Sri Lanka - what to wear?

[FromagePlease]

I wonder if you wise ladies could advise on what to wear in Sri Lanka? We are going on a two week holiday soon, touring round various places and staying in nice boutique hotels. I want to look stylish and stay cool. I have two pairs of linen trousers, but I'm worried of looking like my mum! I'm a size 10 - 12 and 28yrs old.

Any advice please, all the usual websites are full of synthetic fabrics and only cater for resort style holidays....

Have you tried Monsoon?

light colours, long sleeves, legs covered, no perfume or perfumed products - all help keep the mossies from biting.

I didn't get bitten too badly in Sri Lanka, but mossies are definitely a factor. You may wish to keep legs in particular covered in the evening. Probably handy to have a number of outfits that are chic but modest for visiting local towns/temples. Maxi skirt and pretty tops or some maxi dresses with light cotton or silk pashmina to wear over the top to cover you. It is humid so natural fibres obviously good. Some fitted capri pants could look good, with printed tee shirts, or knee length sun dresses. It is not predominantly a Muslim country, so dress codes are relatively relaxed, however modest by British standards.

Excellent, thank you, particularly for the mossie advice, hadn't anticipated that! Think I'll go down the maxi route, with cover-ups as required. Hopefully I'll pick some up in the sales!

Sri Lanka is predominantly buddhist, so doesn't have a strong "cover all" culture - shorts and t-shirts are fine. I didn't find mosquitos a problem but used a strong insect repellant with deet at night.

Despite the above, a lot of the historic sites in Sri Lanka do require you to cover shoulders and legs (capri pant length would be enough), so bear that in mind when you're out and about. If you go to Sigirya, which I would massively recommend as the most spectacular place to visit, don't wear anything heavy - it's a long climb and you get very very hot on the way up!

Linens, maxi skirts and dresses all good for the climate. Keep it light in colour and fabric and you should be fine. Am very , have an amazing holiday!

If you're stopping in Colombo first you could just hop over to Odel or Cotton Collection for lovely, really inexpensive tunics and skirts in cottons and linens - they're lovely and designed for the climate. You really want breathable fabrics.

For the mosquitos - I find the best thing is citronella oil around dusk. And Tiger Balm is great to control the itchies if you've been bitten. Both will be available there at corner stores and even small pharmacies. Don't forget sunscreen though!

You will not need mozzie stuff unless you are on the south coast. We never had mozzies in Colombo or in the hills - and even down South we only had them in the night really. It's very hot, cool skirts are the best thing I think. If you go right up in the mountains it can get cooler at night. You may even need a jumper! Agree with the sites, but as I recall I wore skirts and blouses/ T-shirts. I don't think I took any trousers!

(N.B But I am not chic!)

You will need mosquito repellent if you're going into the cultural triangle as there's a lot of still water out there and mosquitos do descend at night. Agree not needed in the hill country though - it cools down a lot there at night so mosquitos aren't a problem.

If you can pack lightly ish then you have loads of space to bring back all your fab shopping. I didn't even spend a fortune there as everything is so much cheaper. So keep some space if poss.

Took shorts and t-shirts for jungle treks with thin layers for rain/mossie protection.

Long trousers/maxi skirt and long sleeved thin cotton/linen top would all work and be respectful and non attention seeking (I felt a teeny bit threatened/stared at in some areas. BUt nothing happened and the people are all SO SO lovely.)
Also had thin cardi, some scarves and mist spray for water when hot.

I am very jealous of you!
Have a brilliant time. I know you will. I went pre tsunami so i hope it's recovered now.

It depends where you go. I remember that I got stared at in places as although I was wearing a conservative teeshirt my shoulders weren't completely covered - I quickly learned to cover up as being stared at is uncomfortable (although this was pre tsunami days so was quite a long time ago). So I would advise to cover shoulders.

Kandy is awesome! So is the elephant orphanage!

I never really noticed being stared at in shorts and a T. But perhaps I was immune to it, being married to a Sri Lankan - white girl, brown man, with twin babies and a BUGGY! The novelty was endless. The buggy got more stares than anything else tbh (just a normal maclaren!). Have a great time OP!