The Only Travel Shirt You'll Ever Need ... and it's not what you think

Many people are amazed at how little we take with us on trips. 

The ideal minimalist travel kit is to take only what you are wearing now. But, how is this possible for more than a few days? After all, who wants to wear the same sweaty clothes for weeks on end, let alone be the person sitting next to that person!

Many travel bloggers will tell you to buy expensive shirts using phrases like “wicking properties”, “breathable”, “merino wool” etc. etc. - this is what most people think.

But, we believe these suggestions overcomplicate the purchase of a great travel shirt, with marketing hype enticing you to pay a lot more than you need to. At the end of the day, a travel shirt is going to be about compromise, but from our extensive real world travelling experience you don’t need to spend a fortune to get the only travel shirt you’ll ever need, and we’ll give you the lowdown on the best compromises to make.

So here we go - the trick is to make sure that the clothes you are wearing conform to certain rules, and yes, you will need to do some clothes washing along the way as it’s not fair to inflict your “pickled” clothes smell on your near neighbours on planes, trains and buses!

So what are these rules?

1. The first rule is that your shirt needs to be very comfortable, loose enough to allow free movement, but not too loose that it can be caught in the wind or ride up with wear.
2. Secondly, it must be a dark colour. It is likely that you will go longer between washes than you would at home and you are probably going to be sweating more, particularly whilst travelling in cities, picking up city grime. Dark colours will not show grime as easily as lighter colours. Seems obvious, but there is a tendency to pack lighter colours for warmer climates but that is a no-no for the minimalist traveller.
3. Third, you will need something with a pattern. Solid colours are more likely to show dirt and marks than a patterned material.
4. Fourth is the style of shirt. You’ll need something that will suit the type of trip you are planning. From personal experience we find that understated style is the, as you can blend in easily and feel equally at home whether you’re visiting a beach or a church. We find that long sleeves are also a must as it saves on using sunscreen for your arms, helps you blend in better (particularly in conservative countries) and still allows you to roll the sleeves up if you want.
5. Finally, and most importantly, you need to find the right material mix. We’ve found that the best combination is 60% Cotton and 40% Polyester. The benefits of this combination are:
1. It’s “breathable” enough that you are not dripping in sweat
2. It resists taking on odours
3. It’s quick drying for rapid wash to wear times
4. It’s generally crease free 

So, what might a great travel shirt look like?

Here’s one that I’ve used for over 15 years of travelling. Okay, so it might not be your style, but it does conform to all the rules for a great travel shirt. This is the exact shirt I’ve used in over 15 years of travelling - still tidy, still presentable: