What to Pack (Clothing)

What to wear? Especially if your trip will be long or take you to different climates, deciding what clothes to bring can be difficult. Below are the clothes we packed and my recommendations. We could have taken less, so I've also given a list of what we now -- in hindsight -- feel are the essentials. All this is based upon travel to tropical climates where local clothing is generally inexpensive.
In my pack (mens):
One pair of walking shoes and one pair of Teva-style sandals
Two pairs of shoes are enough (though we met a couple who carries five!). The sandals were worn all the time. The walking shoes were mostly for trekking, evenings where there are many mosquitoes, and in especially dirty cities. I suggest walking shoes that could be worn to a nice restaurant (so avoid the bright colours and choose the boring brown suede ones instead)
2 pairs of Tilley quick dry socks - two pairs of socks is plenty, as I found I rarely wore the walking shoes. The Tilley socks are very durable. Though well-worn, the socks lasted the entire trip. Two pairs give you one set to wear while the other pair is being washed and dried.
1 swimsuit
2 pair Tilley quick dry boxers (I'd buy briefs instead next time. Boxers are too hot for the tropics but good for sleeping in)
3 briefs (1 pair Tilley quick dry briefs which are durable, well-designed, and always dry overnight. The two other pair I rarely wore and could easily get rid of. Three pair of underwear in total is enough as long as they all will dry overnight)
1 long sleeve "formal" shirt - I brought a white linen long sleeved shirt. It was perfect for evenings when I wanted to cover up to avoid the mosquitoes while at a nice restaurant. Surprisingly, it even stayed white!
Quick dry t-shirt - As with most clothing, you can buy these abroad but they are often of poor quality (lasting only a few weeks). Quick dry athletic fabrics are perfect for travelling in hot humid places. I wore this t-shirt very often. Essential.
Cotton t-shirt - Cotton is a poor choice for travelling, especially the thick cotton that t-shirts are usually made from. It usually shows sweat dampness, dries slowly, and is hot. That said, this shirt was great when I was trekking in Nepal and wanted warmth and breathability.
Tilley longsleeve shirt - Too hot for the tropics but good for cool places and for covering the arms during treks. The cotton was too heavy though. Go for thin, lightweight, and breatheable. Tilley clothes are well-made but I find this results in shirts that are too heavy and hot to be practical in the tropics.
Long-sleeved fleece pullover - I brought this for trekking in Nepal and was glad I did. If you're planning to go trekking at high altitudes, be prepared for cold wet conditions and no heat in your room at night. I could have bought this in Nepal and would have done so if I'd known how much outdoor gear was available there.
Long-sleeved quick dry pullover - I brought this for cool nights and for trekking. There were a few places I was glad to have it: trekking in the mountains in Vietnam, in the foothills of the Himalayas in India, and in Nepal. I could have layered other clothing, but this was nice to have.
Long underwear - We bought thermal underwear online in Canada and had friends bring it when we met them in India. They made trekking in Nepal much more comfortable, especially at night. Despite outdoor clothing being available everywhere in Nepal, I never saw thermal underwear for sale. If you're going somewhere cold in Asia, I'd recommend bringing some as you likely won't find it there.
Mittens and wool hat - purchased these in Nepal. Great souvenirs and we were glad to have them in the snow at 4500 metres. Don't bring them with you and mail them home when you're done (or give them away to a local who needs them more than you)
Tilley shorts - I judge travel shorts and pants by their pockets. Can the pockets be closed with a zipper? Do they have velcro flaps to cover them? Do they (like Tilley clothing) have secret pockets for valuables? I would never put anything of value in my pockets unless the pants/shorts have these features. I've heard too many stories from travellers who were pickpocketed. Tilley shorts pass the test and are also very durable and comfortable. Unfortunately, there are many countries where it is inappropriate to wear shorts regardless of the temperature (such as India). Thus, it is more important to have good pants ...
Tilley pants - similar to the shorts and with all the good pocket features, these were really useful but too hot to wear much in the tropics. Pants should be thin cotton or (better yet) a quick dry, breathable fabric that is cool. Nevertheless, these were worn a lot.
Nylon pants - had these made at a tailor shop Vietnam. Lightweight with cargo pockets that zip closed and have flaps secured by velcro. Secure, lightwight, and quickdry these were the perfect travelling pants. If you can find nylon pants with secure pockets, buy them.
Zip-off pants - these were similar to the nylon pants I had made. Made of a thin breathable fabric, they kept me cool during long hot treks through the rainforest. They also had one zipper pocket for money. I wore these pants out. However, I only removed the pantlegs two or three times. Thus, zip-off pants are not needed if you bring a pair of shorts. Bring good, breathable pants instead.
After travelling for ten months, the wardrobe changed a bit. It is now:
2 shortsleeve very thin cotton shirts
1 white linen longsleeved shirt (noted above)
1 longsleeved thin cotton shirt (now very faded and worn). Find a thin cotton shirt that is loose and doesn't show moisture and you will have the perfect travel garment! I bought this, the other cotton shirts, and pants at the FabIndia clothing chain in India.
Tilley shorts (see above)
Cotton tshirt (noted above)
Two pairs of loose cotton "pajama" pants. Perfect for the beach but they don't meet my pocket criteria. Comfortable for beach time though.
Belt - bought this as I lost weight during travel. Buy your pants a little small and you won't need one.
I got rid of my zip off pants and my tilley pants. The zip-offs were worn out (had been worn on every trek and were in bad shape). The Tilley pants were just too hot and thus were rarely worn.
1 Tilley hat - I was glad to have this for sun protection in many places, though it made me look goofy.
The Essentials to Pack
If we were to do it all again, this is the clothing I'd put in my bag
2 pairs of shoes (one pair of walking shoes, one pair of Tiva-style sandals)
2 pairs of Tilley quick-dry socks
3 pair of Tilley quick-dry briefs
1 quick-dry t-shirt
1 long-sleeved cotton shirt (thin and loose-fitting)
1 pair Tilley shorts
1 pair of lightweight pants
1 hat for sun protection
For Women:
2 pairs of shoes (one pair of walking shoes, one pair of Teva-style sandals)
8 pairs underwear - Could have made do with less -- maybe five pair -- but wouldn't have saved much space by doing so. Only bring cotton or quick dry underwear (no satiny ones) which are best in the heat and dry quickly. Tilley underwear are good but not very attractive. Cotton is best.
1 bra - Didn't buy this until 3/4 of the way through the trip, as Laura had been wearing tanktops with built-in support. When she decided to buy new shirts, she needed to also buy a bra. Laura's bra-optional tanktop outfit may not work for women who are especially well-endowed. In that case, breathable cotton tshirts would be a better choice. Be conscious that in many countries, exposed skin will attract unwanted attention from men and women (as well as demonstrating a lack of cultural sensitivity)
Longsleeve dress shirt - Bought halfway through the trip to have something nice for evenings. Not worn very much though.
3 tshirts - Purchased halfway through the trip. Only really needed one. Shortsleeve shirts are more culturally appropriate than tanktops which require you wear a long-sleeve overshirt to cover the arms.
2 tanktops - Should have brought only one tanktop and one more dressy tshirt, as you can't wear tanktops to dinner. As noted above, tanktops require a longsleeve overshirt in some countries (such as India and all Muslim countries) to be culturally sensitive. However, the coolest outfit Laura wore was a tanktop with her Tilley sunshirt worn overtop. Loose fitting but she never got a sunburn.
1 longsleeve sunshirt - Probably worn this over 300 times over the course of the year. Would suggest a colour that goes with lots of different things. Worn to cover her arms exposed by the tanktop and for sun protection (it is rated 50SPF). Was more conservative with sleeves rolled down, or could be cooler with sleeves rolled up. This outfit was cooler than the clothing worn by local women (kurtas or saris), which were more restrictive and allowed less air circulation.
Pant-skirt - Bought a pair of loose wide-legged thin cotton pants that look like an ankle-length skirt. Wore them all the time; they're cool and can be "dressed up" as well.
2 strapless sundresses - Bought them while travelling near the end of the trip. Good beach cover-ups and for sunset dinners.
Zipoff pants - Only wore them as pants for trekking and sometimes at night for mosquitoes. The rest of the time they were worn as shorts. More useful than full-length pants as they double as shorts. These were Laura's only shorts other than a small pair of beach shorts that would not be appropriate in the city. In many of the countries we visited, shorts are not appropriate for women or men. Even capri pants are pushing the limits of what is acceptable. Capri pants are useless in the evening for mosquito protection. In countries that tolerate shorts, there will be temples you cannot visit wearing them (making zip-on pantlegs very convenient).
1 pair of beach shorts - worn over her bathing suit, Laura didn't use these often. It would have been much easier to buy these, a sarong or sundress abroad.
Loose cotton pajama pants - bought these halfway through the trip in India. Replaced her zipoff pants which by then were too big. Breathable and good for hot climates.
3 bikinis - Brought two and bought one abroad. Only used them near the end of our trip. Should have brought one and bought others as needed. If you want a full support suit that offers more coverage than a bikini, buy it at home. You may have difficulties finding what you want abroad. If you're travelling in Asia, remember that Asian women are petite and the size of clothes will reflect that. Note that in Muslim countries, women either do not go swimming or do so fully clothed. It would be highly inappropriate to wear a bikini outside tourist areas in these countries (and expose you to a lot of unwanted attention)
1 Tilley hat - was expensive and rarely worn. Would buy an inexpensive hate while travelling next time.
1 fleece - used in Nepal and a few times elsewhere in the trip. In hindsight, should have bought it in Nepal instead.
2 light thin scarves - bought while travelling and used to cover shoulders while wearing a tanktop, cover the head in temples, and as a belt to "dress up" outfits.
1 Salwar Kameez - bought in India, this local outfit garnered much positive attention from locals. Wearing it, especially in temples and other traditional places, seemed to convey respect for local traditions and culture. It was also beautiful, if hot. In conservative countries, buy a local outfit for visiting religious places; it will make for a much more positive reaction to your visit. The outfit will also be a nice souvenir of your visit.
The Essentials to Pack
If we were to do it all again, this is the clothing Laura would put in her bag.
2 pairs of shoes (1 walking shoes, 1 Teva-style sandals). Knowing the terrain and length of our Nepal trek, she would also have brought worn-in hiking boots.
2 pair Tilley quick dry socks
2 pairs of Tilley briefs and 2 pairs of cotton underwear
1 cotton bra
1 tanktop
1 sunshirt (long-sleeved)
1 dressy t-shirt
1 pair zip-off pants
1 swimsuit
A final note on clothing: If you're travelling for longer than three months, there is a good chance you will lose weight. After six months, our clothes had become baggy and needed tailoring. Some garments were mailed home because they were too big. For this reason, don't expect that what you pack will last you for the whole trip. Buy clothing abroad: its cheaper, supports the local economy, and makes a good souvenir. Often the clothes are of poor quality, however, and won't last long.
One last note: Tilley travel clothing is mentioned several times above with good reason: they are of good quality and well-designed (not because I have any particular loyalty to the store). I also like that they are Canadian, and have knowledgeable staff. Their website is www.tilley.com