Backpacker chic, an oxymoron if ever I’ve heard one. In my experience it’s less about the chic and more about “can I wear this 6 times without washing it?” If the answer is yes then go ahead and pack it. Don’t get me wrong I packed plenty of cute ensembles to see me through nights out in Australia, and days wandering around the cities. But when it comes to 6 weeks of braving the New Zealand winter in a campervan, trust me ladies (and gents) layers are your best friend! I am guilty of wearing tights, leggings, socks, ski socks, denim skirt, vest, long sleeve top, t-shirt, jumper, hoody and coat all at the same time. Some days I looked and felt like the Michelin man! But when the temperature barely hovers above 0°c fashion is the last thing one cares about! So dispel images of stereotypical travellers sashaying around in harem pants they picked up in Bangkok with headbands made by children only born under the full moon in a leap year from India and that oh so impressive “I did a bungy jump in Africaaaa on my gap yaaah” t-shirt…I mean yeah we’ve all done it…”Oh you like my top?!…thanks I bought it in a vintage store in Brooklyn” I cringed at myself!
Here are a few tips on what to pack:
- Underwear is not as important as you would imagine! About 10 pairs of pants. White bra, black bra and one more to tide you over. About 10 pairs of socks…avoid white socks like the plague, black socks are your friends!
- Skater dresses are a wonderful creation: casual enough for day wear but versatile enough to take you into a swanky bar when dressed up with the right accessories!
- A comfy pair of shoes are essential. Nobody wants to be complaining about blisters on a jungle hike! Walking shoes may look hideous but trust me, on a midnight run to the toilet in a New Zealand DOC campsite through the mud and rain they were lifesavers!
- Basic t-shirts and vests that you don’t mind ruining. The same goes for leggings, skirts and dresses.
- A warm hoody, even though you may be spending months in the heat of South East Asia or Australia a hoody is an essential item, trust me!
- Clothing that can masquerade as sleepwear and vice versa! This is especially useful on longhaul flights/hangover days/living in a campervan.
- Minimal toiletries…I know this one is hard but try to streamline your make-up collection and vast quantities of lotions and potions! BB cream, mascara, bronzer, blush and lipbalm are all one really needs for a natural everyday look! Or why not be brave and go make-up free for the duration of your travels?! Your skin will love you, and so will your bank balance! I’d recommend a Lush shampoo bar, I use Seanik which has seaweed to soften the hair and salt to give it body, it lasted me about 9 weeks of almost daily use! Lush shampoo bars save on space and weight in your bag, so you have more room for souvenirs and new clothes!Remember: a litre of liquid is a kilogram in weight! Pack a good moisturiser with an SPF, buy suncream when abroad (its usually cheaper!) and aloe vera gel/cocoa butter moisturiser to soothe any sunburn that may occur! A saviour of travellers is Tiger Balm which you can pick up in the UK but if you or a friend is off to Thailand then I urge you to take a vast supply home! It works on anything from insect bitesto sunburn, headaches and blocked noses, even period pain! Dry shampoo is also a godsend for keeping grease at bay, and refreshing your hair in hot and humid conditions! I’d recommend buying it in the UK as it is WAY cheaper and of better quality! Facewipes/babywipes are a great item…if you cant shower and are in the middle of nowhere a babywipe shower is your best friend! Remember your tweezers (I use Tweezerman mini tweezers- they offer a FREE sharpening service on all of their products for life!) and nail scissors and you are good to go!
- Your iPad/Kindle: essential for keeping in touch with home and boredom relief! Download a few good books to occupy the time you will spend waiting in airports/not being able to sleep!
Hopefully with a few of these hints and tips in mind you’ll have a plethora of extra room for those important souvenirs, fashion finds and random crap you pick up on the way.(20 condoms from a gay bar in Sydney Mandy Gardner?!)
Bon voyage!
H
Fashion and the Geek 