Women Can Travel in Style While Packing Light

Whenever I travel I try to pack as light as possible so that I can avoid lugging around too much gear. However, I need to be able to pack enough items to enable me to go from a day of casual hiking and sightseeing to a semi-dressy dinner.

Two must have items in my travel wardrobe are a black zip-off skirt and a pair of zip-off pants/shorts. These items are particularly helpful for those times when I'm out all day and into the evening and the hot summer day turns into a somewhat nippy evening. Also, many religious sites, fine dining establishments and other places require women must dress somewhat modestly. Simply put, no matter how hot the temperature, women will be denied access if they're wearing shorts or an above the knee travel dress.

As these items tend to get a lot of wear and tear, I tend to purchase mine used from eBay Search for "zip off pants" or "zip off skirt" and be sure to check the sizes for the waist as well as the inseam and skirt length respectively. Unless you want carpi pants or a below-length skirt, be certain that the pants zip off to length that works for you. Pants and skirts made from nylon can be easily washed and will dry easily if one is engaging in water sports or gets caught in the rain. However, if one is traveling to cool climates consider switching to a heavier cotton fabric.

In addition, I like to pack along the 8-in-1 Bamboo Wrap/Dress/Skirt from ANGeLRoX . This soft and easy to pack item can be transformed from a casual skirt worn with a T-shirt to an off the shoulder dress that could be worn to a wedding. Adding a colorful scarf allows me considerable variety in creating a range of ensembles from these three pieces. Also, packing along a scarf will help shield my head from the head, as well as providing coverage for those times when I enter a religious site where women are expected to cover their heads. Throw in a Switch Gear interchangeable jewelry set and I have a range of necklace and earring combinations so I can look stylish without wearing the same accessories every day.

When in comes to underwear, I've found that if I pack two pairs of Ex Officio's underwear, I'm set to go for the entire trip. Their latest line of Give-N-Go Lacy underwear comes in either a stylish full cut brief or bikini that fits like a second skin. Made with 94% Nylon and 6% Lycra Spandex, these panties wicks moisture away from my body during the day and then will dry quickly overnight so I can have them ready to wear the next day. At sizes ranging from XS to XL, this underwear will fit most women.

To ensure that my clothes don't look all wrinkled, I take along a few travel necessities from the oneCARE Company. Their 3 oz. version of Downy Wrinkle Releaser meets FAA requirements for carry-on liquids and will get wrinkles from my clothes out so I don't look like I just emerged from a suitcase. Their travel lint roller will get rid of any stray hairs, dander, and lint while the the Dryel Pen will eliminate any stains, so my clothes always look clean and fresh. Then I separate my dirty clothes from my clean ones with the Tide Odor-Absorbing Travel Bag.