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March 9, 2011 4:12 PM

Where can I find stylish outdoor/travel clothing?

I'm planning a 17-day trip that will, hopefully, involve splashing through rain and mud on an island, some downtime in a city, and then hiking or climbing in a hot, dusty desert. To that end, I'm attempting to put together a versatile, lightweight and somewhat easily-washable wardrobe for exploring and hiking all terrains--while still looking at least slightly fashionable. Or at least cute. I know, I know, priorities. I am female, in my 20s, and located in San Francisco.

I really dig Nau and Athleta, but does anyone have any additional suggestions?

posted by superquail to clothing, beauty, & fashion (15 answers total)

REI. I've gotten some cute shirts and shirts that were made of durable materials that have UV protection, wick moisture, etc. They have good sales, too.
posted by elpea at 4:17 PM on March 9, 2011

Ms. Vegetable likes Title Nine.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 4:18 PM on March 9, 2011

Those of us in the adventure travel field swear by Ex Officio. For example, I was recently on a round-the-world trip that lasted 5 weeks and I only brought 3 pairs of their quick-dry undies with me. Expensive but well worth it. Note that these undies are not flame proof, as I discovered when they were drying in front of a fireplace in a hacienda in the Andean mountains of Ecuador. An ember flew onto the crotch and burned a hole into the fabric. It ain't pretty, but still serviceable.

I also have a couple of their long-sleeved lightweight expedition shirts for really hot and humid places. Great for keeping bugs from biting you and thorny jungle plants from stabbing into your skin. I noticed one year that Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, wore a couple of their shirts.
posted by HeyAllie at 4:30 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Patagonia! Super comfy, frequently stylish, and eco-friendly clothing. Bonus: if you wind up on their mailing list, about twice a year you'll get their catalog, which is mostly jaw-droppingly beautiful pictures of nature with some people in there doing inhumanly awesome things.
posted by kitarra at 4:31 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Ex officio FTW. Really great stuff. Wears like iron, I can wear it in the desert summer for a week with minimal stink. Lots of vents.
posted by notsnot at 4:36 PM on March 9, 2011

Could try Prana, Lululemon, lucy, or North Face. Have fun!
posted by notcomputersavvy06 at 4:50 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

I dig The Territory Ahead.
posted by BostonTerrier at 5:52 PM on March 9, 2011

Sierra Trading Post. Outdoor and other stuff from lots of brands, deeply discounted.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 6:14 PM on March 9, 2011 [3 favorites]

I love Ibex clothing, although their stuff is a bit on the expensive side. Their clothes are made of wool, but I've found that they're great for all seasons. Their Carrie hoodies are my favorite travel jackets ever....
posted by heurtebise at 6:17 PM on March 9, 2011

2nding Patagonia. Their guide pants are light, fast to dry, and easy to spot clean. Their bandha dress is universally flattering, not vulnerable to wrinkling, and suitable for going out in the city portion of your trip.
posted by TrarNoir at 7:39 PM on March 9, 2011

I haven't bought anything from there but it looks like Lucy has some stuff as does Athleta. FWIW I just got back from a trip and am trying to record for future trips what I wore most of the time and I really spent a lot of time in plain v neck t shirts. Also, do you have any clothes that wick? I've found that long sleeve shirts that wick have been good for hiking. Have a wonderful trip!
posted by kat518 at 8:46 AM on March 10, 2011

If you like the Ibex stuff in wool, Icebreaker just brought their summer stuff back, which includes some dresses and skirts and cute shirts. It packs well, washes easily. I wear it year-round in Chicago, except the worst humid days of the summer. I've got some articles of icebreaker that I have worn at least once a week for years that are still in beautiful condition.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:02 AM on March 13, 2011

Nau - expensive, but seriously awesome. I think they are somehow related to Patagonia.
posted by annie o at 11:02 AM on March 13, 2011

Hah. duh. I should finish reading the question before I post.
posted by annie o at 11:03 AM on March 13, 2011

I don't think nau is affiliated with Patagonia, other than some of the original designers. After Nau failed to meet its sales goals and lost its funding from Tudor Ventures in late 2007, it expected to go completely out of business, after barely starting out. In mid 2008, Horny Toad Activewear bought the remaining assets, which allowed nau to continue as a primarily wholesaler, with a few small outlets and a website. I'm not affiliated with nau; I've just been in love with their clothes since the launch. I miss their original Chicago store, which was gorgeous and minimalist. It had just a handful of articles in the store and a scanner. You scanned what you were looking at; got to see it and its specs and other colors on the monitors and then it was shipped to your home. Something about it being better to keep everything at the warehouse, instead of shipping it to stores to be sold, and then shipped back when stock turned over. I swear, I bought half the original product line.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:16 PM on March 14, 2011