Help with clothes for India

[welshweasel]

Off to India for 2 weeks in October. First week will be travelling round the golden triangle by train (with 2 primary aged kids in tow), second week will be on the beach in Goa. Husband and I are taking a backpack each, kids will just carry their hand luggage. So we need to travel relatively light. Just realised 90% of my summer clothes are unsuitable as I basically live in denim shorts and playsuits, so need to panic order a capsule wardrobe - please help me!

Thinking a couple of pairs of trousers ? harem style, decent quality T-shirts, maybe a couple of dresses, no idea really! Nothing that will drag on the floor in train toilets.

Plus recommendations for a pair of comfortable but not super fugly sandals (will also take havaiainas for the beach).

Size 14, 5ft 10, usually wear a lot of black/grey/jewel colours.

It’s so hot and humid. Loose fitting lightweight trousers and linen shirts. Pick three colours that go together and stick to these, so everything goes. Comfy sandals.

Any trouser suggestions? Everything I find is either long and wide legged which will be gross, or ugly walking trousers!

I’ve got these from Uniqlo which are v lightweight and comfy.
Trust me… comfort > style in India. It will say it’s 35 degrees or something. But feels 10 degrees warmer, especially in the cities!

You're best off taking couple of cotton outfits and buying the rest there. Clothes will be dirt cheap and you'll be supporting the local economy.

I went to Goa and had quite a few outfits made for me for about the price of a coffee.

When we did this we realised we'd packed all the wrong stuff- we went to a market in New Delhi ( first stop) and bought lots of wafty cotton stuff for bargain prices. Cost effective option?

@pinkyredrosethats what I did when I went years ago but this time we are on a super tight schedule and not in one place for more than a 2 nights until we get to Goa (and I’ve got dresses I can wear on the beach in Goa)

Hi. We're off to India in 4 weeks and I too am thinking about clothes. My packing list consists of not a lot! 2 shorts, 2 loose trousers, tshirt/tops and couple light dresses. Job done.

I'd probably do short dresses and cycling shorts underneath.

You may want something to cover your shoulders - maybe some linen trousers and v neck Gap or JL t-shirts. You sound like you don't like cropped trousers but linen cropped would probably be a good option. You might want to avoid white as it will only get one wear before a wash.

Fair enough. In that case though take the stuff you bought last time!

Ha ha that was 25 years ago and I no longer own any of it - I’d be delighted to go shopping but the kids would not tolerate it and I’d rather not worry about needing to sort clothes. I just need some basic lightweight trousers and tops but struggling to find anything (yes I realise it’s September so that’s why)

Try vinted. One season Australia and Aspiga are v lightweight and suited to hot climates.
looking at other makes on vinted narrow down your search to simmer dresses and cover ups.

Sorry re typos - meant to say summer dresses !

I really recommend a long lightweight travel skirt. Lots of the toilets are still holes in ground and it’s massively easier to go if you are just in a skirt - esp on a train. And if you do have to use squat loo in trousers make sure you haven’t got stuff in your pockets as if it falls out, you won’t get back. A couple of cotton long sleeve blouses for temples are good. I wore shorts a lot or linen trousers or skirt.

🤢🤮🤢

If you’re staying in a hotel for two nights they will be able to launder clothes for you if you give them in when you arrive - super cheap to do and even pants were beautifully ironed!
I took a couple of linen jumpsuits from seasalt which were perfect when I went but not sure they still have them, I’m 5’10 too and they did a long length.

Following on from last post, admittedly we didn’t use the train toilets but found most reasonable places you would take children into in the tourist areas all had western toilets so trousers weren’t an issue.