10 Packing Tips for A Back-Packer – READER QUESTION

Earlier this week I received the following email from a friend/reader:

Packing Tips and Tricks

Ah man, an ugly rucksack does sound a little sad... However, its practicality & size will soon have you sighing with relief. Now, I have never "travelled" so to speak BUT I have been on the odd voyage or two and I am well aware of what I shoulda' coulda' woulda' did done.

I'm not going to take you through what to pack as I have no idea as to what types of clothing items you favour or how you dress. I am not a dress/skirt gal but maybe you are... Instead am gonna go through some tips and hints and see if you can apply them to your packing technique.

(Note: I do know how my girl dresses - as she always looks fash-fab-gorge however I have never analysed her clothing!)

10 Points - A List:

1. Your clothes will be stuffed in a backpack for 3 months, so don't pack your bestest items. Think about items that look OK creased and of course that can be folded down.

2. For a travelling lifestyle you are going to want comfortable clothes that are easy to wear. Think: Clothing items that are multi-faceted, for example a shirt that looks great tucked in, tucked out, over, under, done up & undone...

Click onto the image below to see a guest post I wrote for Sammy Davis Vintage  on maximising Vintage Clothing items:

3. When I went to Thailand I packed a varied selection of clothing, including smarter clothes for the evening. However, after the first night my legs were bitten to shreds, so after this I wore jeans/leggings every night.

4. Packing staple items in neutral colours will maximise their wearability. For example you will get a lot more wear out of a black tee than a multi coloured one.

In contradiction to this, sunny climates are a great place to experiment with colours and patterns, so mix and match what you have - liven up your look. Sling the "fashion rules" out the window... "Blue and Green should never be seen", "Never wear strips with flowers" F that Sh*t...

I prefer this one: "You won't know till you try".

5. Before packing line up your items and take a minute to assess them as a collection. For example put together a row of tops and bottoms and think about how many outfits you can create.. What goes with what. For example: There are a potential of 16 outfits out of the 8 clothing items below:

6. Layering is key for a lightened load - try and think outside the box for potential layering opportunities. Take a white t-shirt for example:

- Wear it tucked into your bottoms

- Wear it tucked out

- Wear it under a dress/playsuit...

- Wear it over a dress/playsuit...

The following guest post I wrote for Fashion Style Advice explains this better, click on the image below for layer inspiration:

7. For a girl who usually travels with 5 suitcases, I'm going to assume that you enjoy shopping, take this into consideration before stuffing your pack. You're more than likely to want to buy clothes throughout your trip... So either:

- Leave space
- Be prepared to let go of certain items throughout your journey
- Expect to accumulate baggage as you move (Note: increasing weight)

When I went to Thailand I assumed I wouldn't be into the fashion.. Wrong! (See: My New Thai Wardrobe)

8. Carrying on from my previous point... The countries you are travelling to and around will have appropriate fashion pieces. (Fabrics used will have the countries climate in mind.) For those covering-up countries you mentioned, you are going to need loose bottoms. At the minute there are loads of these styles all over the shops. However, before you go harem mad... Think: price & look into the materials used, whether they are suitable for warm weather. Maybe treat yourself to one staple pair before the voyage.

(Left to Right: Net-A-Porter - Willow Silk-Crepe Pants • Desigual - Electro Magie• Emilio Pucci Silk Pants • Lanvin - Silk Evening Pants • Forever 21 - Drawstring Harem Pants)

9. Don't underestimate the power of makeup, a painted lip can completely change an outfit. Coral nails on tanned fingers & toes?? F O R G E T  A B O U T  I T!! (Translation: Forget about it = Super Gorge)

- Coat your lips with scarlet red or bright pink and say hello to your new profile pic!

10. A bronzed new you in an inspired environment will give you such a lovely glow that you'll look fantastic no matter what you wear. No pic editing needed.

I honestly feel you need to keep things super simple. Whenever I go anywhere hot I always end up wearing pretty much the same thing - daily.

Further Inspiration

If you can bear to read anymore, here are some previous articles I have written that could be of use, they're not all packing specific however, they are useful sources for re-thinking the way you use what you already have. Call it frugal fashion... Wardrobe Widening... Recycle what you have and get creative innit.

Packing Tips of a Fashionista
Unveiling Baggage
1 Day – 1 Item 2 Looks: Sleeveless Shirt
A Quick/Cheap Fashion Fix for Those Colder Months

I hope this helps! If you guys have any tips or suggestions for Jas, please share! And if you have any questions for me get in touch via my contact page, I LOVE hearing from you xoxo