We’ve talked before about traveling with fewer shirts. One of the best tips for making do with fewer shirts is packing different kinds of shirts. This ensures you have something to wear for various occasions and different kinds of weather. 

With that in mind, here are the three types of shirts every guy should always pack when traveling. 

Short-Sleeved T-Shirt

A standard short sleeved t-shirt is one of the most versatile items of clothing you can travel with. You can pair it with anything from a pair of jeans to beach shorts. Combine it with a jacket or coat to dress it up, or wear it on its own when walking about town. 

A short sleeved t-shirt also works great as sleep wear. Pack one or two of these depending on how long your trip is. 

For longer trips, the Hercleon HercShirt short sleeve shirt is perfect. It actively fights odors, meaning you can wear it for multiple days without having to wash it and it’ll stay fresh. 

Long-Sleeved T-Shirt

A long sleeved t-shirt comes in handy when the weather gets cooler, but not cold enough to wear a sweater or jacket. Long sleeved shirts are also dressier than short-sleeved ones, so you can wear it when going for a fancy dinner. 

One or two long sleeved shirts should be enough for most trips. And if you get the no-laundry long sleeved HercShirt, you can easily make do with just one. 

Button Down Shirt

Pack at least one formal or semi-formal button down shirt. It can be long or short sleeved. 

Having a button down shirt provides an easy way to dress up for a dinner date or some other formal occasion. It also gives you a chance to change up your outfits just by switching shirts. You can pair it with jeans, khakis or even shorts.

Optional: Tank Top

If you expect warm weather where you are going, we recommend throwing in a tank top t-shirt. You can switch between that and a short sleeve t-shirt when you need to stay cool. You can also pack a tank top for use as sleepwear or to wear on the beach.  

Final Thoughts

You don't need to pack too many of each type of shirt. For most trips, you can pack just one of each and rotate between them depending on the weather and occasion. 

If you are traveling during warm weather, you can pack two or three short sleeved t-shirts and then one long sleeved shirt and one button down shirt. For cooler weather traveling, pack fewer short sleeves and more of the long sleeved shirts. 

Something else to consider is packing different fabrics. For instance, you can have a merino wool shirt to wear when it gets cooler, a lighter synthetic t-shirt for active activities like a day hike or a beach basketball game and a cotton t-shirt or tank top to sleep in.