There are few better ways to fill the long summer days than a road trip. Alongside days at the beach, partying in the backyard with a barbecue on the go and camping out under the stars, the road trip is one of the great American summer traditions.
Picking your destination and your route is the easy part. The bigger problem is what to pack. You’ll want to be traveling light as you’ll be confined to a moving vehicle out on the open road for large parts of the trip.That means that it is wardrobe essentials only. Not sure what they are? Try some of these for starters.
Versatile shoes
When planning your road trip wardrobe, one of the tougher decisions you’ll need to make will be regarding footwear. Space is at a premium, so you can’t really afford to take five different pairs of shoes for five different occasions.
There’s no right or wrong answer here, but given that you should be packing no more than two sets of shoes, you’ll need to select a pair of comfortable shoes for men which are also versatile – after all, you might spend the day driving in them and the evening dancing away in a fancy cocktail bar.
Sunglasses
When you picture yourself on a road trip, what do you see? Miles and miles of open road, you behind the wheel of a Cadillac, a Ford Mustang or another one of the best cars for an American road trip and a cool pair of sunglasses?
Because you can’t go on a road trip without a decent pair of shades, not only will they help you to look the part, but they will also provide practical protection from the sun. That’s particularly important if you are driving through some of the sunniest states in America.
Baseball cap
Just like sunglasses, the baseball cap is a road trip wardrobe essential for both stylish and practical reasons. A baseball cap isn’t merely a hat for the road – it can very quickly become a part of your identity, so much so that after a short while you’ll probably feel lost if you don’t have it on.
It can also provide a great buffer from the sun if you’re speeding along in a convertible and it will come in handy for covering up your unkempt hair on those days when you couldn’t quite make it to the shower before hitting the road.
Hoodie
Chances are you’ll come across some bad weather at some point on your road trip, which is why a cozy hoodie is a wardrobe essential. Whether it be an unexpected downpour of rain or a cold night when temperatures plummet and you need something to keep you warm, the hoodie provides a comfortable way of fighting off cold. It can also double as a pillow or blanket as well.
Black t-shirts
No matter what situation you find yourself in on the road, you’ll be well served by having a few black t-shirts on hand. Black suits virtually any occasion, from a rock concert that you stumble across to dinner in a restaurant.