Creating a Mix and Match Travel Wardrobe for Men

Last week I posted about creating a minimal, but impactful travel wardrobe.  The guys were really interested in one for them, too. As easy as it is for guys to pack light, it's not always in a way that gives enough variation if you are planning to do different types of things on your trip. On our trip to London and Paris, we had to pack for general sightseeing, fancier occasions like tea and theater and also for running around a theme park. Now, normally, we would just throw some jeans and khakis in a bag and go, but we wanted to blend in also keep warm and dry in the cold, and possibly rainy, weather. Now, I did not keep a log of Eric's outfits, nor did I make him do a crazy changing session for me for the purposes of this post, but I did get this full-length photo of him and came up with a similar packing list below.

Long sleeve shirts were imperative for this trip, as we would be spending a lot of time outside and needed a good layer under a coat. Eric chose three pair of pants to bring with him. Two of them were Bluff Works, which hold up to practically anything, are quick-drying, can work as dress or casual pants and can go many wears between washes. The other were a pair of cargo pants from GoLite. (I have replaced them with jeans, as most people are more comfortable in them.) He also wore a pair of Columbia boots and packed a pair of dressier loafers that were also great for walking. 

men's travel wardrobe 1 by shereentravels featuring khaki pants

We shopped Columbia for a shirt similar to the one above that features a zip pocket (for keeping a wallet and/or passport safe from thieves). Eric really liked this shirt and, being flannel, it was warm and comfortable and a great layering piece over a t-shirt and under a jacket. So, we bought two different colors and packed them both.

men's travel wardrobe 2 by shereentravels featuring flat front pants

Finding a sweater that he would wear was a bit trickier. Being the total opposite of me, Eric is always hot, so he doesn't often wear sweaters. Fortunately, I found one made by a company like Columbia and REI that was breathable, lightweight, but still warm. that meant it could also be layered over one of the other shirts if needed. A similar one can be found here. A sweater can be casual, but can also be dressed up with slacks and nice shoes, so it can be worn for nice activities, like lunch on a yacht!

men's travel wardrobe 3 by shereentravels featuring black chino pants

Everyone should own a polo: short sleeve and long sleeve. While these are reminiscent of dudes playing the back nine, they are also the perfect balance of comfort and preppy, so you can look put together enough for anything not requiring a dinner jacket. You probably already have one of these in your closet, but if not, Columbia has a great one that is breathable and quick-drying, making it a great travel companion. And again, can be layered under the sweater if you need to bulk up.

men's travel wardrobe 4 by shereentravels featuring black pants

Packing a jacket can be a pain, but if you plan to go out to a nice dinner or take in a play, it's worth it to include one in your carry-on. Lucky for us, the Skyroll spinner bag has that nifty garment bag on the outside. Eric also owns a "packable" jacket I bought for him some time ago on TravelSmith. It doesn't really wrinkle and it doesn't take up as much space as a normal jacket (though still kind of bulky), but it works in a variety of situations and it looks good. Now, you can pack a boring white shirt, or mix it up with a pop of color here (nobody will know if you wear the same shirt on different occasions, except you). The easiest part of all of your dressed up look is a tie. You can bring one or several, since they hardly take up any room. Obviously, I like a tartan pattern, but that's just me. Take along any that you have that will match with the shirt, pants and jacket you're packing.

This is what the majority of our pics looked like +/- sunglasses, +/- hats

Though most of our pictures from vacation were of us all bundled up, there are plenty of times we were inside and able to take our coats off, so you could actually see what we were wearing. For those times, five shirts and three pairs of pants could combine to make at least fifteen different outfits. You could get more looks by layering, though you have enough variety in there to not get bored with your look, wear everything you brought and not look the same twice in a two week vacation. You are probably still going to want to do laundry (as we did at least three loads on our trip) to keep things fresh smelling, but this easily packable wardrobe will always have you looking fresh.

Do you have a style of packing light that works for you? Tell us about it.

Infographic: Why Get Travel Insurance?

I bet when you plan your vacations and run through all the everything-that-could-go-wrong scenarios, you barely ever think about things like:

What if I fall and break my leg?

What if my luggage gets stolen?

What if a cab runs over my foot?

What if I have an allergic reaction to something I've never eaten before?

What if there's a freak snowstorm and I can't get home?

What if the airline goes out of business?

What if I get sand in my eye and it scratches my cornea?

Not that I'm trying to scare you, but these things DO happen. Probably not every day and maybe they won't even happen to you. The point is, even if they might not, they could and wouldn't you like to be prepared? For just a few dollars, you can insure your whole vacation and travel party should anything unforeseeable happen and ruin your trip. Though this graphic uses British statistics, the same can be applied to America and other countries. Do you need travel insurance? Find out! And if you do, check out Allianz for affordable packages for any trip.

Would You Be Covered infographic

Have you ever taken out travel insurance and had to use it? Thankfully, I have not had to, but better to be safe than sorry, I always say.

How to Pack Light and Have a Large Travel Wardrobe

I know that packing light is a challenge for a lot of ladies. I used to want to take my whole closet, too, but then I went to Europe and had to carry all my crap around town with swollen, angry feet, up and down subway stairs. I could barely pick up my bag and some nice guy helped me drag it up the steps at one point. I had to wait at the baggage carousel for two bags when we arrived and I basically felt like a slave to my luggage. Over the years, I've steadily whittled down my travel wardrobe to just the essential pieces and one fun piece that can be versatile. Today I want to show you how I packed for my upcoming trip back to London and Paris. I have packed three pairs of pants, five tops, two tanks for layering, a scarf and some fun jewelry. This is in addition to the outfit I'll be wearing on the plane. 

Because we are traveling in the fall, the weather can be unpredictable, so instead of a pair of sandals that can work as walking shoes and dressy shoes, I broke my own rule and am taking a pair of heels. Shooties that are comfy, will keep my feet warm and also look great going to the theater, afternoon tea and other dress up activities. (You can click on all these pictures to see them bigger.) I am also taking my favorite boots that are rollable (similar to these), so they take up way less space in my bag. they are waterproof, snowproof, warm and keep my feet happy.

This first outfit is my plane outfit. It consists of a stretchy Hudson Jeans (mine are from the discontinued travel collection, but these are similar), a pair of ballet flats with enough support that I can walk all day in them a breezy tank and a warm cardigan. I'll be packing a second pair of jeans in a lighter wash for a more casual look. Since the look will be similar, I decided a second picture was overkill. (My second pair are James Jeans Skinny "Jeggings".) I am also packing a pair of black James Jeans skinny jeans because they are comfy, but can also be dressed up, and a pair of black ponte pants with faux leather and zipper detailing for dressing up. Leather is really big right now, but really unaffordable. Faux does the trick, plus it breathes and is animal-friendly. You could also go with fancy leggings, but for colder weather, I chose something more substantial with the same look. See how my striped shirt can go with all my pants, and I can layer it with another tank and accessorize it.

Now, onto the tops I'm packing: I found this fun pink faux wrap top at Lucy on sale. It has strategic ruching and is thin enough for warmer days, but can also be layered with a tank and cardigan if needed. I like that it can be casual with jeans or dressed up with some nice pants and shoes. I'll probably even throw on some fun jewels.

You can't travel in the cool weather without packing a sweater of some kind. I am not a fan of big bulky sweaters and they don't pack well at all. I also learned my lesson from last time I packed heavy sweaters that they are not good for unpredictable weather. If it becomes unseasonably warm, they are basically useless. This is why layering is a great travel concept and it helps to think in those terms when packing. This Splendid sweater from Piperlime is sold out, but you can find a similar one here on Saks. It has a nice stretch, so the sleeves can be pushed up. It also looks great with a tank underneath and isn't too bulky to wear with a coat. I like the pop of color, as it can also be casual or dressy.

I love this drapey top from Lucy. It's sold out now, as I buy much of their items when they are on sale, but you can find similar ones other places. It has a bit of a cowl neckline, long sleeves and is lightweight. Again, this works in cooler weather, but also when the temps creep up unexpectedly. It also makes it easy to layer with a cardigan. Plus, with the black, if I spill anything on myself, it'll be tough to notice. Ha!

It's true. I have a lot of black in my travel wardrobe, but you can mix it up with other colors. I like some darker colors, because they can be pretty versatile and dressed up with some jewelry. This twist top was my choice to go with my black jeans and and ballet flats, as we will be going to Disneyland Paris' Halloween party and instead of packing a whole costume I will only wear once, I picked up some easily packable accessories in order to go as a cat burglar. Easy enough, right? of course, it also works with boots and dress up pants for a night on the town.

Generally, my bonus item of choice dressing up would be an actual dress of some sort. I am really trying to pare down my wardrobe though and knew I would only wear a dress once, maybe twice, so it would take up space in my carry-on that I needed. Besides, I already have those booties taking up valuable room, so instead of a dress and tights, I opted for a fun peplum top with some sparkle that would go with all the pants in my bag. While this isn't available from the shop I bought it from anymore, you can get something just as cute and versatile from Piperlime. 

I only added my Travelon expandable bag to the top after these clothes were in the way I wanted them

Our toiletry bag fit on top of the shoes and we were good to go

In case you think I brought another suitcase, here is a pic of our luggage at the airport

So, as you can see, with 6 tops and 4 bottoms, I can pretty much make 24 outfits (or 12-18 different looks), which is way more than I need for a 2-week vacation. Both rental apartments I'm staying in have a washer/dryer, and I'll be picking up a few things along the way, too, so I'm not going to be hurting for variety or clean clothes. The pic above shows our bags with both mine and Eric's clothes in two carry-on bags. One is for clothes and toiletries and the other is for the spillover stuff, like shoes and electronics. This is how we have traveled for a while now. We share a big carry-on and small carry-on and never check anything. Guys are so much easier to pack for, since they take few items and wear 99% of them. That said, you may see a future post on what I packed or him and how he mixed and matched the items.