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Sunglasses and sandals? Check.
Warm hat and boots? Check.
Extra sweater or more shorts? Hmm.
Packing for a trip that spans multiple climates comes with certain juxtapositions, but don’t let it throw you for a loop. With the right mindset, you can pack your bags with everything you’ll need to stay warm, or cool, and completely prepared.
Shop for the Essentials
For me, planning for a big trip always comes with a wardrobe evaluation and an excuse to do a little pre-departure shopping. Are there any essential items you need to buy before you go to ensure you’ll be prepared and comfortable when you get there? It might be a new pair of walking shoes or boots (or both) that you should break in ahead of time, or a versatile waterproof coat you can pair with optional layers for as much warmth as you need. You’ll probably find you can pull favourite pieces from your winter and summer wardrobes together, and then just shop for few new tops and bottoms you know you’ll love to wear again and again. For anything that can wait, save the shopping for unique finds afar!
Choose Colours and Fabrics You Can Layer
Designers often find inspiration in pictures of dreamy vacation spots – the colours, the mood! You can do the same by packing a capsule wardrobe of your own with layers that will “go” together any which way. Just picture yourself standing in those very photos that inspired you to book the trip and then what you want to be wearing. You could make packing for vacation black-and-white – literally – for a classic look that layers seamlessly. Then again you really can’t go wrong with staples in solids and stripes with splashes of your favourite hues to compliment rotatable basics.
Choose pieces of clothing that, just like you, will go farther. Pack a lovely scarf or two to bundle up in the cold or to drape over shoulders in the sun. One great blazer or stylish cardigan can warm up and dress up your lighter base layers in cooler settings – then just toss it back in your suitcase and grab your shades for the warmer days of your tour.
Balance It Out
Sometimes you just need to lay it all out to make sure you have the right balance of warm- and cold-weather attire. Make piles and mix outfits to match your itinerary. Then pack it up and travel confident that you’ll be suited for any climate with even just one or two dependable pieces in each category from top to bottom.
Perhaps you’ll be touring in a country with temperatures that vary day to day on the cusp of the season, or you’ll be stopping through two or more countries along your way? A Mysteries of India tour could call for a strategically packed suitcase with a Nepal tour extension available to see Mt. Everest and more. What will you be sure to pack on your next adventure?
