Going on vacation is about more than just checking out the sites and visiting beautiful restaurants. It’s also about putting your best foot forward and doing it in style. With lockdowns ending and people taking breaks, now is the time to start thinking about your vacay wardrobe. In this post, we take a look at the clothes you should take with you. So what rules should you be following this season? Let’s take a look.
Opt For Modesty
If you live in a Western country, you can pretty much bare it all, especially if you’re traveling to places like southern Europe. Here the culture is incredibly liberal.
But if you’re going to a more conservative part of the world, you’ll want to opt for modesty. You don’t want to find yourself in a foreign country, accosted by police, just because you happen to be wearing something the authorities define as a little “too skimpy.”
If you want to go swimming, opt for a full bathing suit. And try to cover up as much of your arms, legs, and chest as you can. If your destination is a little on the warmer side, wear opaque white linen to reflect the heat.
Avoid Flashy Jewelry
Wearing beautiful jewelry on vacation is so tempting. If not while abroad, then when?
Unfortunately, a $30,000 diamond-encrusted bracelet makes you a high-value target for pickpockets. It could be their biggest haul of the year.
Usually, there is nothing whatsoever with wearing jewelry on vacation, so long as it isn’t expensive, and doesn’t look it. Save your spending for things that pickpockets can’t easily steal, like a beautiful dress.
Wear Practical Shoes
If you think your vacation will just be walking between taxis and top venues, then you’re sadly mistaken. Breaks have an uncanny habit of getting you off the beaten track and involved in entirely different experiences. You think you’re just walking across town, but you wind up traversing a boggy track or a dry, dusty mountain pass, surrounded by goats.
The good news is that shoes can be both practical and stylish. You’ll want to pack a pair of trainers, walking boots and flip-flops at the very least. But think ahead about the kinds of activities you’ll do while you’re away. If you’re going to a country famous for bad weather and muddy conditions, then boots are your best friend.
Wear Neutral Colors
Wearing bright colors is like a big sign that says, “I’m a tourist and I have no idea what I’m doing.” Try to avoid this if you can. Where possible, copy the colors of the local dress code, imitating whoever lives there. This way, you can stand out less and blend into the natural environment. Avoid bright greens, oranges, purples, and reds, unless you know the area well.
If you’re planning on wearing sandals, you’ll need to prep your feet first. The Clarins Beauty FAQ page has some more information about the best pre-vacay foot scrub. You don’t want a giant wart wrecking your look!
Pack The Right Pants
Packing jeans for your vacation might seem like a total no-brainer. After all, they always come in handy, right? Well, not necessarily. It turns out that jeans are a total nightmare in some hot countries. You wind up feeling super sweaty and chafing on your inner thighs – not what you want when you’re trying to enjoy yourself.
If you’re planning an outdoor itinerary in a hot country (or even a cold one for that matter), then ditch the jeans for something a little more practical, like sweatpants or shorts. As before, just be careful that your fashion choices aren’t going to draw unwanted attention.
Avoid Controversial Images And Symbols
While wearing religious or military attire might be perfectly acceptable back home, the culture might be entirely different abroad. For instance, you don’t want to wear cargo trousers in a country that went through a military coup. People could view this type of clothing as being a little insensitive.
Clearly, certain forms of religious attire could draw unwanted attention and get you into trouble in parts of the world. China, for instance, has strict laws prohibiting certain types of religious expression. Walking around certain parts of the middle east wearing Jewish clothing is also probably a bad idea. If you have to wear certain types of clothes for religious reasons, you may want to reconsider your vacation destination.
Avoid Large Backpacks
Large backpacks aren’t particularly fashionable. What’s more, they’re a big sign that says “pickpockets and thieves, come over here. Valuable camera equipment and cash inside.”
If you’re doing a day of sightseeing, keep your bag as small as possible – large enough for some water and your phone. Better yet, keep your valuables in your pockets and blend in a little more with the locals. Make it look as though you’re not carrying anything at all.
Choose Comfortable Fabrics
When you go on vacation, you are likely to do more walking than while at home. You’re not following a routine, so inefficiencies naturally creep in (and that’s not a bad thing).
But knowing that this is likely going to happen, you’ll want to pack comfortable, fabrics.
For instance, wearing jeans seems like a great idea until you’re five hours into your flight and you can feel them cutting off the blood supply to your feet. Likewise, wearing a nylon skirt might seem like a great idea for a night of clubbing. But in a hot country, you can soon wind up feeling super sweaty.
Where possible, avoid wearing silk, leather, rubber, and nylon abroad. Try to stick with natural materials, or, if you’re going on an expedition, performance synthetics (with sweat-wicking technology). Also, allow yourself to wear loose clothing. It’ll make you feel more relaxed.
Wear A Regular-Sized Jacket
It can be tempting to take a massive jacket with you on vacation. But it will take up an enormous amount of space in your luggage. Avoid this by packing your waist-length outers instead. Only pack a big, heavy jacket if you need it!
