The Ultimate Style Guide: How to Slay Your Vacation in Travel-Friendly Clothes
We all love a good getaway, but the road to paradise is often paved with hectic schedules and endless packing lists. In the chaos of booking flights and coordinating itineraries, your own comfort and style shouldn’t be sacrificed.
After all, your vacation starts the moment you leave your front door! Wearing travel-friendly clothes is about more than just about convenience. It's about feeling confident, staying cozy during long hauls, and slaying your airport look because let's be honest, the best travel stories are told through great pictures.
The science of fabrics
Fabric is the most crucial part of clothing. Choosing the right fabric can either help you nail a look or make it a total flop. After all, how the clothes look and fit you is all dependent on the type of fabric you use.
Before picking up a garment for yourself, you need to properly assess if the fabric suits you. While material, type, and weave are the technical dimensions of the fabric, the most critical dimension in choosing the fabric is how it drapes around you.
While common materials like cotton, silk, and chiffon have a similar touch and feel, some of the fabrics may have a unique touch and may take time to get familiar with. For example, while cotton gives a cool and breathable feel, silk fabric is famous for its silky feel, and warm fabrics like wool are known for their warm feeling. For travelling, cotton would be more of a travel-friendly fabric as opposed to silk.
It is essential to check how long the fabric will last. A good fabric should last for a minimum of washes, retaining the lustre and colour. Picking fabrics that will look polished and classy in pictures is important, as you don't want to look like you are wearing old, worn-out clothes.
The perfect airport look
Your aim for a perfect airport look is a mix of looking put together and wearing comfortable clothes. As you begin your packing list for your long plane ride, consider not sacrificing your style for what you are planning to wear on a plane and having a look that will allow you to hit the ground running when you arrive at your destination.
No one wants to deal with annoying bodysuits or jumpsuits in an airplane bathroom, dealing with a load button on a coat at airport security, or having to remove additional pieces of clothing because of metal detectors. Jeans can also get uncomfortable on an overnight flight or a long train journey.
Preferably, a comfy jogger and a cashmere hoodie or a merino wool sweater would be the ultimate outfit for travelling. No hassle, simple yet stylish. You can also wear athletic clothes, which are comfortable and made for long, sweaty hours, making them incredibly travel-friendly.
Essential clothing pieces you need to have in your luggage
To look your absolute best, here are 5 well-suited, travel-friendly, and budget-friendly clothing pieces that will last you long and also be your best friend when you want to travel.
- The “POWER” blazer: A lightweight, unstructured blazer is the ultimate travel hack. Wear it over a simple black tee and leggings for a chic “off-duty model” look, or throw it over a dress for a possible dinner date. Look for scuba or ponte fabrics that you can stuff into a carry-on without a single wrinkle.
- A tailored jogger: Jeans are the classic option most women would go for, but sadly, they are a travel “no-go” as they lack stretch. Instead, packing a pair of tailored joggers would be a better travel-friendly choice.
- The classic white button-down: A simple yet smart choice. Wear it buttoned up with trousers for a professional look, pull it over a swimsuit as a beach cover-up, or knotted over a crop top for a cute look. It's so versatile that it will make your travel fashion easy.
- A pashmina shawl: Who doesn't love a beautifully cozy shawl? It can act as your blanket, your pillow, and even a great shrug when it gets a little chilly.
- Crossbody bag: Yet another smart travelling item which will save you the hassle of rummaging through your belongings to find your passport or money. It's handy and perfect to go.
How to build a budget-friendly wardrobe
Instead of buying a new outfit for each day of your trip, start with five neutral, high-quality basics tees. By keeping these in a simple colour palette (like black, white, and navy), every top will match every bottom.
Again, rather than spending on expensive jeans, put your money on a pair of leggings or joggers that fit you well. These look expensive but are often available at budget-friendly retailers like Uniqlo or H&M.
Even fast fashion clothing outlets now have performance fabrics that will work well for you. H&M and GAP are both your best bets for getting cheap yet great-value clothes.
Buying pure polyester is the biggest NO when buying clothes, as it looks rather “cheap”; a blend with cotton or spandex gives you a better look.
The smartest plan to have a budget-friendly travelling clothing catalogue is to buy your basics at the lowest price point and then invest a little more for a versatile third piece, like a blazer, which will elevate your look and make it look posh and professional.
Footwear often takes up the most space and costs the most money. To stay true to your budget, limit yourself to two versatile pairs that can be worn with all your outfits. For instance, a good pair of flats and a comfortable heel would be the ultimate combination.
Also, be kind to your clothes. Maintenance goes a long way, and you can always restyle your old clothes. Some fabrics also need special care, like leather. Properly lubricate it so it does not get dry.
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