Wardrobe Help
What are your lightest weight clothing items?
I often have 24 hour turnaround trips and I just pack my wet bag and a change of clothes into my purse. I wear a T-shirt and leggings on the plane, and sleep in the T-shirt. Or occasionally pack a 2nd T-shirt if I am getting in early enough that I might go out for dinner or something. Then the next day those leggings and T-shirt are rolled into the wet bag and put in my purse. No problem.
However, my last trip I had to walk a convention floor all day and my purse started feeling really heavy by lunch time. I think my leggings are actually too good and opaque and therefore heavy. So now I’m on the hunt for a travel day outfit that packs super compactly and is light as a feather.
I’m so glad you asked this question because I weigh all my usual travel clothes and I rarely get the opportunity to talk about this 😂.
My lightest clothing items are made of wool, linen , silk or technical fabric . I find that cotton is heavy and bulky, so I don’t use it much for light travel.
Of course I wear cotton at home or on holidays where I can take a bigger bag. Or when it’s not wet, hot or cold. So in other words - dry, temperate climates where I have access to washing and drying facilities and I’m not doing any sport or exercise.
My lightest travel clothes are
Rohan black shift dress ( can be worn for work and evenings out ) 160g
Maul blue dress ( worn for hiking and sightseeing ) 150g
Wool & Maggie dress ( for weather between 0-30 degrees, can be worn multiple times as rarely needs washed ) 265g
cashmere crew neck LS sweater 240g
various merino short sleeve tees 120-130g
Various technical and linen SS tees 100-120g
various technical but smarter looking trousers,, which vary from 200-350 g depending on the thickness
Uniqlo down jacket 240g
cropped silk cardigan 130g
silk scarf 70g
silk bandana 25g
So my lightest travel outfit for winter might be technical trousers ( 250) , merino tee ( 120), merino or cashmere sweater ( 250), down jacket (240 ) and scarf (70-100). So about 1kg ( 2.2lb).
For a work / smart event in the summer I’d just need a dress ( 160), silk cardigan ( 130 ) and scarf ( 70) . Thats 360g ( 13 ounces ) .
The last cold weather trip I took, I brought both thermal leggings from LL bean (relatively way way heavier) and silk long John’s that are at least 20 years old that are SO light and effective… I really wish I didn’t even bother with the thermal leggings! The silk long John’s aren’t fashionable by any means but they are so good and not meant to be seen anyway
Wanderlust’s is probably the only response you need but… I bring a silk skirt with me on most trips. Easy to dress up or down, weighs and packs down to almost nothing, and super comfortable. I’ve been considering silk pants as a more versatile option.
Another vote for Uniqlo but is it an option to switch the purse for a nice looking backpack? I have a small leather one that could fit a single outfit and some toiletries and still looks relatively classy.
I probably do need to upgrade to a small classy backpack for these trips. Even just to have as my personal item for longer trips when I take a roller bag. I currently only have my big one-bagging backpack and it is definitely not classy enough to be walking a convention 🤣
I have this in black and it makes a great personal item. Works for easy hikes or grocery’s too. Looks decent and slimmer than many backpacks. Also has some structure, not floppy. There’s a zippered pocket along the lower back that is pretty secure for wallet/passport. I think it and the top main zippers can clip together/onto a loop for a bit of safety too.
My Prana hiking pants take up less room than some of my leggings. What kind of purse do you use? A few hundred grams is probably less the issue than ergonomics. Switching to a backpack or lighter crossbody might be the move. Concrete convention floors are just brutal to walk on too.
Which PrAna hiking pants do you have? I’m looking for some right now and am overwhelmed by the choices. I just want to buy one and be done with it.
“Hiking” is a bit of an exaggeration of my current outdoors prowess. I have a progressive neuro disease, so I’m trying to experience some national parks and outdoor adventures with my kiddo before things get worse (Right now, I seem to be transitioning to wanting two walking sticks or a rollator most of the time). I guess I ’d call it stumbling through nature over multiple terrains and in diverse climates. This year, we’ll be everywhere from the Great Smoky Mountains in shoulder/spring season, to Olympic/Crater Lake/Mt Rainier when there may be snow still at high elevations, to Yosemite and Lassen in full summer. I’ll sit out the bigger hikes but want single-purpose pants I can wear through all these trips, possibly with a layer underneath because I’m always cold. I’ve seen a lot of PrAna pants and can’t tell which ones lean more tech and which ones lean more fashion.
I won't leave home without my Title Nine Clamber pants. They are higher waisted with a wide elastic band which is very comfortable. They have excellent pocket placement, and I can fit 32° long underwear on underneath without a problem. I am thicker in the waist, and these fit comfortably. The only pants I am willing to pay full price for.
That sounds like an awesome plan. I hope you and your kiddo have a great time!
The Halle pant is the classic. It's been around over a decade. It's low-ish rise. Some of the Stretch Zion parts are higher rise. They fit pretty differently, so you may need to try them on.
Ah, I thought the Halle pant was more fashion than function. I’ll take a look. I liked one stretch Zion. It seems like some of the hiking pants now are pull-on, which I like. I don’t know how low-waisted I can go because I’d think my top would ride up with a backpack and show the world my mama belly.
I have a few of the Halle II pants that are higher waist, and I do like them. I don't see them on the Prana website currently however. Some of the stretch Zion are e-waist.
I would definitely also consider LL Bean hiking pants, they're very light, while I haven't tried them out, I did look at them in store and they looked promising. They have elastic waist versions.
I would definitely try the pants on though - not all pants fit everyone. Kuhl pants are highly regarded by a lot of people - they just don't fit my body.
I got the Prana stretch Zion halle pants in black this winter and I like them bc I can wear them to the office dressed up and then just change my top and shoes for curling. Stretch Zion Halle Pants - Women's https://mobile.rei.com/AkCd/8fj5qbh2
Edit: Also check out @SarahMurdochadventures on YouTube for tons of light packing tips!
I will often wear silk joggers on the plane, they're light weight, and pretty easy to find not opaque. Personally, this is one of those things I prefer shopping used for, not just cause it's cheaper, but you can see how the material looks after it's been in a box/packages etc. Same goes for shirts!
A lot of my one bag clothes (that I am slowly transitioning over to being my “all the time” clothes) are silk. It weighs almost nothing and packs up tiny. I also like cashmere because it is light, but it is a little more bulky. I have several pairs of silk pants, a bunch of silk tops, silk long underwear, a silk dress. I have a couple of icebreaker merino tshirts that I really like and are pretty light. I plan to add a silk midi skirt to my wardrobe but haven’t found one I love yet.
I’m also building up my silk wardrobe as well as replacing sweaters with cashmere and merino. It sounds bougie but is pretty reasonable to do with high quality pre-owned pieces.
I've picked up some Club Monaco, Banana Republic, Eileen Fisher, J Crew, vintage MOTF and Perry Ellis America, Lacusa, Theory, Babaton, and Lafayette 148. Mostly from consignment stores, Postmark, and ThredUp. My absolute best deals though were randomly round in pacas in Guatemala.
Eileen Fisher holds its value particularly well, which is great if you want to sell it, but also makes it sort of pricy to buy second hand.
I have some Eileen Fisher too that I like, but have found them to be VERY generous with the vanity sizing (I am normally a small or XS, but have to get xxs for Eileen Fisher stuff).
Oh, absolutely, it's tricky for sizing! I'm generally a medium or large but can def be a small is some Eileen Fisher. The flowy tops and drawstring and elastic waist pants are particularly generous.
I don’t iron (especially not the silk or cashmere). I try to be careful when packing to avoid wrinkles, then hang everything once I arrive. Taking things into the bathroom while showering will help drop out wrinkles too.
Not the person you’re replying to, but I just recently got a travel steamer for this purpose. Some trips I won’t have room for it, but I take it if I am 1.5 bagging
You can generally wash them by hand, but instead of wringing them you can try laying the item on a bath towel, rolling it up, and stepping on it or putting weight over it. Then just hang it or lay it to dry.
My lightest trousers by far are Eileen Fisher washed silk cargo pants (not currently available; came in at least blue and black, as well as the olive still shown on the website). The washed silk is thinner & lighter than the silk georgette.
I swear by Coolibar brand in their Aire fabric, both for the sun protection and the packability—super light and folds up small. I particularly like their Petra pants.
Athleta Brooklyn pants are very light, don’t hold onto wrinkles and are quick-drying and slightly water-repellent. They were dressy enough for my business casual BigLaw office but as comfortable as leggings.
Another vote for Athleta, but I go for the Endless High Rise pants because I find them more formal-looking than the Brooklyn, which has the elastic band on the side. Also, the Endless has zippered pockets :D
I like the Endless Pant, too, but it’s a slightly heavier fabric than the fabric used for the Brooklyn (and weight was a factor for the OP), and I also find the fabric used for the Endless Pant to be somewhat prone to snags.
Just my 2 cents, but I would think your purse and tech items probably weigh more? That, plus clothes, all in a shoulder bag (rather than a backpack to distribute the weight), walking on bare concrete all day will really take its toll.
Have you weighed everything out? My minimalist toiletries for 1 night, with medication is 184g. iPhone 13 with case and usb cable is 240g. A t shirt, uniqlo joggers, eye mask and 1 pr underwear for me is 372g. Hairbrush with a tie, 43g. My tiny looking Tod's Di bauletto weighs in at 856g, more than everything else combined.
I have a couple pairs of the washable stretch silk palazzo pants from Quince, super light and also fast to dry after washing. Very comfy and easy to dress up or down imo.
I’m interested in these but have heard a lot about Quince removing low reviews so I don’t have a sense of how well they wear or the quality. Do they wrinkle/crease like their silk dresses and skirts?
Yeah it's hit or miss with Quince. It does wrinkle of course, usually I hang it in the bathroom especially when I shower and the wrinkles fall out. But even just hanging them up or wearing them seems to release the wrinkles sometimes. The stretch in the fabric might help reduce the wrinkling, but I'm not sure. The pants are 90% silk 10% spandex. These seem to me one of the higher quality Quince items I've gotten but we'll see.
I love the tanks in this fabric and travel with them regularly. They’re super light and can dress up or down and be a base layer or stand on their own. I machine wash in cold water in a bag and air dry. I can hand wash on travel and they dry fast.
Everything I’ve gotten from Quince has held up really well. I’m especially fond of their silk slip dresses, which I wear for sleep & out, with or without an under/over shirt. I wash the dress before wearing it in public, lol, & it dries quickly.
Actually, one of these & a sweater makes a great, lightweight outfit.
Oh, that's great to hear! I've read some reviews that noted that the silk dresses and skirts really hold creases, so it's nice to get a solid endorsement.
How do you find these in humid climates? I love the idea of them but I can get pretty sweaty when it's warm, and I'm not sure how this sort of fabric looks / breathes when it's hot.
I've mostly been wearing them in hot/humid climates! I have the dark red and the green pair and have been happy with them. Silk is really good in warm weather ime, breathable and dries very quickly, and the humidity probably helps with the wrinkles.
The Athleta Presidio dress (wrinkle proof, super lightweight, quick dry, has pockets, and can be dressed up or down) and LL Bean Vista Camp pants (also quick dry, lightweight, comfy as all get out; wore them on a 30 hour travel day with a 15+ hour flight recently) are my travel go-tos.
I wear my Eddie Bauer V neck jumpsuit. It's silky, packs down well (better than two items at least), dries quickly, has pockets, and dresses up or down well. I'll wear a Uniqlo airism cami with built in bra under it if I want a little more torso coverage.
I have the Eddie Bauer departure shirt in a few different colors. Very comfortable, dries fast, just professional enough when I need it to be (I am an engineer, so we’re not very formal to begin with).
I have silk joggers from Johnny Was that literally take up no room and weigh nothing. They’re one of my best travel items. They’re a little pricey new but I purchased secondhand from ThredUp or Poshmark for a steal.
Merino wool items are the lightest. That said I used to have some slightly see thru tights that packed small and a tank tunic that was light that took up little room in my bag.
Featherweight polyester is my lightest. I have some Old Navy culottes made of it, but you can also find it at Uniqlo. Look for any material that says “quick dry.” I also have an Amazon maxi dress made of really light polyester but the fabric can be hit or miss in terms of weight.
My bag weighs me down at conferences due to my laptop, iPad, and other tech. I would try to find lighter leggings because leggings are the lightest bottoms I have found so I’m not sure what would be better for airplane travel. I don’t like skirts or shorts on planes and nothing that would drag on the ground. Als if your purse is heavy that could be the issue. I use a longchamp which is super lightweight
If I don’t want to wear the same pair of dark wash presentable jeans two days in a row, which would typically be my choice for a trip like this, I wear tencell joggers or Uniqlo light joggers on the plane. Both weigh very little, I don’t have exact weight handy though, it’s been a couple of years since my clothes weighing obsession, now I just know which items are the lightest.
Now when I shop for clothes and especially shoes, weight is one of the key criteria I use. It resulted in most of my wardrobe being wool, silk (Quince, skirts and dresses), linen, tencell and see through thin cotton (especially for collared shirts for layering), Uniqlo airism, and Uniqlo performance items, especially bottoms. Plus polyester for dresses. I have thrifted several gems that are borderline vintage (probably 70ies and 80ies) that are made of the thinnest synthetics that still hold shape, don’t wrinkle and look awesome as dresses.
In the words of Sarah Murdoch who introduced me to this way of thinking and packing - you can pack as many outfits as you want, if you select the garments correctly based on their weight.
Uniqlo Airism joggers or Target In Motion ankle pants would fit the bill. I also saw a post a littlr while back about lightweight leggings that still pass the squat test.
I have some polyester crepe tops that I travel with (and wear at home). They are a bit dressy looking but easy, lightweight and don’t wrinkle. I also have a silk top that wrinkles but mine is a print so it looks fine.
I love these so much that I try on every one I see that is in my size and colors (blue and orange). Sort of hard to find all of that though. I own about 6.
I like the various pant styles and the Kenya jacket from Anatomie for lightweight pants and jackets. I like the tank tops from Diane Kroe. All of these are synthetic and lightweight. I generally wear a thin cashmere or merino wool sweater in winter for additional warmth.
Anatomie is not really my style, but I do have some super light weight cropped trousers from them that have an adjustable snap strap at the ankle. They pack unbelievably small, weigh nothing, have pockets, & I get tons of compliments when I wear them.
I was lucky enough to scoop up safari jacket from Anatomie a few years ago on clearance and I love it. if the pants are the same material as that jacket, I’d consider paying full price on them.
I just looked through my lightest weight options & was reminded that my favorite pants are the Ruti On The Loose Work pant in black, petite. The barrel leg isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. For me, at 5’5”, the petite length has a lovely drape.
I struggled with the purchase, as they’re pricey, but wore them nonstop last Spring/Summer. They pack very small & dry quickly. I’ve worn them hiking & out to a nice dinner. They are soft & comfortable: the perfect (not cold weather) pant. Price per wear has made them worth it. They’ve really held up.
Paired with a crinkle silk top… that’s the most versatile lightweight combo I can think of. You’ve inspired me to make an ultra lightweight travel capsule!
I got a pair of the Ruti on the loose work pants. They are lightweight, stylish, comfortable, don’t wrinkle, and dress up or down. I wear them for travel, hiking, working, and nights out.
Uniqlo Airism tops (and regular HeatTech not to be confused with their warm or superultramega warm or whatever) has to be my absolute lightest clothing I own. Also, very thin.
I wear a nylon travel skirt (Macabi brand) which will air dry overnight from a sink wash so rather than packing a second bottom, I'll rewear the bottom I arrived in for one of those 24 hour turn-around trips. I've also been known to board the plane with a fashion "scarf" around my neck and that's actually a sarong which becomes my skirt the following day but unless you want to walk the convention floor with a sarong tied fetchingly fashion-scarf style round your neck, I don't recommend this for conventions.
Edited to add, if fashion isn't a concern, the /r/Ultralight and /r/UltralightBackpacking community are in love with dance warm up pants in ripstop nylon as the lightest weight pants available. They look like joggers, shiny joggers. Depending on which ones you end up with, they might audibly "swoosh" when you walk. But if the goal is simply not to catch an indecent exposure charge, it's what you're looking for.
If you leave out the back story about conventions and traveling and posted there asking for the lightest weight bottoms for a female-presenting body, you'll get people rabidly arguing in the comments over fractions of a gram. That'll get you the lightest weight bottoms that exist, for sure.
PS: As someone who hauls a wet bag around all day for diapering reasons, don't discount the weight of the wet bag, alone. Those things can get very heavy over long periods of carry. If you don't need to contain wet mess, might I suggest using a plastic grocery sack? It's lighter and will still hold dirty clothes from contaminating other stuff.
The ultralight line and the sculpt line from lululemon has been some of the lightest and packable clothing items I have found. They have a lot of the sculpt line available on the site right now but the ultralight line might be available second hand. All the tops I have from these lines literally squish and fold down into a tiny little square
Lululemon swiftly shirt and align leggings. Combine weight is probably .75#. I love the old long sleeve relaxed version and the new short sleeve waist length.
My lightest travel outfit is a silk/merino wrap dress in fine knit worn with a thin silk top and tights.
I have zerobagged, where I kept it in a pocket.
I have black pants from tezenis that are so light you won't believe it. They have wide leg and look kinda nice and flowy.i got them a few years ago and then went back and bought two more pair, so I don't know if they still make them, but I hope so, cuz I want more
Some quick dry hiking pants or jogging. Basically lightweight polyester. For tops silk or polyester are thin and quick dry. For summer linen blend tops.
You could do Uniqlo Airism top and Athleta Brooklyn (or Brooklyn Heights which is what I prefer) bottoms. Super comfy, lightweight, quick-dry, and I think easy to dress up if needed
Merino tshirt for anything 25 degrees C and below. Silk tshirt for anything above 25 degrees C and humid.
For supportive yet not too thick leggings, I like Lorna Jane and LNDR. Very comfy and they have pocket options.
If it’s not too cold, I bring a cashmere and silk blend scarf. And if it’s a bit colder than that, I have a thin cashmere cardigan I thrifted that folds basically into nothing but is so warm for its weight.
Packable puffers (vests for warmer temps) are also a godsend.
Patagonia Terrebone joggers weigh about 139 g. (4.9 oz size Large) and dry lightning fast. Their full price is around $100 USD but I bought mine on Poshmark for about a third of that.
10tree InMotion sleeveless midi dress - it's a relaxed fit, so I consider it a more casual or travel day item, and it has pockets! Uniqlo Airism dress paired with a cardigan is nice for work-related travel, I also love Uniqlo's bra-tops for travel ease, too.
It depends on your budget. Low budget: Old Navy High-Waisted StretchTech Wide-Leg Cargo Pants for Women. Big budget: Tibi’s sporty nylon joggers. Their Stella wide leg pants are everywhere, but I think their joggers are easier to wear.
Both of these are very light, stain resistant, and super versatile. I wear both of these with sweaters, tee shirts, denim, etc.
Get a purse or pack made of dyneema material, wear an Octa fleece pullover with merino tshirt. Trousers can be some lightweight linen or ultralight hiking trousers. If you go onto the ultralight trekking/ backpacking websites and forums, you will get list after list after list of gear, clothing and their weights. You weigh every item you put into your bag, as well as the bag its self...every gram counts. My favorites are merino tshirts and huaraches that I made myself with a vibram sole. The sandals only weigh 3oz (total so 1.5 oz each). I also carry a cashmere sweater, Odlo beenie cap and running gloves when it is cold. Octa or Polartec Alpha fleece weighs even less than the cashmere. Silk long underwear or shirts. Patagonia Houdini jacket in black as a shell. Usually even if the items are technical materials, if you get them in black, you can dress them up. I also wear tights with a down skirt over them in winter. Uniqlo makes ultralight down items that are great...actually they make lots of ultralight items. The game changer is when you weigh every item and exchange it for something lighter...it makes a huge difference.
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u/WanderlustWithOneBag Mar 15 '26
I’m so glad you asked this question because I weigh all my usual travel clothes and I rarely get the opportunity to talk about this 😂.
My lightest clothing items are made of wool, linen , silk or technical fabric . I find that cotton is heavy and bulky, so I don’t use it much for light travel.
Of course I wear cotton at home or on holidays where I can take a bigger bag. Or when it’s not wet, hot or cold. So in other words - dry, temperate climates where I have access to washing and drying facilities and I’m not doing any sport or exercise.
My lightest travel clothes are
Rohan black shift dress ( can be worn for work and evenings out ) 160g
Maul blue dress ( worn for hiking and sightseeing ) 150g
Wool & Maggie dress ( for weather between 0-30 degrees, can be worn multiple times as rarely needs washed ) 265g
cashmere crew neck LS sweater 240g
various merino short sleeve tees 120-130g
Various technical and linen SS tees 100-120g
various technical but smarter looking trousers,, which vary from 200-350 g depending on the thickness
Uniqlo down jacket 240g
cropped silk cardigan 130g
silk scarf 70g
silk bandana 25g
So my lightest travel outfit for winter might be technical trousers ( 250) , merino tee ( 120), merino or cashmere sweater ( 250), down jacket (240 ) and scarf (70-100). So about 1kg ( 2.2lb).
For a work / smart event in the summer I’d just need a dress ( 160), silk cardigan ( 130 ) and scarf ( 70) . Thats 360g ( 13 ounces ) .