Dear Friend,
I have to admit something to you that might be a bit embarrassing for me, given my whole van life/granola girl thing. That thing I have to admit is that I love clothes. I love shopping and getting new clothing. I like having specific clothing for specific things. I love buying gear and clothes when I get into a new sport or activity. It’s a bit of a problem living in small spaces.
So I coped by trying to find pieces that match each other and things that pull double duty. Often, I look for fabrics that are extremely packable - literally clothes that take up less space. Things like jumpsuits and dresses help, too. Everything for an outfit being all one piece is nice. But then there’s the shoes to go with all that… And multiple shoes in a camper for each person living there is a lot to manage. Don’t even get me started on snow and ski gear and boots.
I could say simplifying and having less brings me joy and in many ways it does. But I really do like clothes and putting together outfits. Something no one tells you about long-term or full-time travel is that it is very hard on your clothes. Things get dirty more easily for reasons that sometimes seem unclear and sometimes are obvious, like crawling around in the dirt or mud getting packed up. Since everything does double duty, my nicest pants are also the pants I usually hike in, but sometimes they get stained. And things wear out so quickly. When you wear the same things over and over and they get dirty and need washed and you can only wash them at the laundromat, they wear out. Clothes pill and fray and get holes in them fast. There is no time or budget for anything delicate.
I’m mostly fine with this. I’ve enjoyed crafting my outdoorsy aesthetic and trying to find cute, but tough clothing that will hold up to my lifestyle. I’ve grown used to replacing clothes when they utterly wear out, which I guess is better than just accumulating a bunch but being a little sad when I have to let something go. I play outside and write and work at a ski resort; I don’t really need anything fancy. But I do miss my business dresses sometimes, and heels and painted nails and polished hair and makeup. Only sometimes. It felt like a chore when I had to do it every day.
Today, I tentatively ordered some shorts and pants for our upcoming summer travels. I used my REI dividend on some new Chacos and climbing shoes (both just updated versions of things completely worn out over years of use). And you didn’t ask for it, but I’d like to share my recommendations for brands and things that actually hold up to the lifestyle. In the name of cute things that last, here are my recs:
Patagonia anything - I know, I know “Patagucci” and whatever, and I know they aren’t as sustainable or cool as they want to seem, but also - the stuff holds up better than almost anything else I’ve owned. Swimsuits, baggies shorts, and the fleetwith jumpsuit and dress are among my favorites. Also the Hampi rock pants and the barely bra. Okay, that’s a long list.
LL Bean - I love the mountain classic anoraks - they are cute and comfy and not too pricey. They’re not super waterproof, but they’re a great layer on a chilly morning or evening or a walk along a windy beach. They wash well and pack nicely. Everything from Bean I’ve had has held up well. If you go to Acadia, make sure to visit the outlet for some really nice deals.
Vuori - this stuff is so comfy and cute. All of my tops have washed and held up well, but the classic joggers got holes after a year of heavy use. The ripstop pants are great for climbing and hiking, though, and have held up nicely so far. I have two identical pairs because they were on sale at REI.
REI brand - this stuff does surprisingly well. I especially like the sun shirts for the whole family, flannels for me, and the kids Sahara zip-off hiking pants. They hold up to our youngest’s adventures. She is famous for putting holes in pants but she actually outgrew a pair of these before destroying them, so that’s a win in my book.
Title Nine - I have a dress from here that I’ve had since the Mantis days and it’s still going strong. I also have a couple swimsuits that I love. Fit is great and these things last. Look for sales, which they have seasonally - things will be deeply discounted.
Weber’s Resupply - small business, cute stuff with nice, thick fabric, and sustainable practices (like botched sales) - get these shirts to go with your hiking shorts/pants.
Chacos - I finally wore the tread off a pair that I’ve had for more than 3 years during most of our RV travel. They are the shoes I wear most and I wear them for everything, in the water, on easy hikes, and walking around the campground. I’m never not wearing them from spring through fall.
Lowa hiking boots - The pair I have has already lasted twice as long as any other pair of hiking boots I’ve had. They’re heavy-duty, but sometimes you need that and they still feel as good as they did on day one, which is impressive because they’ve been through some stuff including being soaked inside/out multiple times.
That’s kind of a long list, but three years on the road and caring about this stuff has taught me a lot. A few things that did not/do not hold up for us include:
Altras - I’m very hard on shoes and these just don’t last. They are extremely comfy, like the comfiest. I’m not sure I’m done buying them. But they do not last for me.
Any leggings, really. I love tights/leggings. They are so comfortable, but I put holes in them so fast with the way we live - they barely make it a season. The best I had were hiking leggings by the brand Sherpa, but I don’t think they make them any more.
Jeans, surprisingly, rarely last very long for Clay or me. It’s probably that they need washed so often compared to office/in place life. And laundromats are so rough on clothes
If you’re getting into this lifestyle or planning more long trips, it’s worth it to pay up for the stuff that lasts if you can. It will save you money in the long run and it’s better for the environment. You need less of it, so it tends to work out alright, especially if you can find sales and search the clearance racks at REI. Added bonus that you can build your cute granola girl/guy aesthetic in the process. Have fun out there in whatever you are or aren’t wearing.
See you down the road,
Jamie