How to Feel Like Yourself in the Wild

Style strategies for outdoor adventures and off-the-grid escapes

Not all summer travel takes you to cobblestone streets and curated dinners. Sometimes, especially if you’re married to my adventure-seeking husband, it leads to dusty trails, riverside camps, and days without cell service. Just because you're packing for the wild doesn't mean you have to leave your sense of style at home. Let’s talk about how to feel like yourself—prepared, capable, at ease, and a touch polished—even when your packing list includes bug spray and headlamps.

Start with function

Outdoor adventures demand practicality. You need pieces built for the activities and the elements: protective footwear, quick-drying fabrics, moisture-wicking layers, and garments that offer reliable sun protection. If you’re rafting, hiking, or camping, your packing list likely includes a solid pair of trail shoes or river sandals, a rash guard or breathable sun shirt, a fleece or puffer for chilly mornings and evenings, and a lightweight windbreaker that can handle sudden weather shifts.

Then add intention

Performance comes first, but there’s still room for some personal style. Start with a focused color palette. Whether you lean into earthy hues, cool neutrals, or jewel tones, cohesion makes mixing and matching easier. Your fleece doesn’t need to match your shorts; you just need your separates to complement one another. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I advocate aligning your wardrobe with your natural coloring. If you’re new to this concept, I explore seasonal color palettes further here.

While color harmony will maximize your ability to mix and match, it is worth noting that deeper shades tend to be more forgiving in outdoor settings. They hide dirt and wear better, making them easier to re-wear throughout the trip.

Repeat silhouettes. Once you’ve identified the rash guard, sports bra, or in-camp joggers that work well for you, consider buying them in multiple colors. Doing so makes getting dressed feel easy and intuitive. You’re not giving up style; you’re streamlining it.

Add variety by putting your personal spin on your capsule. If your style leans playful, choose pieces in unexpected colors or bold patterns. If you prefer a more refined aesthetic, keep things tonal and clean, building a monochromatic travel capsule in shades that feel distinctly you. Style and function don’t have to be at odds; it just takes a little intention.

Pack light, but with personality

When space is limited or you’re hauling your gear over rocky terrain, every item you pack needs to earn its keep. That doesn’t mean everything in your bag has to be purely utilitarian. Once you’ve handled the essentials, add one or two pieces that reflect your style or make you feel more like yourself.

Maybe it’s a pair of oversized sunglasses, a patterned bandana that doubles as a neck scarf or hair tie, or a colorful and functional crossbody for when you leave camp. These small touches won’t weigh you down, but they’ll help you feel like yourself, even without your usual creature comforts.

Real looks for real adventures

To illustrate how to meld form and function, I’ve pulled together four example ensembles. Each is grounded in a distinct color story and has been designed for the demands of the outdoors. These looks prove that even on the trail or at the campsite, it’s possible to feel both capable and subtly stylish. Because I believe in intentional purchases, each outfit also features at least one piece from my recently published Summer Capsule.

Outfit links: sports bra, joggers, puffer jacket, sunglasses, and cozy socks. These colors are particularly well-suited to a woman with Summer coloring.

Early mornings at camp call for layers that keep you warm without weighing you down. A sports bra and joggers form a comfortable foundation, while a down puffer locks in heat as you sip your first cup of coffee. Cozy socks and polarized sunglasses round out the look.

Outfit links: cheerful rash guard, quick-dry shorts, floral hat, sunglasses, and river sandals. These colors are particularly well-suited to a woman with Spring coloring.

This river-ready look proves that functional gear doesn’t have to feel utilitarian. A striped rash guard in cheerful pink and green offers sun coverage without sacrificing personality, while quick-dry green shorts are both practical and punchy. A floral bucket hat and color-drenched sandals lean into the joyful mix, and yellow cat-eye sunglasses finish the look with a wink of retro fun.

Outfit links: sports bra, bike shorts, long sleeve shirt, sunglasses, cross-body bag, trail shoes. These colors are particularly well-suited to women with Winter coloring.

A fitted long-sleeve base layer and strappy sports bra offer flexibility for the temperature shifts you might experience on a day hike. Vivid magenta trail shoes add a jolt of color while providing solid grip. A daisy-strapped crossbody keeps your phone close (and your hands free) for snapping photos of the beauty around you.

Outfit links: tee, sweat pants, bomber jacket, scarf, and river sandals. These colors are particularly well-suited to women with Autumn coloring.

As the sun dips behind the trees and the air cools, a bomber jacket, soft tee, and wide-leg drawstring pants invite you to unwind. Earth-toned Tevas give your feet a welcome break from the day’s activities. Use a patterned bandana to tie your hair back while you roast marshmallows.

Let go of perfection

At the end of the day, packing for the outdoors isn’t about achieving perfect style. No one is going to give you a merit badge for looking chic while filtering water or packing out your trash. What matters is that you’ve balanced form and function in a way that makes your time in the wild even more enjoyable.

Happy trails!