multifunctional clothing

June 27, 2012 6:05 AM

What are the best multi-functional clothing? Like the Le Sac dress or Circle Scarf?

I am about to set off an 8-month long trip with a 40L bag. I need to pack very light but will also need to pack for weather that ranges from hot to cold (hopefully no snow...hopefully).

What are you recommendations for multi-functional clothing? Points if you have links to DIY clothing. I've already made American Apparel knock-off circle scarves and a le sac dress (work in progress)

posted by bluelight to clothing, beauty, & fashion (19 answers total)

Enwrapture Vintage Skirts can be worn in many skirt and dress styles.
posted by kimdog at 6:19 AM on June 27, 2012

Convertible/infinity dresses are easy to make and quite versatile.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:32 AM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have a reversible skirt - White Stuff sold me mine in the sale, but I'm sure it can't be difficult to do yourself. I bought it purely for going camping to cut down on my luggage and it worked well. And skirts can be worn with tights or bare legs.
posted by mippy at 6:39 AM on June 27, 2012

I know people think they are dorky, but especially if you will be going from hot to cold, convertible pants work pretty well. These look kinda stylish. These convertible harem pants (pants to skirt to dress) look cool as well (and not hard to make).
posted by bluefly at 6:43 AM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

I've had three Macabi Skirts for 2+ years -- I love them! Comfortable, have excellent pockets, and can be made to look a little steam-punk depending on what else you wear when it's in the 'short' style. And despite constant wearing, rinse & hang for a couple hours and they still look fresh and new.
posted by MeiraV at 6:43 AM on June 27, 2012

This skirt is awesome, I own three. I've not tried their jackets. I'd consider a tough packable hat as well, in a dark color and reversible in a light color. Light to reflect heat, dark to absorb it/wear in places where required (religious houses, formal places).
posted by tilde at 6:43 AM on June 27, 2012

Convertible harem pants (sorry forgot the link!)
posted by bluefly at 6:43 AM on June 27, 2012

I love this skirt that changes to pants that I bought from etsy.
posted by Mchelly at 6:52 AM on June 27, 2012

This Etsy listing shows the "magic wrap" skirt (like the ones shown in kimdog's link) to much better advantage, particularly if you're interested in re-constructing one at home. This cabriolet wrap skirt pattern is a similar concept. Milliana has good instructions on how to wrap it.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:58 AM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Definitely get a Buff (it's a scarf, hat, balaklava, headband, &c.). For your purposes I'd go with one of the merino wool ones in a light color so it reflects light and breathes in warm weather but keeps you warm in cool weather.
posted by gauche at 7:16 AM on June 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

How about picking up a short/mid length summer dress with an elasticated bodice and wearing it three ways: as a dress, as a top over trousers/leggings or with the bodice pulled down to the waist as a skirt.
posted by Ness at 7:31 AM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Silk long underwear can be worn under lighter items and eliminates the need for a lot of cold-weather clothing. It weighs nothing and is easy to wash in a sink and dry overnight.

Also, this one is obvious, but I always bring a sarong as my towel/backup dress. You could also bring a furoshiki as a scarf/carry bag/towel.
posted by susanvance at 8:05 AM on June 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

Where are you going? I've had several long trips of more than a year with 13-15lbs of luggage (including a 2 1/2 year trip in mostly Asia and Africa, with a little Middle East and Europe). The biggest struggle is indeed large fluctuations in weather. Recently I had a year away that included icy southern South America and 100degree India.

Please feel free to me-mail me... I think a lot depends on where you're going and what you'll be doing.
posted by maya at 8:12 AM on June 27, 2012

Might want to think about a couple of cotton bandannas that can double as head scarves or hold-alls or used in other ways.

I'd also think about multi functional accessories.

Scunci No-slip Grip Flat No-slip Neutral Headwraps, 9mm. I use them or wider ones a little bit to hold my hair (I am like totally weird and have to pin them in place with clips on my head). Additionally, I use them as book marks, for bundling things together like night gear, wrapping around a towel to make an ersatz pillow, and at home I use them to mark "my" frozen meals (I buy some for home and some for work and if I don't mark them they get et).

Fine Mesh Lingerie Bag - useful for slinging things in to wash and dry (also have a couple of clips or clips - these rock! for hang drying), or to hold on to little things (doubles as a ditty bag, basically). If you sew a handle on it, it can double as a shower bag!

A couple of plastic produce sacks (Target or Whole Foods have the longest - buy some snacks for the trip out, then save the bags) and a brightly colored poly shopping bag which folds down into a pocket and can be yanked out for buying daily food or in a pinch used as an emergency flag.

One thing I carry with me as much as possible when travelling or even on day trips is a yoga towel or sea and surf towel. I have this one, which is big enough to cover my ample proportions, dries easily, rolls up into a pillow if needed. There are more closely woven ones that absorb a bit better but of all the ones I've tried this specific one is awesome. If you don't want to carry a full size towel, it's available in a smaller size you can use for spot drying or face/hand washing. One advantage the sea-to-summit style towels (these are the heavier ones I talked about) is that a lot of them have snap leads on them. This allow you to "snap" them onto a hook or towel bar to dry - but carrying a couple of clips will do the same thing (or sew your own little leash with Velcro or Touch Tape.

The last thing I want to suggest is a dry bag of sorts. I assume you might have one pair of shoes to wear, one to carry - this lets you keep the dirt off of them or from getting everything else dirty; you also want to be able to trade out shoes every few days to keep them from getting too stinky.
posted by tilde at 8:13 AM on June 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

I came to recommend the Buff and also this dress from EMS. It does not convert from one thing to another but its pockets, fabric and cut make it the single most versatile piece of clothing I own for traveling and regular life. It's amazing in the heat, dries overnight and looks great even after being wadded up in a backpack.
posted by zem at 9:24 AM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Where are you going? - Maya

Looks like across the United States. Maybe a little Canada.

One tip, bluelight - since you know approximately where/when you're going, I'd not worry too much about cold weather clothes until you're going to be in known cold weather places for coldweather times. Hit a thrift store as you get closer to cold times/places for something; a light windproof jacket for the bulk of the trip (as well as an emergency rain suit) should do you.
posted by tilde at 12:28 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh, hey, you'll be in the U.S.? I assumed you were trekking across Asia or something. That makes it much easier since you can aim for ambitiously light but pick up essentials along the way (new underwear, etc).

I'd focus on dress/skirt combinations+tights since they are smaller and lighter to pack. Check out the Uniform Project, in which a designer wore the same dress each day for a year, but styled it differently. You can even buy that same dress from her if you like (or construct something similar), it is probably exactly what you are looking for.

Shoes are going to be the hardest part. I'd invest in good, versatile pairs - maybe 2 dressy but comfortable pairs of Merrells plus sturdy sneakers.
posted by susanvance at 1:30 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Thanks for that link, susanvance (and the other one - I'd never seen a comprehensive site on the "lost" art of knotting like that). I didn't realise there was another person out there who did the "same out fit but different every day for a year" thing.

I'd actually go for Crocs for the 'dressy' shoes because they are light and tough.
posted by tilde at 1:41 PM on June 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

I've used a bandana as a hat, a bandage, a dust mask, a sack, neckwarmer, hanging a water bottle off of a pack, and something to wipe my brow or blow my nose.

It's been washed quite a bit between those jobs, but still, the most multi-purpose cloth item you can own.
posted by talldean at 7:49 AM on June 28, 2012