Tips for Traveling Light for the Backpacker w/ Fashionista tendencies

Note -

The following clothing tips are targeted for those traveling to countries in autumn or winter weather.

- if you go to a country where its cold weather when you are a-visiting, bring clothes and underwear that can easily be washed and dried quickly...you can use the hotel's dryer (hair) or heater to help quickly dry them especially if you bring the thin ones. Nylons may be thin but dry very quickly. Worst case, use the coin laundry.

- don't worry about not bringing many clothes, you do not have to bring one shirt or blouse for each day of your trip - you will wear your outer coat most of the time if you are going out and gallivanting about, so nobody need know you are wearing the same clothes every other 3 days or so :-)...of course if you do spend most of your time indoors and with your coat off..the trick is to mix and match and accessorize...

- bring scarves to accessorize or help keep you warm..a not so big shawl will also help if you want a change of wardrobe, I like those w/c are reversible in their color and patterns (obviously this tip is for women unless men like shawls in pretty patterns..hehehe)

- bring clothes than can easily mix and match in color and style - I try to bring thin long-sleeved shirts which can be mixed and paired with two sleeveless pullovers or blouses so you can have that layered look

- try to bring clothes whose colors does not clash when you mix 'em up

- bring a "malong" or "sarong" - good for being an extra blanket, a cloth to wrap around you when you are going out and lounging (not walking outside), or you can even hide inside it when changing clothes in a room with other people (such as a dorm where privacy is not always there) and it can even function as a sort of towel to help you dry off if all else fails!

- in partnership w/ the previous entry - bring a small, very easily dried travel towel - you can pair this with your malong. I have an old blue travel towel which absorbs water easily but dries very quickly..so if i use that, even if I don't have a towel to wrap around my head or body, the malong will help...and if you suddenly travel to a country in the middle of your trip and go to the beach - voila, you have a cover-up ready to use!

- if you will bring bracelets and other "butingtings" try to get one with a classic design or one w/ varied colors w/c can match your choices of clothes...that way you don't have to bring a lot of accesories to match your outfit

- bring a furoshiki (Japanese hanky/cloth) - it can double (or triple?) as a bag, a hankerchief, neckerchief, a towel, a head cover etc.
 
- a good pair of hiking shoes is a must if you are planning to be walking around a lot...boots look nice, but in the end, think of the comfort of your feet

- try to bring functional sleepwear that can actually be worn also as part of your everyday outfit - for example I have tank tops with built in support that can be used for sleep but can function as inner blouses for dress shirts or for that extra layer of warmth

- invest in a good coat which is flexible - the inner layer can be zippered out if you need less bulk and warmth...the inner layer can actually double as padding for delicate items you need to protect in your luggage (I used mine to wrap my laptop), and you can adjust the coat's functions to what is needed...

- if you have a little extra room, bring leggings which can be paired with shorts - you can use them both as sleepwear, loungewear, beachwear, exercisewear and also pair them up together

- your scarves can double as your belts...

- try to wear similar-colored clothes in a row - this will help you group your laundry if you do use the coin laundry machines - e.g. if you wear the brown colored ones for the first 3 days, when you launder them you don't need to worry about mixing them up w/ other clothes or colors w/c may bleed and ruin your batch of first laundry in the washing machine..

- freezer bags can be used in lieu of buying a travel zipper bag..you can compartmentalize your clothes if you want, and separate your dirty laundry quickly as the see-through plastic helps organize your clothes

- bring a bag which can be a backpack and at the same time a trolley to be wheeled around.

I personally like the polycarbonate ones but unfortunately they have not designed the yet to be used for convertible bags but only for trolleys.

Specific for Japan travelers:

- if you stay in a ryokan - no worries about lounge wear or sleeping wear - you will be provided a yukata and sometimes a haori, there will also be usually a toothbrush and toothpaste, comb and the shampoo/body soap/conditioner are also usually provided either in your room or in the public bath

- get shoes which can easily be taken off and put back on since some temples and establishments require you to take your shoes off (and show your nice shocks off *grin*)

- since you will most probably be taking off your shoes most of the time when you visit some temples, eating places etc., be sure to pack very presentable looking socks

tbc..
if something occurs to me when I wake up from my needed sleep..