Stylish clothes for travel?

[oz_boater]

I am entering a period of my life where I will be travelling quite a bit for pleasure (Nov Japan & South Korea, April/May Italy, France, Spain - likely 2 - 3 months a year, 4-6 weeks at a time)

... and with packing - less is more.
Much easier to transport / carry.

From what I have read, Merino is a good material for clothes that can be worn for long periods of time without washing and when washed, dry quickly - which means you can carry less of them. They also are very wrinkle resistant.
See https://packhacker.com/guide/merino-wool-travel-clothing

But as soon as I started looking I found that these clothes are optimised for people who trek - as light weight is critical there - and as a result look simply dreadful.

More digging and I find a few companies that have started to use the same approach but for clothes for cities rather than Everest. Unfortunately being in Oz means shipping costs are nuts and some don't take returns from outside the US at all.

So am here looking for a bit of guidance - as to what experience the community has had with clothes for travel and feedback on what I am looking at (idea is to buy stuff I would be happy to wear when not on the road).

Right now I am planning on taking to SK/Japan a sports jacket, some oxford shirts (3?), a tee or polo and some Chinos

Sports Jacket (maybe a stylish waterproof shell instead to cover the 'you need raincoat / windbreaker' scenario - suggestions?)

Pants 1, Pants 2

Light weight shirt, Medium weight shirt, Heavier Weight shirt (maybe just 2, bought one of these today)

Note the Sports Coat and both pants are actually polyester, which makes me a bit nervous

Still need that polo / tee plus shoes that are a) good for walking, b) work with the outfit and are c) easy to take off and put back on (Japan after all).

Thoughts?
p.s. Have lined up a local tailor to do alterations as needed.

Anyone able to share their experience / expertise here?
In the "travel" section as that seems to be where it best fits.

 

[strider11]

I go on extended trips for a few weeks & need to dress "city style" for work. I take with 2-3 wool jackets (maybe 1 suit) and use a technique I saw on a video where you reverse fold the jacket, sleeves inside, and roll/ fold into the suitcase (I'll try to find video link later). When I get to the hotel, I hang the suit/jackets near the shower, shut the door and turn the whole place into a steam room for 10 minutes. I had the suit come out looking just fine this way, pleasantly surprised. Cotton jackets I spot press on the bed with a damp towel below them.

And I use the old rolling clothes techniques for other stuff like chinos, shirts, etc. Plenty of videos out there on this.

 

[oz_boater]

Thanks @strider11

The look I am being inspired by here is what @dieworkwear (on twitter) described of older Japanese men on vacation.

A bit like the chap in the foreground, or more likely the chap in the blue blazer behind him on the edge of the frame.

When I am in Italy and Japan I don't want to look like a grub - but will also be living out of a (travel) backpack so weight is at a premium. Trying to resolve that contradiction.

Maybe a waterproof, lightweight Bomber would be better than a blazer?
(Keep in mind I am 58, bald, with a 108 cm (42.5") chest, 92 cm (36") waist and a 100 cm (39") tummy).

The above should be helpful in keeping the clothes presentable, so thanks for that.
Always good to benefit from other's experience.

 

[strider11]

Thanks @strider11

The look I am being inspired by here is what @dieworkwear (on twitter) described of older Japanese men on vacation.

A bit like the chap in the foreground, or more likely the chap in the blue blazer behind him on the edge of the frame.

View attachment 2007703

When I am in Italy and Japan I don't want to look like a grub - but will also be living out of a (travel) backpack so weight is at a premium. Trying to resolve that contradiction.

Maybe a waterproof, lightweight Bomber would be better than a blazer?
(Keep in mind I am 58, bald, with a 108 cm (42.5") chest, 92 cm (36") waist and a 100 cm (39") tummy).

The above should be helpful in keeping the clothes presentable, so thanks for that.
Always good to benefit from other's experience.

He's a dapper gent, for sure. A Bomber is OK but if you can fit them, I always prefer blazers when traveling for versatility. Especially Italy and Spain, where people do not look like grubs. Your backpack adds to the challenge... maybe a microfiber jacket?

 

[circumspice]

I tend to spend 6ish weeks a year traveling. Ideally, I am going where and when it is going to peak ~75F/22C, but if you are going to SE Asia, that just isn't possible.

I check luggage for any trip over 4 days.

For a ~3 week trip to Spain/Italy in April/May, I'd likely pack:

1-2 pairs of loafers and a pair of sneakers. Probably another pair of loafers on my feet.
3-4 pairs of cotton or linen trousers. The cotton, hemmed to no break, will skew a bit trim, and tend to wear a bit more formal than jeans, but not as "tailored" as linen trousers with a cuff and side adjusters in a fuller fit.
6-7 shirts. A lot of linen long sleeves that are wearable sans-jacket with sleeves rolled. Some short sleeve camp collar stuff
1-2 sport coats. Often folded in luggage.

I often travel in jeans, and sometimes an oxford + cashmere sweater. This is a hedge against the plane being cold, and is a way to bring a bit of stuff more appropriate for colder weather. A few years ago, I did a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia where I took layovers in November in Seoul to see B&Tailor - I was able to get by with that type of clothing without a jacket.

I tend to NOT want to travel with an actual jacket any more. It is a fair bit of bother to bring something that looks decent with anything looking remotely tailored - you'd want something at least thigh length = a bit of bulk to manage. You won't be able to avoid this going to Korea and Japan in November.

SE Asia: I might not bring any sport coats at all as I run hot. I will swap in a half dozen lightweight t shirts because I will so often be going through 2 shirts a day.

So:
Things that work:
Cashmere really is awesome from a warmth/style perspective - you can look pretty decent in jeans + sweater + chelseas/loafers
Heavily patterned linen shirts obfuscate wrinkling. I have a great Blue Blue Japan indigo shirt from NMWA that I can hand wash at 9pm, and it will be bone dry in the morning.

Things that tend not to work:
"Interesting" clothes that you wouldn't trust to hotel laundry staff. Something that is artisanally hand dyed might not get the right care. The linen shirt anecdote above is an exception because I could safely hand wash it the night before a getaway day and it *will* be dry in the morning.
Jeans - I run hot, so I often don't bring them to places along the Med. if I am going May/Sept/Oct. They can also take a very long time to dry out.

Things I am not sold on:
Suits - I can for whatever reason sell myself on the idea I look decent in linen trousers that need pressing with a sport coat, but much less so in a suit in similar shape. I did bring a linen suit on my last trip to SE Asia, wearing it a couple times in Singapore.

 

[oz_boater]

I tend to spend 6ish weeks a year traveling. Ideally, I am going where and when it is going to peak ~75F/22C, but if you are going to SE Asia, that just isn't possible.

I check luggage for any trip over 4 days.

...

Thanks Spice, appreciate the feedback.

So a coat for Japan in Nov is essential in your experience?
Adds a lot of weight and bulk, am trying to avoid that if possible.

My below-the-knees double breasted coat weighs in at 2 KG after all and rolled up is around the size of a compact sleeping bag.

 

[circumspice]

Seoul runs cooler than Tokyo.

FYI:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul#Climate

For a lot of cities, you can take a URL like that, replace "Seoul" with "Tokyo", etc, and get excellent detailed month by month climate guides.

So, for Tokyo, with midday highs in the low 60s / ~16, I might try to get by with FW sport coats. Might have a scarf + gloves for night times. But you really need some outerwear for Seoul in November

 

[oz_boater]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul#Climate

For a lot of cities, you can take a URL like that, replace "Seoul" with "Tokyo", etc, and get excellent detailed month by month climate guides.

Excellent, thanks

 

[Cary Grant]

I can do one peak design backpack for two weeks and everything in it. I rely almost exclusively on Vuori Meta pants, a mix of merino t's and full-button polos and a lightweight REI charcoal gray 1/4 - zip. Depending n the reason I'm at whatever destination, I pack an unlined navy hopsack blazer... mostly wearing merino shoes too, Baabuk. And generally look better IMO than 90% of the tourists.

That Japanese gentleman you posted, his shirt could easily be replicated by one of a number of merino polos available these days.
FWIW YMMV

 

[oz_boater]

I can do one peak design backpack for two weeks and everything in it. I rely almost exclusively on Vuori Meta pants, a mix of merino t's and full-button polos and a lightweight REI charcoal gray 1/4 - zip. Depending n the reason I'm at whatever destination, I pack an unlined navy hopsack blazer... mostly wearing merino shoes too, Baabuk. And generally look better IMO than 90% of the tourists.

Thanks Cary

 

[maxalex]

First, the Japanese guy in the tan suit is not on vacation, he’s at Pitti Uomo, a major menswear trade show in Florence. Guaranteed he checks a bag from Tokyo.

Which brings me to my second point: Check a bag.

Unless one is literally backpacking across the Andes or is a student bouncing around European youth hostels, I don’t understand the current obsession with traveling light. You read stories where people proudly turn their underwear inside out to wear a second day. Or wash socks every night in the hotel bathroom sink. Really? Not for me.

The media has a field day whenever there’s a lost-luggage cluster—how to resist that photo of missing bags piled high?—but the truth is that most bags get where they’re going, on the same plane as the owner. And to guard against the unlikely event yours doesn’t, today you can buy inexpensive gadgets that will track your luggage on your phone.

As to cost—yes, you’ll pay more to check a bag. So what? Think of the base fare as not real, and the actual fare as including your belongings. It sucks, but life is unfair.

What about the inconvenience of schlepping? The days of steamer trunks are gone; a good roller bag is pretty easy to maneuver, even onto trains and public buses. You also don’t need to get the absolute largest.

I agree with above poster that four days is the maximum travel with carry-on. For me, shoes are the Waterloo—I’m not spending weeks in another country with just one or even two pair, and no cabin bag can accommodate multiple shoes and everything else.

Finally, if you like a backpack for getting around, use it as a day pack. Put the rest of your (relatively) elegant wardrobe in a checked suitcase. I always wear a sportcoat or leather jacket on a plane, depending on climate, because you can load up the pockets with stuff—phones, charging cords, Kindles, tickets, documents, vape pen (yes you can smoke them undetected).

Safe travels!

 

[oz_boater]

First, the Japanese guy in the tan suit is not on vacation, he’s at Pitti Uomo, a major menswear trade show in Florence. Guaranteed he checks a bag from Tokyo.

Which brings me to my second point: Check a bag.

Safe travels!

Good to know about the Japanese gentleman!

I will most certainly be checking a bag, don't do 'long haul' on budget airlines (and all trips from Oz are 'long haul')

The bag however will be one that meets the criteria for Shinkansens (Japanese Bullet Trains); basically 160cm (3 dimensions summed). Right now that means for me a Osprey 70 liter travel backpack plus a 'courier' style camera bag for electronics.

I don't want to go crazy here, just optimise somewhat.

Am expecting to have 3 months a year off for the next 5 years or so, and have budgeted US $40,000 per year for travel, so there is room in the budget for a bit of investment in clothes.

Do appreciate the help in working out what to look for a how to think about packing for travel.

 

[grenache]

Good to know about the Japanese gentleman!

I will most certainly be checking a bag, don't do 'long haul' on budget airlines (and all trips from Oz are 'long haul')

The bag however will be one that meets the criteria for Shinkansens (Japanese Bullet Trains); basically 160cm (3 dimensions summed). Right now that means for me a Osprey 70 liter travel backpack plus a 'courier' style camera bag for electronics.

I don't want to go crazy here, just optimise somewhat.

Am expecting to have 3 months a year off for the next 5 years or so, and have budgeted US $40,000 per year for travel, so there is room in the budget for a bit of investment in clothes.

Do appreciate the help in working out what to look for a how to think about packing for travel.

If the train luggage limit is the concern (at least for your Japan travels), you should look into luggage forwar services/takuhaibin. For an upc trip, we’ll be shipping our luggage to/from our hotels so our train travel is easier.

 

[oz_boater]

If the train luggage limit is the concern (at least for your Japan travels), you should look into luggage forwar services/takuhaibin. For an upc trip, we’ll be shipping our luggage to/from our hotels so our train travel is easier.

It is not so much that train travel is a major concern (my coming trip to Japan already includes 2ndary luggage transport for those who need it).

It is more "where do you draw the line"?

I normally am allowed ~50 kg of luggage across 3 bags (plus 14 kg of carry ons) on flights, but there is no way I am going to take that much.

Setting the bar I am aiming for at the "Bullet Train" level means my luggage will fit regardless of transport, which provides flexibility when making travel plans.

Maybe it will work out, maybe it won't, but that is what I am trying for.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[FlithyButler]

Great humblebrag thread, dude.