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Fuddy-Duddy Travel Clothes

K.C. Summers

I got really excited (okay, it doesn't take much) when I saw TravelSmith's new fall catalogue, with its cool illustration of a classy-looking traveler on the cover, and a blurb promising "More Style, More Sophistication, More Travel Savvy Everything." Finally!

I love the idea of clothes that have been specifically designed for travel. It's hard to find garments that are lightweight, yet durable; easy to wear, yet not schlubby; clean-lined and classic, yet not boring. They need to go with everything, repel dirt, resist wrinkles and above all, be versatile -- like a perfect pair of black pants that requires only a change of footwear to take you from an urban hike to a fancy dinner. I want all this -- yet I don't want to sacrifice my sense of style (such as it is). And style is not the word that comes to mind when you check out the offerings from Magellan's, TravelSmith, Lands' End and the like. Multi-gore skirts. Mom jeans. Long knit vests. There must be a way to travel comfortably without looking like Bea Arthur.

So, the new TravelSmith catalogue. At least they're trying. I liked the efficiency and packability of their "10 must-have pieces," a collection of basics (slacks, shirts, jackets, even a cool wide belt) with a classic black-and-white color scheme, and a little red cavalry jacket for zip. Very practical and versatile, although the extra yardage in those skirts could cover a small elephant.

There are some actual cute things in the catalogue: trendy cotton tunic tops, lightweight microfiber raincoats in bright colors, a nifty leopard camisole, a nice selection of good-looking walking shoes. So it's good to see some progress in the style department. But wouldn't it be nice if there were a good travel catalogue for the under-60 set? Anyone know of a good source?

By K.C. Summers |  August 24, 2007; 9:57 AM ET  | Category:  K.C. Summers , Online Resources
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I have to recommend Lucy (www.lucy.com) for great women's travelwear. I am a tall woman, and Lucy is the only store I have found that carries travel-friendly pants in long lengths. There are over half a dozen styles of pants to choose from in several different colors, and all of them come in regular, short, and long lengths. They also come with matching jackets.

Posted by: L.B. | August 24, 2007 10:19 AM

I guess my problem with buying snazzy travel wear is I don't travel quite enough to make it worth it. I mean, anything really stylish I buy will be used rarely enough that it'll go out of style before I've gotten my money's worth. So on short trips, I way overpack, and on longer trips, I do a lot of hand laundry.

Posted by: h3 | August 24, 2007 10:34 AM

For casual travel clothes, I've found some really good things from Aventura clothing and Sahalie. Aventura's mckenna pants, in particular were great on a trip I took this spring in Central America. They dried very fast, even in humid weather, didn't wrinkle, took up little space, could be rolled into capris, etc...

Posted by: macha | August 24, 2007 11:11 AM

Since I'm generally a bum and dressing as one is not that out of character for me, I usually take really crappy clothes with me and generally throw them away as I go. Underwear and t-shirts are especially good--you save the ones with holes and whatnot until you travel and then use them as disposables.

Saves room on the way home.

Posted by: Andrew | August 24, 2007 11:41 AM

I travel for work and love Chico's line of Traveler's clothing. They are lightweight, wrinkle free, and versatile. My only complaint is that they are too lightweight for Winter travelling but they work well for me in Spring, Summer and Fall.

Posted by: Alexandria Mom | August 24, 2007 12:18 PM

I second the Lucy comment. If you sign up for their email list, you receive discounts and coupons.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 24, 2007 3:25 PM

If you look for reasonably stylish travelwear, you'll look a long time. Try looking at "activewear" - clothes that are officially intended for working out or being physically active.

I particularly recommend Title 9 (www.titlenine.com). I have the tomboy dress and it and the get-up-and-go dress are especially good for travel because they can be super-casual or easily dressed up. And of course yoga and other similar exercise pants are great for travel as are many other "activewear" garments. Some items are fitted but many are looser, so you can suit your personal preference. Same thing for lots of fitness tops and jackets, esp. if they're long-sleeved and fitted but not super-snug. Plus, you've got color choices as well as black. Other good sources are Athleta, Activa and Coolibar (SPF garments).

Posted by: Leslie | August 24, 2007 11:20 PM

Others have already mentioned it, but I have to reiterate. Lucy is a fantastic store for travel-friendly clothing. And I love their short length pants. The clothing is good quality and you can wear it to the gym, grocery store, or the plane. Comfy and cute.

Posted by: Sara | August 27, 2007 3:02 PM

I'll bet a dollar fifty that Lucy is owned by the same people who are behind Chico's. Site layout is similar, clothes have a similar but more youthful less ethnic vibe.

If so, great, as Chicos is a superb brand with good customer relations and fab design and thoughtful branding.

Posted by: Jessica | August 27, 2007 3:19 PM

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Posted by: helloooo | August 28, 2007 3:11 PM

I like Chico's and their sister store Soma. I love the bras that will not trip the metal detectors. Nothing is better than seeing the face of the TSA screener as she wands my chest area and nothing happens.

Posted by: Sierra | August 29, 2007 12:08 PM

FYI: Lucy's is owned by VFC, Chicos is not.

For inexpensive, rugged travele clothing, it is hard to beat the REI house brand.

Posted by: static | August 29, 2007 12:10 PM

Travelsmith's target customer *is* the woman-over-50-frumpy set, not us over-50 hipsters. Besides, their house-label stuff is expensive and isn't made all that well. (What do you expect from a company that is owned by QVC? Quality?)

Look at Ex Officio, Mountain Hardwear, Gramicci and Patagonia for stylish travel clothes, not Travelsmith or Magellin's unless you want to look like Bea Arthur.

Posted by: seamallowance | August 29, 2007 12:37 PM

K.C. Summers needs a good kick in the seat of her trendy TravelSmith pants for her comment "But wouldn't it be nice if there were a good travel catalogue for the under-60 set?"! My wife and I are 70. We travel everywhere and try to look sharp wherever we go. I have Jos. A. Bank "Traveler's Collection" shirts that are great for travel -- button down and are virtually wrinkle-free. She and I have lots of stuff from ExOfficio. They are comfortable, look good, are lightweight, travel well, wash out and dry quickly. She and I are always on the look out for travel clothes. She found a great lightweight and stylish jacket in a general store in Boone, NC, and she found three terrific Foxcroft blouses - two at Nordstrom and one at Magellan (their store in Santa Barbara). She bought a perfect skirt at Galleries Lafayette in Paris, three silk-blend lightweight sweaters at Macy's and a couple of dressy lightweight jackets at Chico's. We each bought lightweight trenchcoat-style travel raincoats at a travel store in downtown Santa Barbara that fold into a pouch and weigh next to nothing. Clarks shoes are terrific for travel. For men, they have the Volta model in their Privo line. Each shoe only weighs 11 ounces - comfortable loafers and excellent with the airline baggage weight restrictions. We have a black Sharper Image umbrella that is easily stowed in luggage and has buttons to pop it up and retract it. Plus her black Harrod's rain hat folds, travels and looks sharp. And when it comes to undies -her's from Hanro and my plaid Jockey boxers seem to have been made for travel. Some of a gun -- here we are 70 years old and not fuddy duddies after all!

Posted by: Davidson | August 29, 2007 4:32 PM

Kick in the pants duly received. I didn't mean to dis travelers of any age, just the purveyors of a certain style... or lack thereof. Thanks to all who recommended the Lucy site, which I hadn't heard of -- it's really great, as is Aventura, Sahalie and Gramicci. And of course Patagonia is awesome for travel clothes, but who can afford it?

Whoever recommended shopping for travel clothes at REI was exactly right. I got a pair of technical (whatever that means) black pants there this summer that I ended up hiking in during the day, washing out in the sink in the afternoon and then wearing out to dinner at night. Expensive, but worth it.

Posted by: KC | August 29, 2007 8:44 PM

Just got a catalog from Duluth Trading Co., with some some nice travelin' duds in it.

However, I'm over 60, so YMMV...

Posted by: bookhall | August 31, 2007 5:24 AM

I travel with clothes from Chico's. Went to Paris with 3 pair of pants: black, dark brown and rust. Took tops that could be mixed/matched with all 3 pants. Everything could be rolled up in my suitcase and nothing wrinkled.

NJ

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Recently I visited Sahalie store at Couponalbum.com shopping site.. and I saved $18 on purchasing a Snap-Cord Shirt.

Posted by: Kevin | December 24, 2007 12:10 AM

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