Capsule Wardrobe for Month in Australian Desert

[HereThereBeWoozles]

As the title suggests really

I'll be spending a month in September crossing by car from Cairns to Perth for honeymoon, and could really do with a capsule wardrobe to achieve this stylishly.

So far I have

• nice swimwear for (GBR)
• eveningwear (for Singapore on the way home)
• thermals
• shoes

I could really do with some suggestions for practical everyday beautiful outfits. I love these shorts (and the entire outfit), but don't know how practical they'd be?

www.reiss.com/p/high-waisted-tailored-shorts-womens-lennox-short-in-off-white-cream/?category_id=12710&gaEeList=W%20-%20All%20Products

Come at me with your fantasy explorer wardrobe suggestions!

(I'm 5'3, size 6 and 27, and drown in anything too long)

Can I, erm, sweeten the deal for anyone with a picture of my cat sniffing a twig in the snow?

The shorts are a lovely shape but I would think totally impractical. I'm just back from Australia and New Zealand and it was really dusty. My cream sneakers changed colour in minutes. Everyone is very casual and I think you would feel very overdressed in that outfit.
The same style in a slightly darker colour like khaki or sand might be the way to go.
My adult daughter and all her friends seemed to wear either denim shorts or yoga pants.

Thank you, this is the kind of practical thinking I need!

Yes, definitely avoid anything cream or white. I ended up throwing my Nikes away after a few days around Uluru as the red dust just stuck to them and wouldn't come off. Luckily they were an oldish pair as I'd been warned before I went.

Depending on when you go, it can be hot and sticky (and I write this as someone who was living in Hong Kong at the time so was used to heat and humidity) - and the flies can be a pain - so practical will tend to take over from fashion. I stuck to wearing mainly black (although it doesn't reflect the heat, it doesn't show dirt or sweat stains either and that was more important to me) and accessorised with colourful scarves or bold jewellery etc. Most people just dress for comfort and things are very casual.

Nothing white or pale, the red dust gets everywhere

Oof crumbs, I'm glad I asked about the cream - I've been to Australia a few times but never the central areas before, so had no idea! It's the interesting dilemma of needing clothes casual enough for Oz but nice enough for some very swanky places on either end. And being terrible at packing generally...

Sounds like dark denim shorts would be a yes, and maybe some good quality t-shirts? Where's best for a good plain t that will ideally last a while? (My NY resolution was to give up disposable fashion )

I’ve been going to Australia annually for the last few years, since my son moved there. He lives near Melbourne. Would just like to say that, in general, I’m a very casual dresser, and Australia, even the cities, is the only place where I’ve ever felt “not scruffy”. As far as I can tell, it’s a very relaxed, casual, way of dressing.

Casual message received Will work out how to balance casino hopping outfits with desert relaxing! Thank you

You probably already know but Perth in September won't be shorts weather. You'll need jeans and long sleeves.

Top end will be warm

I'm packing for all weathers and temps given desert nights/days/rainy Singapore. Part of the reason I'm trying not to take my entire cupboard

Not fantasy for me I've done a similar trip but from Perth to Sydney in a camper van in December. It was filthy! I still have one pair of trainers which STILL has red dust in the Velcro fasteners and it was 12 years ago! Everyday beautiful is out of the question I'm afraid - you need to aim for everyday comfort as you'll be in a car so much. During the driving, I mostly wore loose elasticated (for comfort not size) linen-blend shorts and t-shirts and sleeveless blouses. Sadly I think "disposable" is the way to go. Also it will get very chilly at night in Oz.

You'll only need one or two evening outfits as, if you think about it, you won't be going to the same place twice so everyone apart from your (new!!) DH will only see it once and won't know you wore it three days ago in another town. It will be an excuse to go shopping when you get to Singapore though ha! The Reiss outfit would work in Singapore and it only rains for about an hour late afternoon so you'll just need a small brolly and shoes that can take a wetting.

Gorgeous cat. Have an amazing time!

Oh and linen blend because it serves the same purpose as linen but doesn't crease so badly.

My suggestion is a half dozen Uniqlo T shirts in favourite colours and shapes. They are inexpensive, so if they get trashed, it's not the end of the world. Leave them in Australia and replace the ones you miss in Singapore.

Echo everyone else, the centre is not called the red centre for nothing! It's very dusty, very red and totally casual. I did a camping road trip from Alice springs up to Darwin then down the west coast to Perth, in around October time. It's freezing at night (are you camping?) from dusk onwards really. It warms up by about 9:30/10am. I'm afraid I just went for those zip-off trousers mostly, good walking boots, a couple of old T-shirt's and fleeces to stick on top. I didn't have fancy places to go to but I don't think you'd really be able to get stuff that will do double-duty, you'd be better off having a couple of nice things that you keep for 'best' and scruffs for the rest of it.

Gosh I'm glad I asked - figures I'd learn how to fix a car and alert help but not the practical basics of what to wear! We will be camping, but are pretty well stocked on thermals etc (having done long wilderness hikes and camps abroad previously). Trashable uniqlo to-shirts and linen blends it is for Oz!

Thank you all so much for the advice, I'm so excited

You're camping? Like, a camper van or a tent? Make sure you have warm pyjamas and a good duvet, it gets cold in the desert.

Not sure when some of you went, but at night in Renner Springs, Oz in October/November it was 36 degrees at night in our tent and around 40 during the day, thermals not needed. I lived in shorts and vest for 2 months!

Camping in a tent (roof tent) - fully stocked with all sorts of thermals, blankets and appropriate sleeping bags! It'll be spring so I expect the full gamut of weather will be possible, but definitely packing for the cold.

Not been to Oz but when I was travelling I really needed basics - quite a few t-shirts and vests, and one thing that was v useful was a long jersey dress in a dark colour - it can look smarter if you want to go to a nice restaurant, and it's great for throwing on and covering up in any situation.

Also hardly style and beauty but one of my most useful garments was zip-off, lightwight trousers - trousers that turn into shorts and back again. this kind of thing

Being able to cover up completely is not just good for variable weather, but also if you get a lot of bugs coming out.

I'm v jealous!

TBH, if you are flying into Brisbane, I would buy thermals at UNIQLO. With exchange rate, would be much cheaper. Or at DFO - there is a Macpac and an Underarmour store right near the airport. Then you don’t have to carry it over. Sunscreen and insect repellent is cheaper here in Australia than in the UK or Europe. Don’t bother packing it. I would under-pack rather than over. Also buy your glamour gear in Singapore rather than pack it. It will be special then. They are not short of fabulous shops!

I know it’s not S&B but what way are you driving? I lived in the ‘Red Centre’ for years (but you’re probably bypassing Alice Springs?).

It’s already starting to get quite warm there come September so I wouldn’t go overboard on thermals. Maybe one or two good quality merino ones which don’t smell no matter how long they’re worn? . Could be pretty cold camping though I guess but if you live in the UK then cold here is nothing on cold there I don’t think.

Cairns and other northern areas are absolutely hideously humid so super light clothing is the way forward. It sucks for the environment but I’d do what PPs have said and get cheap stuff that it doesn’t matter if it gets ruined.

Alice Speings has the perfect hot but dry climate much better than the humid areas. I live in a humid area now and no matter what I wear it sticks to me. Footwear of choice can be flip flops. They’ll take you from the shower blocks to the beach and even out for dinner if you like I live in mine and my partner gives me grief they’re ‘just for the pool’ (I’m from NZ where jandels are the norm, he’s from NI).

Enjoy your honeymoon

Singapore is super expensive and stocks most of the British brands at double the price. I like to dress up there but it's very much a tropical asian city.

Central Oz ... you don't need style advice It's hot, grossly humid in Cairns, hot and dry in other places, and shorts and singlets (ie vests) rule. Concentrate on the beauty and amazing Aboriginal culture (it's fucking amazing). Not your clothes. Perth I've never been to! But it seems similar to other capital cities - in Sept I would wear/pack jeans & some tops that you would wear in May/June in the UK

Also curious about your route. I’m in Perth and I thought the only way to Alice was hard-core 4WD stuff, unless you’re going down to Adelaide and round? And yeah, bit nippy here in September and even in summer there’s often a big temperature difference between night and day.

Thanks for all the advice everyone! We're flying into Cairns, then heading to the Great Barrier Reef for a few days pre-drive, so would definitely have time to pick up stuff then before heading on, and shopping in Singapore sounds like a great idea as well for a treat at the end.

Route-wise, we are actually taking the hard-core 4WD route, across the Great Central Road for much of the way. We will be stopping at Alice Springs, and at Uluru for a few days in the middle of the journey. We've done a lot of off-the-beaten-track driving before, so it sounded like a great challenge for us! Hopefully won't involve any fording rivers with Bull Sharks though, like Costa Rica did Our planning thus far has been pretty extensive (including a full mechanic course for DP, thankfully not for me...), but predictably had only just gotten around to clothing!