This post is for the people who love to look stylish when traveling! Whether you’re joining an active, outdoor excursion on your vacation or taking it easy relaxing at an all-inclusive resort or just going with the flow exploring a new city, you can look fashionable and still feel comfortable. Here are the must-have items for traveling in style and how to easily take your outfit up a notch. We all want to make memories and take photos where we look and feel our best to share with our friends and family – and of course, the ‘gram. But don’t worry, these must-have items won’t take up too much luggage space – we have to take that into consideration too!
1 – Sunglasses, Duh!
The most popular must-have item for traveling in style is of course sunglasses! Not only is it great for giving you a more incognito look and protect your eyes from the sun and harsh lights (why else do celebrities love wearing this indoors?), a good pair of sunglasses is a strong fashion statement. Plus, if it’s one of those days where you don’t want to wear makeup and you still want to hide your tired eyes (like me), sunglasses always does the job. And they sure have come in handy when I want to take a picture when the sun is too bright I end up squinting in all my photos – a pair of sunglasses instantly fixes the unpleasant face you’ll have when you need to snap a picture. And when your trendy pair of sunglasses really matches your outfit, that’s extra points. You’re almost guaranteed to always get a good photo so never go without a good pair for your trip!
I usually bring about 2 pairs of sunglasses when I travel. I used to go for higher end brands, but I realize that they’re too easily to damage and lose. I don’t want to worry about several hundred dollars of sunglasses sitting on the table in a restaurant and forgetting about it when I leave. Or leaving it behind on a hotel couch, which I did in Hong Kong one time – I was peeved. Plus I rather have more selection to choose from and have different looks every time so I rather spend less on these types of accessories. One site I love to shop for sunglasses on is Quay Australia, they always have new styles coming out, collabs with different influencers or celebrities, as well as great deals. My favorite style will always be the High Keys since they match every outfit and come in a variety of colors. The quality is pretty good, the styles are always modern and trendy, and when you get a good sale it’s definitely worth buying a few pairs.
2 – A Hat, For Multiple Reasons
Hats are great for hiding a bad hair day, protecting you from the sun, and upgrading your outfit – so it’s an absolute must-have item for traveling in style. Hats have been very useful for me when:
- Going to the beach – I use sunscreen on my face, but as extra protection, when I’m tanning and lying on my back, I like to cover my face with a hat. Plus it’s much more breathable than having a towel over my face.
- It’s a rainy or windy day – especially if I’m wearing makeup, a hat helps protect the wind or rain from directly hitting my face. It also helps with the endless tangles in my hair since a hat will help secure it from blowing around.
- It’s a hot day – when I’m in a hot country, sometimes I can really feel the heat of the sun burning the top of my head. Having a hat helps with that heat protection, and more so for men who have short hair or a buzz cut!
- I’m having a bad hair day – if I haven’t had time to wash my hair and nothing has been working to revive my hair in time, why not cover it up? Here are also 7 Ways To Instantly Fix A Bad Hair Day And Add Volume To Your Hair.
3 – Shoes That Go With Your Outfit
What really brings together an outfit are a pair of nice shoes to match! One of the most important must-have items for traveling in style is to have a pair of shoes to go with your outfit – may it be flats, flip flops, sneakers, heels, or boots. I always make sure to coordinate my outfits and bring the right pair of shoes to match the occasion. I admit, sometimes I do end up bringing way more than I really need to for those just-in-case scenarios and that takes up a lot of room in my carry-on luggage, so do pre-plan and pre-coordinate your outfits if possible to avoid this problem. And, shoes do get quite heavy and take up a lot of unnecessary room!
2 types of shoes I always make sure to bring with me when I travel are a nice pair of sandals and a pair of versatile sneakers that are comfortable to walk in for long periods of time. The sandals I usually pack with me are Havaianas (since I can wear them as outdoor shoes and when I’m in my hotel room or in the shower so I don’t have to go barefoot) and they come in multiple styles and colors. Another pair of sandals I love to bring and can also be used for a nice night out or a more stylish outfit are my Valentino Rock Stud Rubber Sandals. I love getting the classic colors and currently have them in Poudre and Black since they go with every outfit and are of very high quality, lasts a long time, and look super elegant.
The sneakers I like to pack specifically for travel are Vessi’s since they’re waterproof and extremely versatile for all seasons, and my Skechers Ultra Flex since they’re very lightweight, understated, and have Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole. I have them in white and also black and white. I’ve walked more than 10 hours a day in both of these shoes and neither have given me problems and my feet still felt okay at the end of the day.
4 – Jacket For Layering
Not only is a jacket good for layering and keeping you warm, it adds to your outfit and is another must-have item for traveling in style. Jackets and cardigans bold fashion statement and depending on the style and how trendy it is, you may not even want to take it off! If you’re traveling to a colder climate, having a stylish outer layer can make all the difference in your photos too. An easy way to make sure your jacket looks sophisticated in cold weather is to have fur or faux further around the collar.
It also looks and feels that much cozier. If the weather isn’t as cold, a nice denim jacket, leather jacket, or military jacket also does wonders for style. The good thing about jackets is that you can take it off, and you can choose whether or not to wear it during your vacation (dependent on the weather of course). The point is, you have options – plus if you really aren’t vibing with your jacket, you can always quickly take it off for some photos! At least you’ll be warm after.
5 – Accessories For Understated Style
The smallest and easiest to pack must-have items for traveling in style are accessories. You may not even need to pack them if you end up wearing them during your entire trip. That is what I usually do – just keep it on me at all times unless it’s a watch which I take off when I sleep. I’m usually not a huge jewelry person as I tend to forget to wear them unless it’s pierced. But when I travel, I love wearing items that I don’t need to take off and can survive being in water (pool and ocean) and sweat. That is usually something in either stainless steel (navel piercing and watch), silver or gold – as fake materials tend to cause irritation, infection or turn color on me. This includes a necklace, earrings, bracelets and rings.
I like timeless and classic pieces as they go with every outfit, isn’t too flashy, and will always look good. I suggest investing in a few quality pieces you’ll wear over and over again if you’re not a huge jewelry person. Sometimes, they can even be investment pieces where you actually make money even after wearing them (if you know, you know).
If you like to have many choices, want the latest fashion accessories and to switch it up often and aren’t too worried about quality, then remember to pack a mini jewelry box to help you get organized for your trip! I purchased this jewelry box which fits necklaces, rings, watches, bracelets, and more and also comes with a mini travel jewelry case which I take with me on my travels as needed.
6 – Lipstick, For A Pop Of Color
To give your look a little pop, adding a nice color to your lips can help you make a statement and even make you look more alive. That’s why, not only is it a must-have item for traveling in style, it’s something I take with me every day in my makeup bag. To be ready for any occasion, I like carrying around 2 to 3 colors with me including some nudes, neutrals, and reds. For those who know me, you know my go-to has always been the Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks, but my recent obsession has been Jaclyn Cosmetics Poutspoken Liquid Lipsticks which I will write a blog post review on very soon! I need my lipsticks to last almost all day and with minimal re-application and these do the job. I rather spend my time exploring than reapplying my makeup (although I will if necessary – I have standards to uphold after all).
7 – Flat Iron For Hair And Clothes
The last must-have item for traveling in style is a flat iron. Why? Because a flat iron instantly fixes your hair – you can make it perfectly straight, create waves or even curls. It easily provides you with different looks and trust me, I’ve had enough bad hair days to know that this is a necessity. You want to be able to have options when it comes to your hair and be able bring something with you that’s versatile since luggage space is precious. Not to mention, for those who absolutely hate wrinkled clothes, a flat iron can fix the problem too if you don’t actually have an iron provided by your accommodations when you’re traveling. If you do plan to double your flat iron as an actual clothes iron for emergencies, bring a full size flat iron and not a travel flat iron as they are too small. You can see which ones I use here.