Affordable travel clothes? (wrinkle free, fast-drying, etc)

Knit tops usually don't wrinkle. I do bring some cotton t-shirts in the mix. I guess the woven blouses that I bring are mostly made of fibers like Tencel, rayon, polyester, and other synthetics. I didn't buy them for that reason, nor for travel. They were pretty easy to find and I intended them to wear anywhere. (In some ways I'd prefer all my blouses to be silk and in other ways not.) I also have a pair of rip-stop nylon pants that I bought from Eddie Bauer and have worn forever. Black and other neutral colors are common choices for the mix-and-match issue, with some smaller accessories for color.

Laundromats are my preference for larger wash loads, about every two weeks. Rather than worrying about running out of clothes and having to buy things on the road, I'd focus on the fact that it's super easy to pack more than you need. And who are you trying to impress by looking like you took your whole wardrobe? These nutty, over-packing students?

I like Eddie Bauer as well, they have a travel line of clothing that has worn well. If you have an Eddie Bauer outlet near you they have very similar clothes at better prices.

Athletic lines of clothing can also be good because they are designed to wick sweat. I try to find styles that look like solid color tops and not too athletic for touring.

As a man, my trick is taking jeans and khaki pants to the laundry and getting them heavy starched. One pair of jeans can be worn for a week and they will still look good. I also take cotton golf shirts and wear them one day--and rotate them. Eventually, I'll wear'em another day in the rotation.

We returned from Italy and Greece last week, and I returned with a few garments I never even wore--while my bag weighed less than 10 kg.

I find that athletic brands like Lululemon, Athleta and Lorna Jane are making more clothes suitable for walking around town (outside the gym). They're mostly made with physical activity in mind, specifically with sweat wicking materials that dry really fast after a wash.

I just came back from a 2 week Spain trip and the best item of clothing I had was a pair of skorts from Athleta. The shorts part was a breathable mesh that dried super fast, the skirt shell was also a synthetic material that dries fast. I would wash it at night before bed time and it would be dry by the morning.

It was pretty fashionable too, there were a lot of cute pants, shirts and dresses to pick from. For men, I think Lululemon has a better men's selection.

I'll echo the Eddie Bauer suggestion. The Travex line works well for travel, but so do a lot of "regular" clothes. Look for an EB outlet near you for the best prices. Also, look for a Columbia outlet which has super great prices. If you don't live by outlets, shop a local Target or Walmart for clothes that travel well, just know they may not hold up well to primitive washing conditions. The most important thing to remember is to be comfortable no matter washing in the sink or paying for the hotel service.

I wear basic stuff. Capri type pants and/or walking shorts below the knee. Colors like gray, olive green,black, khaki. Tops - basic v-neck cotton/polyester blend. Find a couple of colorful tops with texture or a different neck line with or without embellishments. For city - if expecting cool weather - I bring a stylish dress denim coat. If more outdoorsy, I bring a zip up fleece vest or coat and an excellent raincoat with hood. For Winter travel - a sporty type parka. I just head to my local mall and get tops that cost around $15-20 or so. Just look for knit/blend tops that can be easily rolled or flattened. You can use scarves or costume jewelry to add bling to your clothes. Keep things basic and simple. Relax in comfortable clothes and have fun.

Rayon blends are probably the coolest low maintenance material. Some thin cotton weaves also dry fast (tissue weight). Polyester can be hot but never ever wrinkles. A polyester blend is nice. Tencel is very cool and easy maintenance. I test for wrinkles by taking a handful of material and crushing it. It should fall back out with no wrinkles. It isn't just the material, but the weave that makes something wrinkle free.

I like to take technical pants because I hike a lot. I prefer Royal Robbins pencil pants. Sierra Trading Post has many discounted tech items.
Most of my other clothes are knits from Dress Barn, believe it or not! I have an Athleta skort that I love. I have begun to love the Portofino blouses from Express. They are a light crepe with roll up tab sleeves - wear them short or long. They come in regular and slim cut, plain and patterned. I've also found light weight tees and maxi skirts at Target.

Focus on neutrals if you want the biggest bang for the buck. If your pants, sweaters, and most of your tops are in neutrals you can add scarves and statement jewelry to make things pop. I like to bring one or two pattern tops. A two piece dress makes more combinations than a regular dress. I have started playing with pattern matching - bringing a top and skirt that are patterned but "go" together**. (A navy polka dot top and a stripe skirt for example). A 3/4 sleeve tee goes over or under another shirt. Can you roll the pants up into a capri look? All of these give you more looks without more clothing. Also make sure you wear a different top from the day before. One last thing - make sure your bottoms are darker or patterned. You sit in a lot of "stuff" and dirt will show up on really light materials.

Uniqlo has a lot of inexpensive travel ready wear too, such as light weight down jackets. I abandoned my fleece when I found my Patagonia nano-puff. BTW, you can find a lot of great items on e-Bay. You can set up searches for them.

Pick up the clothing under consideration. It should physically feel light. If not, put it back even though it is a knit or synthetic. Heavy items take a while to dry.

My favorite list for clothes:
1 button down roll up tab shirt (like the Portofino blouses)
1 3/4 sleeve light tee
1-2 short sleeve knit tops
1 bonus top (print or pretty item)
1-2 light sweater (thin)
2 pairs of pants - one that I can roll up the legs
1 skirt (if the skirt matches one of the tops, BONUS)
1 dress
2 scarfs (in summer 1 scarf)
2 necklaces (1 colored statement) earrings, light bracelet
1 good pair of walking shoes (I like the euro style athletic shoes that look like bowling shoes but have great treads)
1 good pair of dress shoes that I can walk in. Sandals in summer, ballet flats most of the other times, dress booties in dead winter
rain jacket
leggings (wear under pants or with skirts when cold)
silky tee to wear under shirts when cold

I don't think you need to spend a lot of money on clothes just for travel. I do the 'crush' test Cindy mentioned on anything found on sale racks that looks comfortable, and sink-wash/drip-dry items before the trip to see how they're going to work. Our wardrobe is limited to a couple pairs of jeans, easy-care shirts, underwear, extra pair of shoes, light jacket and maybe a fleece vest: what we wear most of the time at home. We don't mind hauling it to a coin laundry every other week or so when the sink just isn't cutting it anymore 'cause you can meet some really interesting people at laundromats!

Disclaimer: we only travel abroad in the spring and fall so would have to make some small adjustments for a winter or mid-summer trip.

Another vote for Columbia. I have found a lot of long and short sleeve button front shirts and also polos and tees. They don't wrinkle and dry fast. Definitely shop the Outlet. I have several long sleeve modal blend tee shirts from Kohl's that I love. I hate spending a lot on clothes I don't wear every day. I probably pack more than you are wanting to. I pick 3 or 4 solid colors for tops and take some long and short sleeves of each color according to the destination weather. I take 4 pair of black pants and 2 or 3 black jackets of varying weights for layering, and a raincoat. Add a couple of scarves and necklaces that go with multiple tops to dress things up.

I like Eddie Bauer. I actually pick out a skarf with a few colors in it, I use this to together my wardrobe.

Cancel all your plans and come to Budapest instead. In Budapest I can direct you to a fast, relatively inexpensive laundry service (or a rental apartment with a washer/dryer) so it will matter little what you bring if dry cleaning isnt required.

But since we are on the subject I carry one nice set of wrinkle resistant clothing (mostly Orvis) for the evening, theater, dinner, etc; but the rest is nylon fishing trousers and shirts that wash and dry quickly.

I take the same Lands End Tee shirts I wear every day. They are the layering tee and are a cotton/modal blend which sink wash well and usually dry overnight. Last year I wanted to take a SS mostly cotton pullover sweater (has a little rayon or something as well) so I did a test sink wash and timed the dry. I was shocked when it was dry in 8 hours so it qualified for a spot on the travel team.

I take my regular jeans which are a cotton/poly blend, regular black pants which are anblend and had good luck with some poly/spandex pants last year. These are clothes I wear all the time now.

I also use the Lands End cardies which are all cotton but they dont really need to be washed since I'm wearing them over a shirt. Last Fall I was traveling until mid-Oct so I also took a Lands End cashmere cardie which worked out great.

I do suggest if you are going to sink wash you trial things at home. I've been surprised that some things dried better than I thought they would and shocked when some things took forever to dry. They did NOT get in the suitcase.

If you don't shop Lands End and are interested in their stuff, sign up for their emails. You will get 30-40% off offers several times a week.

Magellan has some great washable and quick dry options. A lot depends on when and where you are going. On the cotton question, two of my favorite blouses were a crinkly, lightweight cotton. They washed and dried beautifully, and were great for a cool blouse.

I found a large chunk of my wardrobe for a month's trip to Europe at Cato's - very nice looking short and long sleeve tees, a few nice over-shirts for extra layering or to be worn by themselves, cotton/spandex blend for jeans. All of these dried overnight with no wrinkles. I also had a corduroy leggings from Land's End which could be worn several days between washing and dried in about a day and a half. I traveled in October. Those pants are fantastic for fall/winter and I will be taking mostly those on another trip this winter.

In addition to the ideas offered by others, I've had good luck with textured (patterned) cotton tops. The woven-in pattern seems to hide any wrinkles that might be present. For domestic travel I like a bunch of crinkled-cotton/poly garments I bought some years ago from the very cheap mail order company, Blair. Unfortunately, the fabric is a little heavy for carting around Europe, so I'd suggest being conscious of the weight of any crinkled-cotton garments you're considering.

Elastic waistlines can be quite uncomfortable on very hot days.

If you have thrift shops in your area, check them out. I had to make an emergency purchase of a pair of slacks mid-trip last year. I found a pair of black cropped pants for 6 euros at a used-clothing shop in Dresden.

I am not a big believer in buying "travel clothes". I do love to buy clothes for a trip, but they are items I would need anyway and can later add to my normal wardrobe. I LOVE cotton and natural fabrics. I am big into jersey knit clothing, tank tops, skirts, dresses, tees...these do not look wrinkly and I can spot clean if needed. I wash my jeans maybe once every 6-8 weeks. We did laundry in Florence and just had a drying rack, clothes took a good two days to dry, just like at home. You will be living there so just get into a normal pattern of when you do your laundry and plan accordingly. At home I hang most of my clothing to dry and I give it a good two days to get dry.

Angella, what is the skort style you purchased from Athleta? I see several styles in their catalog. Everyday Skort? Tee Time Skort? Sweet Sport Skort Active? Trekkie Skort? Metro Skort? Looking for one for an upcoming trip and don't want to order a bunch; thanks!

None of my travel clothes are from specialty stores. I bought a few dresses from Dress Barn - love both of them, and I receive compliments on them when we're traveling. My pants are just the pants that I wear to work. My capris are from Macys, etc. I do like to pack a few cute cotton tops if we're traveling to a hotter location.

If you're in the same general temperature climate for your trip, you could get by with 4 outfits - 2 can be drying while you're wearing the other 2.

I bought everything at Costco.

Amen to funpig -- I bought two poly/spandex scoop neck t shirts at Costco (brand name 32-Degree COOL) and have been sink-washing for the last 6 weeks of an 8-week trip. Dry overnight, lightweight, and I believe they were on sale for $6.99 each.

I sent you a PM about sink washing.

I love skorts for travel. On my upcoming trip I am definitely taking my Arc'teryx Solita skort (mine is a very light beige color and doesn't wrinkle too badly). I am also bringing an Athleta skort (Everyday skort in Navy- no wrinkles--though one seam came apart the first time I wore it :() and perhaps a Kuhl Mova skort in gray (though that is much heavier and will take a lot longer to dry). I love knit merino tops--I have a whole bunch of T-shirts and long sleeved shirts from Icebreaker and Ibex and some of those are definitely coming with me as well. Pricey but they stay looking nice for a very long time (I am finally retiring one tank that I got in 2006 that I still wear!) and are really pretty wrinkle resistant.

Brands - Columbia, Ex Officio, Royal Robbins, Ibex (wool), Icebreaker (also wool). Stores - mostly online (Sierra Trading Post, Amazon, brand outlets). Material - nylon, wool, for the most part. We have very hot and humid summers here and I wear Columbia and Ex Officio most of the summer. Look for items that are wicking; they dry fast.

Someone mentioned thrift shops upthread -- remember that other people have also bought "travel clothes," often good brands, and then after the trip decided they wouldn't wear them at home, so donate hardly-worn items to charity.

I guess I should not have stated "travel" clothes what I meant was clothes that are easy to travel + wash in the sink + not wrinkle + fast drying. I am going to take clothes I would wear over here. I hear a lot of the differences of how we dress over here compared to over there but really I like to be wearing comfortable clothes.

Thank you for all your feedback. I am still looking for some great walking shoes. I purchased a Skechers with the memory foam and a flat from them as well. However, they do both say great for walking and the flat Sarah Murdoch suggested and she wore it hiking as well. I purchased for a slip on for the airport security will be easier to take off and put on.
I purchased a Rayon pant - which I can use anywhere after as well.

No shorts - I don't wear them anyway. And I just need some lightweight jeans (I know that is a NO-NO) but the students that went last year said it was cold for a week or so when they got there and wished they had something like that. But lightweight but thinking I can just use leggings (lightweight) for those days.

I find that jeans are best in cooler weather. I just wear leggings under my light pants in the summer. That's for a "really cold" cold snap. Normally travel weight pants are sufficient for summer.

I have to confess, my travel clothes are cotton, linen, and washable silk. Some of the cotton things have 5% of something else,,which is enough to cut down on wrinkling. Secret is sink-washing and drip-dry.

Have you looked at the travel friendly Tilley clothing? They're designed for sink washing and easy care during travel. They have a good selection, and many of their products have good SPF features.

You could also look at Ex Officio.

For trying shoes, I agree with the earlier post saying to check comments regarding walking shoes. I am ordering from Zappos, where I can get free shipping on orders and returns...so I can compare what works best for me without having to drive all over creation. I wear wide shoes, and just can't seem to find many options in one local store. Good luck!

Everyone in Europe and the UK wears jeans. EVERYONE. If you wear jeans at home you should take some with you. I wear my black jeans on the plane because they are the heaviest item.

I am in the middle of 3 weeks in Europe/UK and have worn the black jeans everywhere. I have a few knit tops and a wonderful modal cardi that becomes wrinkle-free when hung up for a short time. One thing you must have is a scarf that goes with everything. I have worn mine almost every day in Iceland, London, Wales, and Paris (where I am now). Yesterday I bought a new one for 5€ and will probably wear that today (especially since it's raining, ugh). I didn't bring anything I don't/won't wear at home. I haven't seen anyone in capris or skorts; jeans, long pants, dresses/skirts, and a few people in shorts. One of the smartest things I did was pick 2 colors and all items go together (and of course anything goes with black jeans and leggings!). If all items layer and coordinate you can bring fewer items. By the way, all clothes I brought fit into 2 eBags ultralight slim packing cubes. Smart investment.

No one cares what you wear except you. Be comfortable in clothing that suits you. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and have a wonderful time!

Great topic! I have a problem such like this.. I'm searching for drying cloth rack that fits in a small wardrobe or a backpack to take it to the trip. What do you think? There are such items on the market ?

You really should start your own post, but here is a clothes line we carry on every trip and like a lot .

BTW Costco has in stock the wool socks and microfiber ladies undies again.

My "travel clothes" are my every day clothes too - Lands Ends, Athleta, Eddie Bauer, Eileen Fisher (pricey, but worth it; look for sales). I second the Costco 32 Degree brand tees and I can usually find merino wool sweaters and socks there as well. I also like Foxcroft no-iron shirts/blouses - another pricey but worth it option that lasts for years. Golf stores may also have what you're looking for. I find that over the past few years I have curated an easy-care, comfortable and stylish set of clothes for my at-home daily life that works well for travel.

About the drying rack...

You don't need to bring one with you. There are lots of ways to improvise without one.

My favorite is the almost inevitable heated towel rack in your ensuite bathroom. I also sometimes use a braided clothes line like this -- https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/travel-clothesline.

I've used chairs, the framework around the shower stall and even a freestanding wine rack one time.

Everyone has made very good suggestions for you. I haunt Eddie Bauer online for sales and the outlet store when I'm in WA.

But for my last trip, I got some prAna men's pants like these -- http://www.backcountry.com/prana-stretch-zion-pant-mens?skid=PRA00M7-IND-S30X34&ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6cHJhbmEgcGFudHM6MToyOnByYW5hIHBhbnRz -- on sale at Summit Hut here in Tucson.

Why men's?

Because I have a very short rise, so the waist actually hits me at my waist. Most women's pants are too low or too high for me.

Because the waist is adjustable.

Because they can be rolled up.

Because they are very lightweight.

Because they are sideways rain resistant and dry very fast.

But mostly because they have real pockets.

I'd say that 98% of the women's pants I look at or try on, even ones that are supposedly for outdoor activities and even this brand, have totally useless shallow and flat pockets.

The only problem I had with them on my recent trip to the UK was that they set off alarms when going through security at Seattle. Too much metal I guess.

Since Laura B took the plunge by mentioning thrift stores, I will point out the obvious (at least to me):
Good Will beats the Eddie Bauer outlet and Sierra Trading Post,
and there is often one day a week or so at Good Will when clothes are half-priced,
so you can get an entire trip's worth of quick-dry tees and tops for less than the price of one Travex or whatever high tech item.
Use the savings to treat yourself to a nice dinner in each town you're visiting.

Great suggestions above, especially thrift stores. My travel wardrobe is primarily from Goodwill, with a couple of technical pieces from Columbia (a local brand for me). Look for the fabric blends mentioned above that fall in your selected color theme. On my last trip I took two pairs of thrift store jeans - both 80% cotton, 20% poly/spandex - in brands that ordinarily cost a fortune (NYDJ and Jag). Both air dried overnight and were quite comfy.

Most important step is to wear, wash, and air dry every single thing BEFORE you leave. Depending on the weather where you are now and where you're going, it could take less/more time for the drying aspect, but you'll get an idea pretty quickly of what will work.

To be honest, you probably have much of what you need in your closet right this minute. Check out your labels and give them the wash/dry test, you might be pleasantly surprised. Also, really force yourself to stick to the minimal amount. Check the Vivienne Files for ideas about how to coordinate pieces.

I wear fishing clothing from Bass Pro. Designed to get soaking wet and dry in minutes. Cool, loose, comfortable and extremely light to pack.

I go shopping in my own closet, rather than buying specific travel clothing. I have several pieces I refer to as my travel clothes. But, that is just what I call them because they hand wash and dry quickly. I love a skort and purchased some great ones at Kohls. I have had very good luck shopping at Costco and Sam's, where I have bought woolrich socks, down jacket and vest, 32 degrees t's, and khaki and co. pants. I take mostly olive and black bottoms and coordinate with 5-6 shirts, in solids and prints.

Travelsmith and Magellan are worth looking at, if you want clothes that are more tailored and less outdoorsy and athletic-looking than Eddie Bauer, Columbia, REI, etc.

I have found that my favorite clothes for travel have been my purchases from JJill. They have a wearever and pure Jill line that are comfortable, stylish and easy care. They are not athletic clothing. What I love is that you can create a real mix and match wardrobe. My first trip to Europe was 2010 and I started purchasing jjill. Every year I have added more pieces. They are still the items I pack for my trips! I add the new items and they all coordinate. They also wash up easily! I do like to take a relaxing day on my trips and use that day to do laundry. The Eddie Bauer/ athletic items I have wash and dried still look wrinkled along the seams, however my JJill items come out wrinkle free and ready to go!

Any suggestions on which brand of men's t-shirts are good for travel?

mjbncc1701 asked about men's t-shirts. My husband raves about the 32 Degree t-shirts from Costco.

I would also add that for men's shirts Icebreaker and Ibex merino wool t-shirts are also great. And if you sign up for their emails, they will let you know whenever they have a sale. These are not specific for travel, but they wear well, wick away sweat, are good whether it is warm or cold outside, do not wrinkle.

I have to say I've become a convert to the Icebreaker Merino shirts. I'm in Paris right now and its hot as heck. I got 5 days wear out of my Cabelas+Icebreaker tee and might have tried a 6th day if I hadnt spilled food. I wore a LandsEnd wick away shirt yesterday and it is barely Ok for day 2.

They are expensive but Cabelas runs great sales.

Lots of good suggestions here, and I'll add a few more for those looking for deals. Periodically checking the active wear sections of stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls can yield good finds on name brands like Columbia, Mountain Hardware, SmartWool, etc, though it often involves checking the store several times over a longer period of time. Campmor (online, catalog, and store in NJ) has good prices on similar brands, and better discounts on styles from previous seasons. Clearance racks/sales on websites at REI and Eastern Mountain Sports can be other good sources. If you don't mind spending some time and the thrill of the hunt when shopping, these might be helpful sources :)

From a guy's POV have to agree with all those Eddie Bauer fans; their Travex line is pretty decent...ProGuide/First Ascent pants are great(have to live with the little logo on the left leg) as they are lightweight, wrinkle resistant, water/stain repellent to a large degree (and dry fast when sink washed). You can also get the convertible model if you want zip-off to shorts. Both my wife and I have lightweight/breathable hooded Travex rain jackets too. Her travel pants are Columbia Anytime Outdoor pants(no logo!)

ExOfficio boxers & boxer briefs can be worn (believe it or not) for days and washed in the sink overnight. Smartwool socks are good for 2-3 days & when you sign up for emails they run a buy 5 get 1 free monthly and keep you warm even if they get wet.

Icebreaker merino wool tops are lightweight, non-smelly but my favourite are the Ibex l/s & s/s T's. They are temperature regulating, sweat-wicking and stay fresh for days. Kuhl shirts are my favourite travel collared shirts-particularly the Response s/s.

An EddieBauer fleece jacket/pullover (we use black as it's a bit dressier)is a way to layer for cooler weather and a Scottevest vest is a good way to get lots of stuff onto the plane and not need an extra bag! Tons of pockets and still hangs nicely when loaded.

Clarks Wavewalkers are nice for extended walking in cities(but a bit dicey on wet cobblestones), otherwise a pair of Goretex or eVent hiking shoe cuts(rather than boots) can be worn just about anytime (just stay away from fluorescent colours!!!) Tons of brands to choose from, but you need to see which fits YOU best and break any new shoes in before the trip.

And it all fits in an Osprey Porter 30 Carryon Backpack(with an Osprey Ultralight Daypack stuffed in for day-to-day use).
Very similar to the RS Convertible or Classic bag(although just a tad larger at 21x15x11 to 21x14x9) although it can be cinched way down to hit the 9" pretty easily. Have to say that the RS bags are a pretty nice pricepoint too!

There ya go, lots to choose from & that was really a name-dropping melange!

I bought these travel skirts and loved them...I've been wearing them all summer, too. They are so lightweight and roll into nothing to pack. I bought the beige and olive green...they are very flattering...it looks more like the beige one on the model. I'm bummed they don't have it in black.

https://www.royalrobbins.com/women/skirts/jammer-skirt

I take my regular clothes - including 100%-cotton t-shirts and underwear. I have never had something not dry overnight, except socks. In my opinion, the only way to know if your regular clothes will work is to wash them in the sink and hang them up at home.

I just take what I have in my closet. Jeans, a couple khakis, golf polos (they are various brands made of a quick dry material that is a poly cotton blend usually), and whatever jacket(s) I think might come in handy on the trip. No "travel clothes" for me - zip off pant legs, vests, etc, that I would never ever wear at home even when I go out in the wilderness on weekends. I know I stand out as a tourist anyway, but don't need to wear anything that screams "tourist!".

Just take what you are comfortable wearing. Europe isn't that different any more in what they wear compared to the US. Maybe if you are way off in an isolated village you might not look like the residents, but pretty much every where else you will fit right in. And speaking of being comfortable, make sure you have worn and washed all of your clothes several times before taking them on a trip. Just like new shoes, new clothes can be super uncomfortable and the time to find that out is not on a trip when you have nothing else to wear.

Depending on your price point I recommend Arc'teryx. You could argue price point but then 3+ yrs later when you still have it and it isn't worn out and it is you go to piece(s) of gear you will realize you get what you pay for. REI has a great return policy (within 1 year) even if it was used and or washed so buy and try and return if it doesn't work for your needs before you start your trip. Wrinkles can be managed/eliminated by washing in sink night before and hanging dry. I would recommend purchasing an ounce scale first and let that be the ultimate guide to deciding. Good luck to you.