The best travel clothing for women

Here at GTC we are often asked "what is the best and most essential clothing for women," and I have to say go for natural fabrics every time.

• Natural fibres wash really well, and are easy to care for.


• Cheesecloth kurtas and loose trousers are perfect as you can wash them in the sink, they dry quickly and don't need ironing.


• Silk travel clothes are absolutely brilliant. They weigh practically nothing, pack up into a tiny space, can be washed in cold water in the sink and dry in next to no time.... and they keep you warm when its cold and cool when you are hot, so what's not to like? Choose from silk maxi skirts, silk a-line wrap skirts or even silk kurta tops.


• Consider a couple of pairs of Tilley travel knickers as essential! You only need to take two pairs as you can wash them by hand, and they dry overnight; we constantly get great feedback from our customers about them and highly recommend both the Tilley travel briefs and the vests.


• I always take a cashemere travel wrap now that I feel grown-up enough! They pack down small but give you a touch of luxury and warmth when you most need it.


• Items that can be worn in different ways are must. Go for long kurtas or tops that can be worn as a beach dress, over trousers in the evening when the insects are biting, or maybe worn with a belt when you are lounging in a cafe.


• I am a great believer in trekking sandals, Merrells in particular, but Jack Wolfskin are excellent too; a great investment if you are doing a lot of hiking and sightseeing. Instead of taking a heavy and bulky waterproof jacket or cagoule, I always take a womens' waterproof poncho instead. They are less clammy when wet, and allow you a bit more freedom to move and breathe, plus you can wear them over the top of your precious shopping or daysack!


• Yes, we all know sarongs are invaluable, but I take one everywhere now. I use it as a blanket for me or my two year old on planes and trains, a picnic blanket on the floor, and most usefully, a shrug when your shoulders are beginning to burn....

5 useful ways with a sarong...

How to wear a sarong as a dress; hold the top two ends of the sarong behind your back in the horizontal position. Wrap the upper two ends in front of you. Cross and twist the two ends, cinching them comfortably against the body, and tie them
behind your neck.

How to turn a sarong into a beach bag. Lay the sarong out flat. Take two opposing corners and tie them in a knot, then take the two remaining corners and tie again, to make a great emergency beach slouchy shoulder bag.

How to turn a sarong into a sun shelter. String a piece of dental floss between two trees. Tie the two corners of one short end to the the floss, and weigh down the other two ends with rocks or in the sand to make an improvised sun screen .

How to wear a sarong as shrug to protect burning sholders (did this last week in Malta, wearing strappy sundress with no shade, shoulders started burning!). Place sarong over shoulders like a pashmina,then grasp both ends and tie in a knot behind your back, thus making emergency shrug cardigan.

How to wear a sarong as an emergency sun hat.
Place over the forehead bandana style and pull back like a ponytail..... twist and keep twisting until it is long enough to wrap once round the head, then tuck the tail through under the start of the wrap, leaving the tail hanging down to protect your neck. --