What to Wear?

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money.  ~Susan Heller

The temptation is to take more clothing in case you need for (fill in the blank), but unless you are traveling for business or something formal, most backpackers can make it with three shirts, a couple pants/shorts/skirt combo, and two changes of underwear if they are willing to wash as they go. It doesn’t matter what you take with you – you will hate it after two months of traveling. No one sensible looks like a runway model on the road. The bright side is that you can easily buy clothing as you go, often cheaper than you would at home, and they make great souvenirs.

Tips to make packing light more efficient:

• ·         Your clothing is more or less color coordinated so you can create multiple combinations (and thus avoid once in a life time photos like the one to the right - it was a long time ago and I obviously didn't give the color coordination angle enough thought :).

• ·         It’s worth investing in the new style of travel clothing that is quick drying and wrinkle resistant (wait for them to go on sale).
• ·         Pack with layering in mind, which will make your wardrobe more versatile.
• ·         Unless you’re headed to North America or Europe, not sure I’d bother with shorts. Most other cultures don’t wear them. (Please, no short short cut offs in places like India – it’s embarrassing what some people will wear - do your homework)

I personally don’t care for the greasy feel of sunscreen, so I often go for the long sleeved moisture wicking shirts. They are modest enough to suit most cultures and I don’t have to slather on as much sunscreen.

I also carry one light weight thermal bottoms, which can make light summer pants more comfortable on a cold night in the mountains, while waiting before dawn for a bus, or traveling on an overly air-conditioned bus (see Guatemala Night Bus). A light fleece layered over a shirt or two is also very warm.

If traveling fast and light, denim isn't the best choice. Jeans are relatively heavy and take forever to dry when washed or rained on.