All About Outwear

Fashions fade, style is eternal. ~Yves Saint Laurent

Now that your backpack is half full of your tops, bottoms, and undergarments, you still need to squeeze in outwear. As I said in the previous post, layering is key. Because you go through several different climates while hiking Kilimanjaro (previous post on weather), you need to prepare yourself clothing wise so that you’re comfortable and prepared for all types of weather.

The first jacket I layered with was my favorite Northface black fleece zip up priced at $80. I bought mine on clearance from REI so I got a great deal on it. Want the look for less? Target sells a black zip up Champion jacket that isn’t fleece but a softshell material. I would definitely recommend having a fleece jacket to keep you warm when temperatures drop at night and at higher altitudes.

In addition to all of my layers of shirts and my fleece jacket, I wore my favorite pink Northface rain jacket. Although it didn’t rain on my hike, I wore this jacket everyday because it’s lightweight so it layers well and because it’s a good windbreaker for when it gets gusty on the mountain. The Northface Women’s Venture rain jacket comes in almost twenty colors and is $99 which is pretty pricey, but it’s a good investment for college girls or working women who are often walking through campus or the city. Want the look for less? This Columbia rain jacket is a good alternative and although it only comes in four colors, it’s only $60. Want the look for even less than that? This Kelty rain jacket, available at Target, is a cute periwinkle color and a steal at $35. I might recommend going with the Northface or Columbia rain jackets as they are meant to stand up to the harsh weather of the outdoors when hiking or camping specifically.

If you’re like me, you probably hate it most when your hands and feet are chilly. In order to keeps my hands nice and toasty, I wore my Northface Denali Thermal Gloves. They’re relatively inexpensive at $30 and the fuzzy material is super comfortable in winter weather.

Now, we can’t forget about covering up your ears and head! I wore a TurtleFur fleece headband to keep my ears covered. 

I also wore my favorite University of South Carolina baseball cap everyday to show my love for the Gamecocks. As a girl, a baseball cap will be your best friend on your Kilimanjaro hike because as the week goes on and your hair gets dirtier and more tangled, a hat becomes the only way to control it. Plus, you don’t want to look back at pictures of your hike up Kilimanjaro and decide not to frame them because your hair looks too messy or greasy. Do yourself a favor and buy a cute and comfortable hat to cover up the bird’s nest your hair will become so you will still look adorable in your photos. 

One type of hat I didn’t bring but wish I would have is a fleece beanie. This would have been especially good to have on summit night when it is freezing cold outside and at night while sleeping since wearing a baseball cap to bed is awkward.

Want to know what kind of kicks you need to climb Kilimanjaro? Read tomorrow’s post to find out what type of boots you need to get your booty to the summit!

Warm and comfy Northface Women's TKA 200 Kimber Full Zip

My favorite pink Northface rain jacket

Super soft Northface Denali Thermal Gloves

Turtle Fur Fleece Headband to keep my ears toasty

My favorite USC hat to cover up my crazy hair and show some Gamecock pride

So Many Outifts, So Little Packing Space

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. ~Coco Chanel

Every girls’ favorite part of going on a trip is of course, choosing outfits. My travel/clothing philosophy is do not pack anything you don’t want to be photographed in. On travel adventures, you’re going to take hundreds of photos in gorgeous places. You don’t want to look back at those photos later and cringe at your outfit and leave those pictures in a digital archive collecting digital dust forever. 

Travel photos are some of your best memories and deserve to be printed out and framed to be shared with friends and family! You want to look your best in your travel pictures, right? If yes, then half the battle is packing the right clothing.

When I pack for my travels, I try and strike a combination of cute and comfortable. The clothing you pack should be aligned with what activities you’ll be partaking in on your trip. Obviously, you wouldn’t bring a bikini to Alaska, and I certainly didn’t bring my sexiest stilettos to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. What I did bring was cute and functional clothing that I could layer. Layering is the best tip I can offer you about clothing!

In terms of tops, I brought two workout tank tops that were made of stretch fabric and were moisture-wicking. Target has two fun work out tanks that are Champion, one pink   and one blue. Over the moisture-wicking work out tanks, I wore both long and short sleeve t-shirts I already owned. My favorite one was of course my USC shirt that I wore to the summit because I couldn’t possibly hike Kili without representing my Gamecocks! I also wore a lightweight blue cotton pullover that could zip down several inches in the front. A great alternative Target sells is this adorable pink Champion cardio jacket.

I am sad to say that while I kept my tops and outwear relatively cute, I unfortunately failed to find a truly flattering and fun pair of hiking pants. Unfortunately, Lilly Pulitzer doesn’t sell hiking clothing yet, so until then I’ll stick with my Northface pants. I bought two pairs, one khaki and one black, that were able to zip off into shorts if it was hot out. In retrospect I probably could have gotten by with only one pair of pants, but it’s always good to be prepared with a spare pair in case of rain or mud. If you’re like me and are cold all the time, you will absolutely need long underwear to wear beneath your pants when you reach those higher altitudes where the temperature drops. Many outdoors outfitters like Dick’s Sporting Goods or REI offer their own pairs such as this REI pair. I hiked with a pair of Hot Chillys on to stay as warm as possible. I also packed my favorite Nike running shorts to wear in the tent and on the first and last days as we hiked through the rain forest. Though they’re $30, they’re a staple item in a college girl’s closet and they’re great for working out or running errands.

As far as undergarments go, I am sad to say I definitely was not wearing my cutest bra or pair of underwear. When hiking, your underwear must be all about function. I wore Champion sports bras that are inexpensive at only $17 and can be found at Target. For underwear, I’d recommend buying underwear specific for hiking that is a blend of nylon and spandex, is easily washable, and is antimicrobial. ExOfficio makes bikini briefs priced at $16 and while they aren’t as cute as some Victoria’s Secret Pink underwear, they have the necessary characteristics and will do the job. Because nights on Kilimanjaro can get pretty chilly, I wore my favorite Victoria's Secret sweat pants to sleep in and a comfy, long sleeve t-shirt.

Want to know what types of outerwear to pack? Read tomorrow's post to find out! 

C9 Champion Everyday Tank with Bra in Boardwalk Blue available at Target

C9 Champion Everyday Tank with Bra in Katydid Pink available at Target

C9 Champion Long and Lean Fit Tee in Scream Green available at Target

C9 Champion Women's Cardio Jacket in Katydid Pink available at Target

Northface Women's Paramount Peak Convertible Pant in black

Northface Women's Paramount Peak Convertible Pant in khaki

Cute Pink Hot Chillys Long Underwear

My favorite Nike running shorts

C9 Champion Women's Seamless Racerback Bra in purple available at Target

My favorite comfy Victoria's Secret Pink sweatpants