The Top 10 Items We Each Wore Nonstop on Our India Trip

We had a fantastic two-week girls’ trip to India (full itinerary here). Given we went in early April, the tail end of the tourist season, it was very toasty.  We topped out at about 110 degrees while in an open-air Jeep in the afternoon sun, tracking tigers, which put Jo into heatstroke territory! But, given the air-conditioned car, our clothing choices, and the option of late-afternoon swims in gorgeous hotel pools, the heat was very manageable and didn’t dampen the trip at all.

We did carry-on only, so each item we brought had to earn its place in the suitcase. We had planned a LOT about what to bring, and we did a lot of research on linen items (full write-up here) before we went. But even with all our planning, certain items we wore on repeat, and a couple were left unworn.

Here are each of our star items from our trip.

Chrissie:

The Gap and Old Navy provided most of the winners for me!

Old Navy Wide Leg Linen Blend Pants. These pants rock. They are a linen blend, but they kept me cool and didn’t stretch out horribly after use like some other linen pants I have. They are wide but not too wide, and loose but not too loose. I wore the white pair to dinner a lot, and they aren’t too sheer, which is nice. And the price is right! They come in 9 color options and run big, so we recommend sizing down.

The Gap Barrel Mid Rise Linen Blend Pants. These pants are super loose, but given their barrel shape, they still look stylish and not like harem pants. I wore these a ton as I got them in beige, and they were the best all-around day pants for the trip.

Gap Linen Blend Midi Skirt. This is the same material as the pants above, and I also had this in beige (currently sold out, but other colors are available). It sits in the right place on the hips and flows well, neither too slim nor too wide. Love it.

The Gap 100% Linen Oversized Shirt and Old Navy Linen Blend Shirt. Both of these shirts were great—I got the Gap version in white and the Old Navy version in turquoise blue. You can wear them as a shirt, cover-up (if you size up), or open over a dress or another shirt. Even on really hot days, they were not too hot with the arms rolled up a bit.

Gap Breath Fit Tank Top. We both got this in white. It’s made of a nice, dry-fit material that is loose enough to allow airflow and has a nice cut. It’s great for yoga or working out, and you can also wear it as a regular tank as needed.

Uniqlo Round Mini Cross Body Bag: The Uniqlo ‘it’ bag of travelers, this little cutie comes in multiple colors (I had the checked version no longer available; Jo and Audrey had the white). It is light, fits a ton, can be tucked in a suitcase, and is the perfect little travel bag.

Tommy Bahama Linen Dress. This was my ‘dress up for dinner’ dress. It’s such a great, flattering cut—I highly recommend it.

Birkenstocks Gizeh Big Buckle. I wore these all day, every day.

Quince Bathing Suit.  I got this suit right before we left, in Cherry Red, and I LOVE it. It was good for both swimming laps and sitting poolside and is a great thickness where you feel a bit ‘sucked in’ but the material isn’t too thick that it takes a long time to dry. A+.

Sunhat. This hat from Amazon has a ponytail hole in the back, a great, bendable, wide brim, and is packable. I wore it every single day. I love it.

Joanne:

Since Chrissie and I shop and travel together, many of our go-to items are identical. I don’t have a lot to add except:

Quince Wide-Leg Linen Pants: I brought these in the flax color and love them. The elastic waistband is thick, so it stays in place, and the wide legs are flowy, keeping my legs cooler than pants with a tighter fit.

Splendid Pants: These breezy tie-waist pants are made from the softest chambray and are my lightest weight pants. I wore these on repeat with white tops, and this combo kept me cool.

Uniqlo Linen Skipper Collar Shirts: I bought two of these: one in blue and white stripes to wear with the jeans mentioned above and white linen pants (the Old Navy ones Chrissie mentioned above), and one in black to wear in the evening with black linen pants (also the Old Navy ones Chrissie mentioned above).

Accessories: I brought these raffia slides for the evening and liked them—they were a nice change from my Birkenstocks (see Chrissie section) that I wore all day long. And they were only $35 at Target, so I thought I could leave them behind if I didn’t like them. But I wore them, and they made the trip home with me. I also brought a raffia clutch to complete the look.

White Blouses: I brought an array of thin white blouses in cotton and linen from Cos, from years past, none of which are available now, and all similar ones from Cos are sold out. Similar items available today include this white short-sleeved blouse or this flowy blouse. 

Long Dresses: I loved having a couple of one-and-done dresses to throw on for dinner. These were a middle-of-the-night Instagram purchase, and I was skeptical, but I love both the octopus-patterned and striped ones.

I don’t wear shorts out in public very much anymore, but I wanted to have a pair for yoga, workouts, or lounging around the room. I got these on Amazon, and they worked!

Lightweight scarf with insect shield: This is a multi-use item—great as a fashion accessory, for sun and bug protection, as a bathing suit cover-up, airplane seat cover, and more.

And here are a couple shots of our items ‘in action’!