The Best Fall Travel Wardrobe Is Streamlined and Simple
Travelling in the fall has several perks. In general, there are fewer tourists vying for hotels and flights, so prices tend to be cheaper, and landmarks are less busy. Without the high summer heat to contend with, you can enjoy long, aimless strolls through the city centre without melting into a puddle of sweat. And the fall colours paint a stunning portrait of orange and red.
But there’s a catch – you need to put a little extra effort into planning your fall travel outfits. You can’t roll into a destination with just a t-shirt and hope for the best. Fall can be fickle with its weather – cold one day, warm the next, and rainy the day after that. Nor can you throw every clothing article you own into a large suitcase. That’s just impractical.
The perfect fall travel wardrobe needs to be balanced, streamlined and synergistic. Every article should serve multiple purposes, coming together like a well-crafted capsule wardrobe. Here’s how to pull it off.
Make Your Materials Work for You
As mentioned, fall weather is fairly unpredictable – with chilly lows and sweat-inducing highs. To prepare for either extreme, you need adaptable clothing.
Take merino wool, for instance, a material popular with avid travellers. Merino wool is sweat-wicking and breathable, making it a cool option in warm weather. But it’s also insulating, meaning that it traps your body heat in cold weather. Finally, the material is fast-drying enough that you can escape a fall rain storm unscathed. It’s a material that works for you, allowing you to pack fewer items without sacrificing preparedness.
Find Freedom in Neutral Colors
Those lime-green pants and patterned shirts have their place, but a fall capsule wardrobe isn’t one of them. When you travel, you want clothing articles that can be mixed and matched without clashing. Instead of bright colours, find freedom in neutral tones.
Greys, navy blues, whites, blacks and muted greens all play nicely together. Pack a couple of grey merino hoodies and sweaters, a sleek black pair of merino pants and a simple white base layer. You can create several unique outfits from just a few options.
Follow the Three-Two-One Rule for Your Base Layer
Lots of travellers get into the bad habit of overpacking. They put too many “just in case” items in their suitcase that go entirely unused. Remember, the best travel outfit is streamlined and simple.
Three pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks, two t-shirts and one pair of pants – that’s the minimalist base layer. In truth, that’s all you need for a one- or two-week trip, provided you choose odour-resistant merino wool. Some experts push for a 5-4-3-2-1 rule, but even that seems a little excessive.
Be Sparing and Smart with an Outer Layer
Look at the long-term weather forecast. Does it call for rain, or does the weather look reliably dry? If the weather looks dry, leave your rain jacket behind; you can always buy a cheap umbrella at your destination.
As for a sweater or hoodie, be sparing and smart. Choose a neutral merino outer layer that you can easily lose if the weather turns warm.
If you follow these steps, you can craft a fall travel wardrobe that’s light, easily carryable and – best of all –sophisticated enough to make great first impressions.
