Clothing ideas for a fall or wintertime trip to the Tropics

Hawaii, Christmas 2009

Lucky MBB reader Rachael is taking a potentially big tropical trip this January, and she’s shopping for packing ideas.

ANZEIGE

“My partner and I are taking a trip to Hawaii the first week of January, and I’m at a loss for what to bring. I am possibly the palest person and still have scars from a bad sunburn in the Bahamas when I was a teenager, and I do not want that to happen again.

I also think that on this trip my partner will propose because he’s horrible at keeping secrets and has slipped a lot more than once. I need to know what will take me from hiking to the beach and an engagement but keep it all easy to travel.”

— Rachael

Hey Rachael,

Congrats on your upcoming trip (and hopefully proposal)! sounds like the makings of a marvelous month.

Whenever I travel to someplace tropical, I try to pack as lots of multitasking products and pieces of clothing as possible. Clothing-wise, for a one-week trip, that indicates a few lightweight, versatile dresses in stretchy fabrics that resist wrinkling, because I can easily dress them up or down.

ANZEIGE

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When I head to the beach, I’ll slip a dress over my bikini, step into a pair of flip-flops, put on a wide-brimmed hat (great for extra sun protection to complement SPF), and drop a sarong or a wide, lightweight cotton scarf into my beach bag, just in case I end up in direct sunlight for a while and want some extra coverage for my shoulders.

I like Coolibar’s Silk Infinity scarf ($39). made from hand-dyed twisted silk, it’s lightweight, hardly takes up any space in a bag or luggage, and supplies exceptional UV protection. One caveat, though: it’s dry clean only.

How about a hat? Clockwise from the black hat on the lower left: Coolibar Shapeable Poolside sun Hat ($45); Collection XIIX bold stripe Floppy Paper Straw Hat ($25); Kinda Shady Straw sun Hat ($14); August Hat Bead Trim Paper Straw Kettle Hat ($19)

For great dinners or nights out on the town, I’ll jazz up a dress with a bold necklace, bracelet or earrings and put on a pair of strappy sandals (dressier than flip-flops). I’ll also add a button-down sweater and/or another scarf if it gets freezing at night.

Which reminds me — I love bringing scarves when I travel, even to the tropics. They’re easy, inexpensive ways to switch up an outfit, and if they’re large enough, you can even wear them as a wrap on a amazing night.

As for hiking, dresses can still work, believe it or not. I’ve done it before. Granted, not on hard-core hikes, but for easy trails.

If you don’t mind looking a little silly in a dress and hiking boots, a dress must do you just fine. For a lot more strenuous activities, though, don’t forget to pack a pair of shorts and a t-shirt in your beach bag or backpack (TIP: If you’re trying to make every cubic inch of packing space count, keep in mind that you can normally find incredibly low-cost t-shirts available for sale at lots of tropical vacationer destinations, including Hawaii).

With autumn here, this might be a good time to get hold of some terrific outgoing summer stuff on sale. Here’s a few ideas I found online…

Nordstrom dresses on sale from the left: BP. double scoop tank dress ($12); Stem Pleat Front dress ($20) and remain knit dress ($25)

Lulu.com dresses from the left: alternative apparel Racer tank Grey dress ($40) and sidewalk Bistro striped dress ($38)

O’Neill dresses from the left: ever ($44); heat ($44); hard love ($40); and long distance ($40)

Clothing ideas for a one-week trip to the tropics in fall/winter

A few lightweight dresses

Shorts and tees (although keep in mind that you must be able to get some low-cost tees at your destination)

Jeans

A wide-brimmed hat

Schals

Bold jewelry (necklaces, earrings and/or bracelets)

Flip-flops and sandals

One or two button-down sweaters

Your swimsuit (of course)

Board shorts and a rash guard (if you plan to do any surfing)

You might also want to look into a few lines that are known for their outdoor gear, like Coolibar, which I pointed out a earlier; The North Face; Land’s end and Sungrubbies, to name just a few.

Ich hoffe das hilft! have a blast on your trip, Rachael. I have a feeling you’ll love Hawaii. and don’t forget to let me know about the proposal, because I love a good proposal story.

ANZEIGE

Ihr freundlicher Nachbarschaftsaufrufsüchtiger,

Karen

P.S.S. For a lot more packing ideas and a few skincare and makeup packing ideas, check out how Do You pack Your makeup When You Travel?, Be a good student of travel makeup with a clear Pencil Case, When It pertains to travel Makeup…, Which Skin care products opt for You When You Travel?, 5 a lot more packing ideas for the Perennially Over-Packed.