My wash and wear skirt...

My favourite, most comfortable, most useful piece of clothing that always travels with me, in my hand luggage, is a flouncy, black skirt with tiny flowers on it. I bought it in a market in Tel Aviv, years ago - it has no brand name. I wash it and hang it up to dry - no ironing. It changes character, depending on the tops and accessories I wear with it. So, I can wear it to sightsee, to vist friends, to eat in restaurants, to go to concerts. And I always wear it when shopping in markets so that I can slip a pair of trousers on underneath it, as most market clothing stalls don't have fitting rooms.
Laya, Ramat Hasharon, Israel

I love my Columbia skirt...

My best piece of travel clothing is a Columbia skirt that I bought in January 2004. It is a dark grey material and, although it is long, zips off into a knee length skirt. It doesn't stain, repels liquids like red wine, and has been worn and will continue to be worn in many different places and situations for dress up and also dress down. Website: www.www.columbia.com
Michele Hampton, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

My best shawl...

A pashmina shawl can be bought anywhere. I got mine in Delhi at Ahujasons, South Extension where they specialize in shawls. It is a blanket on flights, a coverall in chilly airports, a pillow, a muffler, a wrap to dress up an outfit, a head covering for mosques.
Sameera, Hong Kong

A shawl from a lover...

This piece of clothing has interesting memories attached to it. My one piece of clothing that always travels with me is an almost white pashmina shawl that was given to me by a lover who got it from this spiritual organization for whom he was shooting a home video in Turkey in a very very cold winter. I use it as a wrap, as a blanket, or as a beach towel, depending on the climate.
Alexa, Toronto, Canada

Another vote for a shawl...

This is probably not original, but I always travel with a black pashmina shawl (that I bought in a drug -store in New York years ago) - it is invaluable to wrap up in when cold on the plane or elsewhere, and can be worn over light day clothes to carry on into the evening etc. You can fold it up and use it as a pillow, etc etc....
Jennifer, Ramat Gan, Israel

My best pareo (sarong)...

My favorite piece of clothing that ALWAYS goes into my suitcase is a black print rayon pareo that I once bought in Puerto Vallarta. It's the most versatile piece in my bag, and it's been all over the world with me. I use it as a bathing suit cover-up, an extra skirt, a shawl, a quick-drying beach towel, sheet, tablecloth, blanket, etc., etc., etc. The print is a subtle taupe/brown/blue one that looks very sophisticated if the occasion calls for it (the opera in Vienna), and yet it's casual on the beach (in Hawaii) or for touring (in South. America).
Sandy, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

My elegant sarong...

This is a tip for travelling in Asia but can also be useful anywhere. I always take an elegant, although not expensive sarong (piece of fabric like a shawl) with me. In Burma it served as a shawl during cool evenings, in Vietnam as a skirt at the beach, in Nepal I used it as a sheet in the lodges on the Annapurna trail, in Pakistan it turned into a modest covering for the head and in India it transformed into a handy bag to carry the market vegetables back to the house. One piece, many uses.
Sibylle, Melbourne, Australia

I take a shawl & a sarong...

The one item I never leave home without with is a decent shawl.....you can dress it up or keep it casual. It keeps you warm when you don't need a cardigan, looks classy when you wear it out, keeps you warm on the plane, you can wrap it around your skirt or dress as a fashion statement... the uses are endless. On my last trip to Tonga I had a hard time keeping it to myself! A close second is a decent sarong. It adapts as a skirt, casual beach wear, blanket on the plane or to just lie on it anywhere! And the beauty of both is they are lightweight, easy to wash & dry and take almost no space to pack... what can I say apart from that they are ESSENTIAL.
Nada, Kambah, Australia

Has anybody suggested bandanas?

There are many things that I never leave home without taking but if I had to pick just one it would be my bandana - it serves as a wash cloth, towel, hair holder, sweat catcher, and because I always have pretty colors, it totally livens up any outfit. I tie it on my luggage and I have even repaired the straps of a purse with one. Sometimes it goes on my hat. They are indestructible and dry very quickly - I love them!
Penny, Pleasant Hill, California, USA

A scarf...

My favorite piece of travel clothing is a scarf. Travellig back from a warm climate to England I get real comfort from a black cobweb wool scarf. In fact scarves, the silkiest, slimmest are a great comfort wherever you travel, I think because there is an acupuncture point near the neck.
Brenda, Wakefield, Yorkshire, UK

I travel with my hospital scrubs...

No matter where I travel, I bring my hospital scrubs with me. They are lightweight, and dry very quickly. They can be worn to sleep in, cover a bathing suit, and they're great for walking around a hotel or on a beach. They are also unisex, so my husband can slip into them (we get bigger sizes and I just tie the waist tighter). I also find that when we're on a road trip, I always end up sitting on the side with the sun. The scrubs are light enough that they don't make you feel much hotter, and you can prevent sunburn by draping them over your shoulder or lap.They don't really wrinkle and if some people mistake you for a brain surgeon, you might get some extra nice treatment!
Marcy, Waterloo, Ontario

Bonus! Learn the secrets of perfect packing...

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