Travel Gear We Love: Travel Clothes Edition
The clothes you choose for a trip aren’t only about looking good … though we have nothing against cute. But when you’re traveling, functionality, comfort and the culture in your destination play a part in what you pack as well.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on “travel” clothes. The items in your everyday wardrobe can serve as travel clothes — you may simply need to add a few pieces for specific activities such as surfing or hiking.
Beyond creating a capsule wardrobe — sticking to a single palette so that you can mix and match — we’d like to humbly suggest these particular travel clothes that we always make room for in our bags. Here’s the Travel Gear We Love: Clothing Edition.
The travel clothes you choose should be comfortable, easy to wash and versatile.
HEATHER
I used to primarily pack carry-on only, and often I still do. It really depends on where I am going and what I am doing; regardless, I try to pack as light as I can! I also try to purchase travel clothes I can wear on a lot of different types of trips. I choose quality items that will hold up over time so I can use them trip after trip. Most of my “travel clothes” are my regular clothes with some quick dry, sink-washable items thrown in when necessary. That being said, below are my tried and true foundational elements.
Shoes
I cannot overstate this: Finding good travel shoes is so important. You will most likely be putting a lot of miles on them in a short amount of time. Even in the ultra-fashionable city of Paris, comfortable shoes were king. You’ll always see some women strutting down the street in stilettos, and they look good doing it! But I’m 54, and my feet are too, so cute and comfortable are very important to me.
I did it. I succumbed. I’ll admit it: I’m vain. I like my Cariumas, my Vans, and my Chuck Taylors. But on a recent trip to NYC, where we clocked 26,000 steps on the first day, my feet were destroyed in the Van’s I had packed. On day two, at around 15,000 steps, we spotted a HOKA store, and I walked in, grabbed the last pair of HOKA Cliftons – the staff pick for best walking shoe, and I gratefully put them on my feet. Ahhhhh. As I was checking out, with my Vans in the bag, I asked the cashier, “How many tourists come in here buying shoes because they underestimated how much walking they would do?’ Said the cashier featured broadly to the entire PACKED store. “All of them.” After wearing the HOKA shoes for the rest of the trip while my blisters healed, I can say without a doubt that comfort is sexy and walking without pain is hot. I even wore them the following week to a trade show and had no leg, lower back, or foot pain that entire week, which was wild. They are undoubtedly bulky, but I’m taking them on my next trip to Spain and will wear them on the plane. As a bonus, they are easy to step into without untieing. I have a friend with planter fasciitis, and she has sworn by these shoes for years. I’m a convert!
Despite my new love of HOKAs, I do still love my Cariumas and see them having a place in my travel plans. I learned about Cariuma from Julianne, and I love them! White sneakers are a popular shoe right now, which makes the white-on-white leather Salvas an excellent choice. The shoes clean up nicely, are super comfortable, and even after two years of wear, they still look brand new. I have arthritis in my feet, and after five or six miles, I usually start to experience foot pain in even my most trusted shoes. I purchased my Salvas two years ago before a trip to Lisbon. I walked 52 miles in six days in these brand-new just-out-of-the-box shoes, and my feet felt great! These are a staple on most of my trips.
I love heels, but my feet no longer love them. However, I have found a heeled sandal I can still wear that is comfortable enough to walk a fair bit in. It’s the Toms Majorca. I tromped around Greenwich Village in these when I visited New York City. They have a sturdy heel that comes in classic, rope or cork for various settings. I love the classic, and they come out with different fabrics every so often.
I was surprised a few years ago when I started seeing Birkenstocks everywhere. They have elevated the brand, and I can’t deny the quality and comfort of a good pair of Birks. I like the multi-strap Mayari and find them incredibly versatile and comfortable for many types of travel.
Jackets and Coats
Eddie Bauer Cirruslite Hooded Down Jacket
If I’m traveling and it’s dipping below 50 degrees F, I’m packing this jacket. It’s so lightweight it feels like you’re wearing nothing, but you’re warm. I love having a hood in case it rains. It’s water repellent, which means you’ll be fine in light rain, and OK in a heavy one until you can get to shelter. I layer it over a long-sleeve shirt and hoodie if it’s colder, but in most cases, this will suffice. I wear it all through our very cold Indiana winters, down to zero degrees.
The best part? It will literally fit in the water bottle pouch on my backpack. It packs down THAT SMALL. It’s a very affordable price point, and Eddie Bauer has a great return policy.
The Cotopaxi Teca Half Zip Windbreaker packs down into its own pocket, making it a very easy-to-pack add-on. If I am going to be biking, hiking, sailing or kayaking, I grab this baby. It’s a great middle layer if it’s on the brisk side or a great top layer to cut the wind. Cotopaxi is a company with a wonderful mission; I love supporting them.
I snagged the Fuego on a big-time end-of-season clearance sale, and I love, love, love it. Not only are the colors super fun — I love that it packs down really small in its own zipped pocket and I love the interior layout. With interior pockets on both sides as well as zipped exterior pockets it’s the perfect travel coat. Super warm, cozy, and colorful — what more can you ask for?
Socks
Simply the cutest compression socks you will find. Wearing compression socks on long-haul flights is important. I don’t care if you’re 20 or 100, the health benefits outweigh the slight irritation. I have the knee-high pink and blue striped ones. I love them. I’ve had them for five years and only wear them on long flights, but they still look like brand new.
Why compression socks? On travel days that involve sitting for long periods of time, wearing compression socks reduces the side effects of edema. Compression socks work their magic by gently squeezing the legs to increase blood flow from your legs and feet back toward your heart. Once the blood starts to move, swelling subsides. You’ll also lower the risk of developing blood clots that can lead to deep vein thrombosis. Check out our post on surviving long flights for more tips.
I love Bombas. I bought a four-pack four or five years ago, and they still feel like new socks. Seriously, I love them. I have them in ankle, quarter and calf lengths. I take six pairs regardless of the length of the trip and wash them in the sink when I need to. Bombas donates a pair of socks for every purchase. They are not cheap, but they will last for a long time. I buy them for everyone I know — I love them that much.
Pants
I’m not a big fan of recommending “travel clothes,” because, for the most part, I’m traveling in clothes I wear at home. And these are no exception, but they are great for travel, and here’s why: elastic waist, so many pockets, soft and thin enough to be comfy and flattering but structured enough to not look sloppy. Pair with sneakers, flats or birks. Versatile. I have two pairs, black and olive.
JULIANNE
I have a few considerations for my must-have travel clothes list. One: I need certain things (compression socks, elastic waistbands) to keep me healthy and able. Two: I need certain things for certain kinds of trips — European city versus backpacking through the Upper Peninsula, for example. That being said, my favorite travel clothes are largely socks and shoes.
Tara M Boots from The Walking Company
Sadly, my gray and black pairs aren’t on The Walking Company’s website any more. But you can find lots of great pairs of basic “European city” boots by other brands in The Walking Company’s stores and on their website. Mine are your classic lug heel that lace up with a side zipper — not unlike Doc Martens in appearance. I’ve become a big fan of products from both The Walking Company and Aerosoles for heavy-duty walking in urban settings — both typically have great arch support.
Few things irk me as much as having to stop all day long and pull up socks that have slid into my shoes. So when I found these no-show socks that stay put even after nearly 20,000 steps in Boston, I bought four packages of four. They’re truly no-show in every shoe I’ve worn, and the cushion on the back not only holds them in place, but also protects my heel. And they’re a bamboo cotton blend, so they’re breathable whether I’m slipping through soupy mud along Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or hiking in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
I put a lot of miles on my hiking boots in some rugged terrain — I live in Colorado, after all. But I first bought these when I lived in Indiana for a six-day backpacking trip through the Upper Peninsula, my first big hiking adventure of any kind. Nothing like starting off with a 42-mile trek carrying 35-plus pounds on your back. These allowed room for my feet to swell, and I didn’t lose any toenails. They have high ankle coverage for stability on uneven, rocky surfaces or when carrying a load, and they’re waterproof for stream crossings.
If I’m flying for a hiking adventure, I’ll usually just wear them on the airplane, because they’re too big to pack. (And I have Global Entry, so I don’t have to take off my shoes in security.)
Sketchers Air-Cool Memory Foam Slip-ons
I first bought Aerosoles in Times Square, when I wore out the shoes that I had been wearing to walk all over the Big Apple. And I first bought these black Sketchers in Las Vegas, when I decided it would be a good idea to walk every inch of the Strip and more in a single day and nearly hobbled myself. They’ve become my go-to for any journey (unless I’m wearing my hiking boots) because they’re soft and comfortable, cool, let my feet swell, and slip off easily on an airplane or in the car. These also go through the washing machine amazingly well. I only wore one single pair of shoes on an entire two-week trip through South Africa and Zimbabwe, and this was it.
REI Midweight Wool Hiking Socks
Believe it or not, of all the fancy, technical hiking socks out there, I love the basic, cheapest REI midweight wool hiking socks. They’re so thick and cozy. They provide amazing cushioning not only under my Salomons but also under my Tara M boots, because my ankles are bony, and zip-up boots always gap. They’re wool, which means they wick moisture and keep your feet healthy. They’re like a warm hug for your feet.
Kuhl Weekendr Tight
First things first: Kuhl Weekendr Tights don’t look or feel like yoga pants. But they’re every bit as comfortable. I got a pair for my birthday about five years ago; since then I’ve worn them with tennis shoes and a tee while hiking in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, as well as with chunky sandals and a blouse while working in a law firm in downtown Denver. They’re super versatile! They have a slight texture, with a bit of detail on the thighs that dresses things up, yet they have give and stretch. They have pockets — a must in every travel pant. They have an elastic waistband that lays flat, so you have no odd pouch or pooch, and they skim the backside for a more refined look than yoga pants. They’re lightweight, rugged, wash and dry easily and go with everything. I love my Kuhl Weekendr Tights so much that I just ordered a second pair of the exact same thing, except a size smaller, because the first were always a bit loose in the waist. And because I want to be sure I have a lifetime supply of these pants. And because I want to keep a pair in our place in Denver and our condo out east. Come to think of it, I probably need to order more.
Lululemon Joggers
It’s hard to find joggers that don’t balloon around me and make my skinny butt look flat and dumpy. Lululemon’s Ready to Rulu joggers fit the bill. You can’t beat a pair of soft pants with an elastic waistband (crucial for someone with IBS and dangerous swelling of the extremities when sitting or flying). Even better, they have pockets, super handy when you’re juggling things as you travel. And they’re basic enough to dress up or down — essential when it comes to travel clothes.
You wouldn’t expect such style-forward shoes to be so comfortable. But they have a skater pedigree, so they’re sturdy on every kind of wobbly or wild surface. They’re also sustainable, constructed of cork and recycled materials. And the company is a B Corp, with all the good that comes from that.
Patagonia Jacket and Joggers
I had a really hard time writing my section of this blog, because all of my travel clothes are so old that they doesn’t show up on websites anymore. Yet my gear is still going strong, which is why I love it so much! Take my midweight blue Patagonia jacket. I bought it from REI when I bought my Salomon boots and everything else I needed for that 2015 backpacking trip, under the advice of some super helpful outdoorsy dudes.
(Seriously, if you need a lot of travel gear, go to REI. The people who work there are passionate and know their stuff. The return policy is phenomenal, as are the store’s environmental practices. And a co-op membership pays for itself in no time.)
At the time that I bought this jacket, I knew nothing about Patagonia. But since then I’ve become a devotee — I’ve even read the founder’s book. I can’t love a brand more than I love Patagonia. (REI is a close second.) And this Patagonia jacket is my grab-and-go for just about anything outdoors. It’s a great weight for cool days, and it can go under a heavy coat or over a few layers with ease. It has pockets galore, all with zippers. It’s extremely washable, stuffable and smushable, and thin enough that I can tie it around my waist when I get too warm.
It will last forever; and if for some reason it doesn’t, Patagonia will repair it.
Another go-to when choosing travel clothes — the Patagonia Quandary Joggers. It took years, but I finally found another pair of joggers that fit my narrow hips well. (Or I should say that my guy did. They were a birthday gift. He has good taste!) They’re really comfortable, of course, but they also have a bunch of deep, useful pockets that actually hold things — big things like my passport or my phone, for example. I could go out without a purse if I wanted to.
I also appreciate that these pants are made from 96 percent postconsumer recycled nylon that comes from recycled fishing nets, and they have a water-repellent finish. I love them so much that I’m getting more in other colors.
I already owned a bunch of KUHL clothes (see above), so when the brand reached out and offered Heather and me their new Kontour pants and shorts to try, I was over the moon. And I objectively *love* them. Here’s why.
They’re stretchy, so I can hike and bike. But they have drawstrings, so they don’t sag around my waist. (Hence the “Kontour.”) They have pockets, so I can tuck my ever-present phone (it’s also my camera) when I need my hands for other things and feel confident that it won’t drop out. They go with everything. They wash and dry easily at a laundromat without any special care. The 4-inch shorts aren’t too long or too short. And the pants can stand up to a flock of hungry chickens in the rain at the Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport, Maine.
Travel clothes can be hard to recommend, because what you pack for a trip is very dependent on your destination, activities, body type and personal style. But there are a few pieces we love that go the extra mile. In fact, they’re so helpful that they go nearly all of the extra miles with us.
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