Recently returned from 2 weeks in Southern Spain and thought I'd share a few of my "trip MVP's" - (most valuable pieces) in hopes that the info. may be helpful to other travelers.
Background - we pretty much do "carry on" only and did that for this trip as well. Luggage is Briggs and Riley. Weather ranged from the low 30's - 40's (Grenada) to high 50's and mid 60's (Seville). Clear and sunny all but 1 day where it rained steadily.
My “typical” fall/winter travel outfit is low boots, jeans or cords, long sleeved shirt, sweater and either a cool necklace or scarf and outerwear as needed.
Now, onto the good stuff - the MVP's!
- Uniqlo Airism cami's ,Heattech crew neck and leggings. I've taken these on several trips and they are amazingly helpful pieces when the weather is this variable. The cami's gave me just that extra bit of warmth for coolish mornings and I didn't overheat as the day warmed up. Inexpensive, easy to pack and you can sink wash and dry overnight. The Long-sleeved Heattech is a great base layer for temps in the 30's along with the leggings (below that merino wool is definitely better). This layer kept me warm for very little space!
- Uniqlo Merino wool v neck pullover - again, I've taken this on mulitiple trips and have always been glad to have it. Relatively inexpensive and easy to pack yet surprisingly warm when worn with layers. Wore this sweater far more than the merino wool cardigan I packed.
- Athleta Speedlight Top: a surprise winner! I was looking for a long sleeved shirt to wear on the plane that didn’t bind and would breathe (total travel time door to door was over 20 hours so this was a biggie for me!) This shirt checked all the boxes and then some. Despite being an “athletic” shirt, it looked great on it’s own with a necklace or scarf and layered really well and unless you were familiar with the brand you wouldn’t know it was a shirt designed for exercise. I never felt too hot or too cold on the plane and it was sooo comfortable! Added bonus – the fabric used doesn’t retain odors. Packs down small and comes in a nice variety of colors. Not cheap but I’ve found Athleta stuff to be good quality and last for a long time.
4.Uniqlo Ultra Down Light Vest: I didn’t wear this every day but on the days I did, I was very happy to have it. Packs down into it’s own little stuff sack,so I squashed it into an odd space in my bag. Small enough to throw in my day bag for “iffy” days and light enough that it didn’t weigh me down. It’s now on the “must pack” list for trips involving both cold and warm temps.
5. Daybag - backpack purse– this was another surprise winner! Made of thick nylon it was surprisingly comfortable and held everything I needed for the day including my Panasonic Lumix camera, sunglasses, light down vest, wallet, handwipes and all the other assorted bits and bobs will all find indispensable. Has two small side pockets for waterbottles or umbrellas. The zipper to get into the bag in on the back so it’s snugged up against your back. Yes, you do have to take the pack off to get into it, but I found I preferred it to my usual crossbody since the weight is evenly distributed. It also comes with a strap so you can wear it as a shoulder bag – handy for a couple of places we visited! Definitely inexpensive and I don’t know how it would hold up for months of traveling, but it came back looking brand new and I’m sure will be used on a number of future trips. I’ve included a link for those who are curious about the bag - https://www.amazon.com/Backpack-Waterproof-Anti-theft-Rucksack-Lightweight/dp/B07BVKWK5Y/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=backpack+purse&qid=1581365535&smid=A2ZBTAJS5FYZM9&sr=8-8
Cheers to all and happy traveling!