Everything currently in my minimalist travel wardrobe for my trip through Australia and Asia
This is my self-proclaimed practical travel wardrobe for someone who would like to be more minimalist. Here’s my minimalist travel wardrobe for 3 months in Australia and Asia (Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Cambodia). It includes a breakdown of what I brought with me and a few things I’ve acquired on the road.
Admiral’s Arch on Kangaroo Island in Australia
The purpose of this trip
Before I get into what I’ve packed, let me put it into context. The first purpose of this trip was to attend a conference in Melbourne. After that, I had some time to chill in Australia before I headed to Singapore to submit my PhD thesis. I’m doing some normal travel, some ultimate (Frisbee), and also spending some time working from my laptop. I knew I would spend time at the beach, in the forest, and on hills.
My travel wardrobe
I thought long and hard about what were the bare essentials I needed on this trip. I even made a spreadsheet!! In the end, this is the list of clothing that I brought with me. If you don’t do sports, you can ignore the sports clothing and have even fewer items to pack.
What I brought with me:
Clothes:
- 3 Icebreaker Merino wool shirts
- 2 Ably shirts
- 2 ultimate jerseys
- 1 ultimate tank top
- 1 Icebreaker Merino wool tank top
- 1 pair of Patagonia ultimate field shorts
- 2 pairs of Underarmour compression shorts (I also use these for swimming)
- 1 pair of thin stretchy jeans
- 1 pair of sweatpants
- 1 long sleeve denim shirt
- 3 sports bras (I live in them…)
- 5 pairs of underwear (Patagonia and Icebreaker)
- 3 pairs of socks
- 1 Underarmour cap
- 1 sarong (gift from my family when they went to Hawaii)
- 1 triangle handkerchief (that I got in Barcelona)
Shoes
- 1 pair of cleats (bulky, and you probably don’t need them)
- 1 pair of running shoes (These are Merrell shoes that are minimalist and pack pretty small)
- 1 pair of Iguaneye shoes
- 1 pair of waterproof Merrell boots (I always wear these when I’m in transit)
What I added to my travel wardrobe while on the road
I knew there was a possibility that I would buy some clothes while traveling. I did have a few missing pieces in my set of travel clothes, such as casual shorts. I didn’t own a pair that I really wanted to have on this trip, so I figured I’d find something good on the road.
These were the things I acquired on the road:
- 1 swimwear top
- 1 boyfriend style jean shorts
- 1 strappy dress (and a few other dresses from my friend who moved house in Singapore, but I’ll
- be storing them until I come back a few months from now)
- 1 cheap cap (lost my Underarmour cap to the ocean in Sri Lanka)
- 1 wrap around flow-y boho temple visiting pants (no elephants though)
Originally, I didn’t want to buy swimwear. I tried to swim in one of my sports bras that was more water resistant, but it catches water when moving forward so it’s not ideal. I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to buy shorts. I have a pair of sports shorts, but I bought a pair of jeans shorts so I don’t look like a complete bum all the time.
Wearing an ultimate jersey on the train in Sri Lanka
Cutting it down even more
On my 5 week trip through Sri Lanka, Thailand (Bangkok only), and Cambodia, I cut down even more. I left 3 shirts and my sweatpants in Singapore for when I would return. I didn’t bring my running shoes with me either (but I had to bring my cleats for a tournament!). I also left a bunch of random things like my disc that I got at Melbourne Hat, external hard drives, toiletries and makeup that I didn’t need for that part of the trip, and various other things.
Main thing was, for tops, I have only 3 shirts (2 Ably and 1 Icebreaker), 1 ultimate jersey, and the 2 tank tops. I will made it through that whole period with just those tops! I mostly have been wearing the 2 Ably shirts, and the others occasionally.
For bottoms, I brought the jean shorts, jeans, and Patagonia shorts.
Now that I’m nearly done with this part of my trip, I think I made the right decision to leave some clothes in Singapore. I may not have even needed them for the entire trip. Maybe next time I’ll leave home with only 3 shirts, but I guess that is a little risky.
From left: 2 compression shorts, Icebreaker shirt, 2 Ably shirts, flowy pants, jeans, evac dry sack
Other thoughts and tips for planning your travel wardrobe
I probably didn’t need to bring my sweatpants at all. I brought them to use as pajamas in cooler evening weather in Australia and for air conditioned places, but I haven’t used them much at all. I might have worn them a little more often if they weren’t so warm. They were too good at their job for the conditions I’ve been in!
Although I wouldn’t recommend buying loads of clothes while traveling, do have some space in your bag just in case you add 1 or 2 new items. I personally don’t like traveling with a backpack that is bursting at its seams anyway!
Traveling lighter is usually much more comfortable, and for me is totally worth it!
What do you have in your travel wardrobe? Am I missing something essential?
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