What to look for in travel clothes
The cloth
You can find travel clothing in a variety of fabric options, each with its own pros and cons depending on where and how you travel.
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Merino wool: Merino wool regulates temperature, wicks moisture, and is naturally odor-resistant, which is great for travel. Merino wool is probably best suited for trips to cooler climates and trips where you may not be able to wash your clothes regularly. We haven’t tested any merino wool clothing for this guide, but we are big fans of merino wool.
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A combination of nylon and polyester: These are breathable, moisture-wicking, quick-drying materials that are ideal for trips to hotter and more humid areas, or if you will be active in dressing (eg, hiking or walking a lot). Most of the travel clothes we tested use a combination of synthetic fabrics. As a bonus, sometimes these resources are recycled.
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TENCEL and Modal: These are soft, semi-structured fabrics made from wood. TENCEL is made from eucalyptus while Modal is made from beech trees. These are excellent eco-friendly options that are comfortable and breathable, although they are often not as flexible as other mixes and often do not hold water well.
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Cotton is mixed: Cotton blends tend to be soft and comfortable, which can be great for long travel days in temperature-controlled areas where there’s no need to worry about humidity (cotton doesn’t dry quickly). However, we think cotton is best if you travel a bit and places where you have access to laundry.
Anti-wrinkle
Some travel clothes claim to be wrinkle-resistant. This can be especially helpful if you don’t have access to an iron or a way to hang your clothes. In testing, we found most clothes wrinkle easily—none were 100% wrinkle-resistant—but some wrinkle better or faster than others while hanging.
Your packaging will greatly help resist wrinkles. Folding clothes rather than folding them flat or putting them in a pocket will help reduce wrinkles.
You can also try the shower steam trick if you have access to a bathroom with a shower—simply hang your garment in the shower while you take a hot shower and let the steam work out the wrinkles.
Packaging
A packable garment is compressed into a small area and comes off your body adventure travel package ready to wear (ie, with minimal wrinkles). They tend to be lightweight, too, but they are different from “lightweight clothing” because they don’t take up much space when folded.
Packable clothes will be minimalistic in nature as they will not be made of heavy fabrics and will not have any built-in structure such as bras or boning. Generally, they can be folded or folded without creating creasing and can be placed in a package. The North Face Packable Dress is a great example of a packable dress because it is light and packs down small into one of the zippered hand pockets, making it easy to pack.
It dries quickly
Clothes made from quick-drying materials, such as nylon and polyester blends, are great for traveling in hot, humid or wet environments. This can also be useful if you are going to work in the garment, such as hiking or walking all day, and you want something that won’t catch or show sweat.
Odor resistance
Merino wool is naturally odor resistant and some synthetic blends are treated with odor resistant technology. Synthetics not the treatment will probably retain the odor after a day of wear. If you won’t be able to wash it during your trip and will likely wear your garment again, you may want to check out merino wool (or merino wool blends), or any fabric that is specially treated to be odor resistant.
UPF protection
Some clothes have UPF 50+ protection, or at least provide breathable skin. The Fjallraven Abisko Sun Hoodie Dress, for example, offers UPF 25+ protection and provides additional coverage for your arms, neck, and head with a lightweight, breathable material.
For more sun coverage options, check out our The best Sun Shirts, The Best Sunscreen for the Body, The best sunscreen for the faceagain Best Sunglasses directors.
Packets
Generally, the best dresses tend to have side-seam or hand pockets. These are useful for things you want to access quickly and you’re not worried about keeping a less secure pocket (unless hand pockets are zippered, in which case they’ll be more secure). They can also distort the silhouette of the garment when fully loaded, which may bother some people.
Travel dresses may have other pockets, such as the back zippered pocket of the Title Nine Limitless Midi Dress, or hidden inner pockets in dresses with shorts.
Some dresses can be pocketed for easy packing, such as The North Face Packable Dress.
Height
Travel dresses come in a variety of lengths, from mini (thigh), knee length, midi (mid-knee and ankle), and maxi (ankle).
The best length for you depends on your comfort, desired range of motion, style preferences, and cultural norms where you will be visiting.
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A little: Small clothing can be stylish and provide good airflow, but may not be culturally appropriate in certain settings
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Knee length: These garments may provide good airflow and freedom of movement, but may not provide adequate coverage in cooler weather
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Midi: Midi dresses offer a balance between knee-length and maxi dresses, with moderate range of motion and airflow while providing the right amount of coverage (enough for airplanes or car rides when you don’t want to touch the seats)
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Maxi: Maxi dresses provide more leg coverage and may be more comfortable while walking or walking, but offer less range of motion and airflow than short hems
Silhouette
You can find a variety of silhouettes in travel clothes, from loose shirt/sweater dresses and shift dresses to form-fitting wraps or light fitting dresses.
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Shift: Shift dresses are comfortable, small dresses that pack down easily but are a little less adjustable
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Shirt shirt: A shirt dress has more structure than a shift dress but is still loose and can pack down smaller (
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Roll up: Wraps are easy to pack and adjustable, but there can be a learning curve to finding the right fit
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Fit-and-flare: These are high-quality dresses that fit well with a loose skirt, which are flattering and stylish but also a lot on the go.