There are certain items of clothing that you just can’t get away with wearing in ‘real life’, one of those is crochet anything. It’s just not aprops if it’s not on the beach. However when backpacking, anything goes, so make sure you’re not left out and nab yourself a crochet crop top. You can get them for as little as £3 and they’re so cute. Be sure to do a few abdominal crunches before you rock one! She Made Me do amazing crochet clothing
There are a million and one packing lists out there for RTW backpacking trips, this is mine, and I hope (fingers crossed) that I’m taking the right things and that I can break it down in an easy fashion so as to help you. Here it goes. Countries visited: India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Bali, Borneo Weather: Mostly hot, some cold nights Length of trip: 3-5 months Type of travel: Budget (hostels, sleeper trains and street food) NOTE: I’ve included some quick-buy links to some products to make them easy to shop. Some, but not all are affiliate links from which I make a tiny commission, this is at no extra charge to you. Please email me with any packing-related questions too. The Backpack I chose one based on price to be honest, I didn’t want to spend hundreds of pounds and I don’t think you need to. I bought a Karrimor backpack from Amazon for £53 and it had great reviews. Hopefully it will be in a locker most of the time. I chose a 65l …
Rat & Boa by UK designers Stephanie Cara Bennett and Valentina Muntoni is the perfect globally-influenced fashion brand. The clothes are equally as suited to a weekend in LA as they are a hot Havana night and everything in between. The Rat & Boa instagram feed is enough to make anyone want to pack their bags and get away and there are plenty of styling tips courtesy of the stylish duo. Fun fact: I used to work with Stephanie in Topshop in Manchester (UK), that store obviously gives people the travel bug! Shop Rat & Boa
If this sound like the most random article ever then I’m sorry, but it’s not. This is me imparting some knowledge that will seriously improve the quality of your backpacking life. I’m totally alive with excited energy as I type this because I simply believe this is one of the greatest lessons I have learned in my, ahem, twenty-something years on this earth. Okay, a bit OTT, but read on for why you need to embrace the sports bra… THEY LOOK PRETTY GOOD THESE DAYS They’re an actual, legit fashion item now. Forget those grey elastic over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, today’s sports bras come in myriad colours, patterns and designs and they’re really flattering on most people. This means you can wear it as a fashionable crop top as well as a bra. Score. I love a multi-tasking item. YOU CAN SWIM IN IT Speaking of multitasking, your sports bra will double as a bikini top, and you won’t look weird, I promise. In fact there are bikinis that specifically and truly double as sports bras these days …
I never in a million years thought my Grandad would be lauded as a fashion icon, but in recent years exactly that has happened, from his raw denim straight-leg jeans to the New Balance he has rocked so faithfully over the decades. His Birks’ ‘n’ socks signature is one I’ve adopted of late and I’m pretty sure the man invented ‘normcore’. The latest trend to be pillaged from his sartorial sack of goodies are these Geography field trip-worthy Teva sandals. They’re everything you could want in a travelling shoe; sturdy, orthopaedic, comfy and… well, fugly. Plus they won’t fall off at that Full Moon Party and they look absolutely fantastic with a sock (should your feet start to rub or blister from epic hikes). On a real though, these sandals are this year’s Birkenstocks, and at less than £35, they are waaaay more pocket-friendly. Grab ’em while they’re haute. Get yours here, here and here.
Chez Shez 