For several months now, I've been planning a two-week trip in September to the U.K. and Italy. Even though I know the summer travel season is winding down, I wanted to pass along some things I've learned, or been reminded of, in my research.
Today's topic: clothes that are ideal for travel. The following porducts mentioned are for men, though many similar products are available for women as well. And in case you start to wonder, no, I don't receive freebies, a commission, or payment of any kind by mentioning these products.
* Pack just two (three, tops) pairs of underwear. ExOfficio underwear is reasonably comfortable, it breathes, and it will dry within about 24 hours if left in your hotel room after washing. On a three-week trip to the U.K. a few years ago, I took only three pairs of underwear like these ($18). REI sells ExOfficio underwear, and the retailer has a generous return policy: Don't like it? You can return it at any time.
* Pack at least one no-iron
dress shirt. A lot of retailers are offering men's dress shirts that supposedly need no ironing and dry fairly quickly after washing. I've yet to own a shirt that never needed at least a quick touch up from an iron, however. The material in a no-iron dress shirt tends to be heavy, so it's not recommended if you're going to a muggy climate. And no-iron dress shirts aren't the most stylish shirts you'll find. Still, I've had good luck with shirts from Banana Republic and Jos. A. Bank Traveler label shirts.
* Pack (or wear) a pair of Ecco slip ons. Ecco makes the most comfortable dress shoes I've ever worn. You could practically go for a run in the Ecco Helsinki slip on shoe ($140; pictured). It's great for trips where you'll be doing a lot of walking--attending a large trade show, going to the theater in New York or London, and so on. And if you buy a pair, get them from Zappos.com (click the above link). They'll arrive practically minutes after you click the 'Buy' button, the shipping is free, you can return them within 365 days, and return shipping is also free.
Next time: tech you should travel with--and when you should not use it.
I always bring a pair of underwear when having travel and buy some clothes after I arrive so that I have less luggage.
Posted by: Navy Blue | September 13, 2011 at 08:28 PM