring clothes that don’t look too shaggy after a few wears and washes.
Night out?
Of course, when traveling, you may want to come prepared for a fun night out. Bring a cute and multifunctional little black dress with you. Preferably of a fabric that doesn’t crease and wrinkle too much, so when you find it at the bottom of your luggage, it still looks good. Wear some cute ballerina’s and a cool necklace or colored scarf with it to look very stylish.
An organized mess
An easy way to keep your backpack somewhat organized, is to put everything in smaller bags. There are products called packing cubes or suitcase organizers to do this. One cube with long sleeved tops, one with short and no sleeved tops, one with pants and shorts. Then one with your undies and another one for your socks. It is easy to organize your backpack and you know exactly where which bag is.
It avoids the grabbing blindly in your backpack trying to find that one top: Attempt three digs of getting a pair of shorts, a single sock and another top out. Next you will be throwing everything from your backpack out onto the bed. This makes even more of a disorganized mess out of it – been there, done that. Packing cubes or suitcase organizers are ideal!
Laundry collecting
Don’t forget to bring something to put your laundry in, so your smellies won’t be interfering with the clean clothes.
air-do’s and don’t’s
When traveling in western countries, you’ll have time and space to do your styling as usual (with straighteners, curling irons, etc.), but in places like South-East Asia you’ll probably won’t. There isn’t always electricity or a socket to plug in your equipment. The damp heat may change your freshly styled hair back into a frizzy mop in no time. So rather bring some extra hairbands, elastics and some defrizz product, and go with the natural flow of your hair. It may even be a fun time to try out a shorter hair-do that air-dries quicker and is easier to handle.
