A travel dress for women is a challenging purchase. It’s not something you’d forget, but it might be hard to find in your closet. The normal problems of packing, such as you’re going hiking and you didn’t bring hiking boots, swimming and you forgot a swimsuit, are behind us I hope. I remember one time when I was a teenager I forgot to leave enough money in my wallet to pay my port taxes in a foreign country. But most of us know that we need a travel dress.
But do we have the right dress in our closet?
“Do I have to wear a dress?”
Think about the old question. This implies the reality: there are some situations where we feel only a dress will do. Someone asks you out to dinner at a fancy restaurant! Or you’re going to the rich in-laws for a fancy dinner. Or something work-related comes up, an interview or meeting, and your culottes just didn’t cut it. You need a dress. It’s somewhere in there with being a normal person. When everyone’s dressed up, it’s easier to wear a dress.
There have been times when I thought to myself, I have a skirt or I have a nice pair of white jeans. But you know that as you’re walking around in your skirt or your white jeans at someone’s mini mansion or an ancient religious building where everyone else has their head covered you just might feel like “why didn’t I just bring a dress?”
Do You Have a Travel Dress?
You don’t always have one. Such are the parameters of a travel dress that I didn’t at times.
Looking down the line of my dresses tonight and evaluating them for travel potential, here’s what I find: too short, no sleeves, worn out, black and looks like you would wear it to a funeral, (and I did) fluorescent pink, gives wrong impression, casual sleeveless design requires a jean jacket, and then there’s a Santa Fe dress, the best dress in the world, but the Santa Fe dress weighs about 8 lb, and is dry clean only.
And then there’s my travel dress. Long, maxi dress style, short sleeves, fitted bodice, scoop neckline, flowing skirt, intriguing jean-leopard-paisley pattern. Weight about 8 ounces. That’s the one that goes. Although it’s getting worn out since I also wear it to work just about every week.
I guess I need another travel dress.
What it says when you wear a dress
Why is wearing a dress so special? What does it say when you put one on? Perhaps something as simple as ‘I’ve got it together.’ Something along the lines of ‘the people around me and the event I’m going to are important.’ No dress in some places and you’re seen as saying it’s not that important. Or that ‘actually, it’s more important for me to be comfortable,’
In Praise of Wearing a Dress
Putting on a dress is a way to honor other people. It’s almost that simple. And it’s also a way to honor yourself because you look and feel put together! Having a dress to take on a trip is worth it because you don’t know what you’ll be invited to.
You could bring a lot of different dresses but you certainly don’t want to. If you put four or five dresses in your suitcase you’ll have no room for anything else. You need one dress to rule them all, or at least to rule the events you might have to attend. And that is tricky.
Characteristics of a good travel dress for women
Many fabrics are wrinkle resistant now and so you should be able to find something polyester or jersey that will not wrinkle. Fabrics to avoid because of the wrinkling tendencies are linen, cotton, and rayon. But if you fold the dress carefully you may be able to bring it out and hang it in the bathroom with the shower on to take out the wrinkles once you get there.
In addition to being wrinkle resistant this dress should be comfortable. It should be modest enough for any of the events you have to attend. It should be festive enough for any of the events you have to attend and yes it should be dignified. This dress does not require you to have special underwear. It is not see-through. It should be washable in case you have to wear it twice. It should have versatility.There’s a difference between a party dress and a work dress and a dress you wear to a family dinner. But some dresses can crossover. That’s the one to bring.
Something middle of the road of length, something middle of the road of tailoring, that would be a good choice for a travel dress. A dress with a stylish pattern in a good color for you. That would be a good dress to bring on your trip.
Seen at church today
This morning I went to church and a lady I never saw before was in front of me. She was there with her husband and two kids and had a dress with a keyhole opening in the back that went down to her waist and you could see the top of her underwear through the keyhole. I did a double take. I was like … wait … you’re not serious. We’ve seen some questionable dresses at church, particularly ones that are remarkably short. But this was unusual.
I thought, ‘Well, I’m sure she isn’t aware.’ I can’t imagine she did this on purpose. And then I thought, I know what happened. Probably they’re on vacation, and she forgot to bring her travel dress. This dress is a pool coverup. When she’s my age, she’ll remember this day, and she’ll bring a real dress. Especially if her cute little boy says, as they’re walking out of church, “Mom, you can see your underwear” unbelievably loudly. that happens when you take kids to public places.
Shopping Options
You see how it is. IMHO, I need a travel dress. Maybe you do too. Below are some options.
More posts on this topic of travel dress for women:
The Best Wrinkle Resistant Travel Dress for Women, Tested and Reviewed: Travel and Leisure
Reddit: Favorite Travel Dresses for Women that Can Multitask
Oprah: 26 Best Travel Outfits for Women: Stylish, Comfortable, and Easy to Wear
