Travel Clothes 2013

We just got back from Spain, and I wanted to share with you my travel wardrobe.  I was very pleased with what I took this time.  Everything fit in one carry-on size bag (which I can’t carry on because of the dang liquid restrictions).  I don’t know how TSA thinks a woman of a certain age can possibly go on a two week trip with the bottles of liquid one can fit in a quart-size baggie!

I have learned over years of traveling that knits are the easiest to wear, pack, and launder while on the road.  They are comfortable, they fold to nothing, and I can wash them in a hotel sink with Eucalan, a great product that you don’t have to rinse out.  Knits dry pretty fast (it depends on the knit, of course).

I started the travel wardrobe by participating in Elizabeth’s Spring Six-PAC on Stitcher’s Guild.  Here is my completed Six-PAC:

 

Okay, now for pattern numbers, clockwise from top left:  The white top is a frankenmorph of Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8710 and Vogue 1261.  Vogue 8710 goes to just below the bustline.  The blue top to the right of it is the same frankenmorph.  The only difference is that the pleats on the sleeves are folded inwards instead of outwards like the white top sleeves.  The blue top on the dummy is Vogue 1261 without sleeves.  The gray top is Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8817.  The blue top on the hanger is Marcy Tilton’s Vogue 8582 (OMG, it’s out of print – when did that happen).  Both of the pants are a modified version of The Sewing Workshop Hudson pants.  I have slimmed them down a bit.

So, that’s 5 tops and two pairs of pants.  You can’t tell from the picture, but the pants are black and brown.  They are made from that indestructible Parisian microfiber knit that Marcy Tilton sells.  I can’t rave enough about this fabric for travel.  I wore these two pairs of pants almost daily on my trip, washed them in Eucalan, hung them to dry (which they easily do overnight), and put them back on again (no ironing).  They are lightweight and cool for a hot climate, as well.  This fabric won’t work for cooler climates.

Those two pairs of pants, and about 10 knit tops were my key wardrobe pieces for two weeks of travel.  Yes, I did take a rain jacket, some shorts for a bike trip, and two lightweight sweaters (one black and one camel) as layering pieces.  Also, I made two dresses out of the microfiber knit and took them as well.

Here are some random pics of me in my travel wardrobe on the trip:

One thing I noticed from these pictures:  As much as I love the crossbody bag for travel, it really isn’t the best look, is it?  I’ll probably continue to use a crossbody, but I might try one with a thicker strap and see how that looks.

We had a wonderful time in Spain.  The people are very friendly, the food is good, and weather was fabulous.  The culture is interesting, so what’s not to like?