Craghoppers NosiLife Symone Dress in Night Blue
Recently, Mike and I went to Vietnam and had the most amazing experience. After travelling around Europe last summer, I realised I was in need of some fresh new outfits to take with me on this epic adventure, that would be lightweight, look stylish and would be comfortable to wear, when travelling around foreign shores.
For me, Craghoppers did not disappoint in their travel wear for women. The first item I saw by this brand was the Craghoppers NosiLife Symone Dress in Night Blue. What I love about this shirt dress, is the simplistic design, with its classic safari/travel look. It is one of those garments that you can throw on and just look great. The colour I chose caught my eye as it matched my Helly Hansen shoes brilliantly, plus because of the colour, it doesn’t show any dirt which was perfect when adventuring in the mountains and even sitting in a rustic backstreet cafe with an egg coffee in Hanoi.
This is a really practical dress and perfect for the warmer climates as it has a loose fit so provides comfort and ease of movement. It is made from a technical material which has Craghoppers’ ‘SolarShield’ fabric to protect from those harmful rays, plus it has moisture control which noticeably helped to wick away sweat especially on the hotter, humid days trekking across rice paddies or bamboo jungle. The length of the dress is great too, another feature which helped to keep me cool each day and adds to the stylish look of the dress. The cotton fabric also has insect protection, which Craghoppers name NosiLife. So when we were warned about mosquitoes in Vietnam, I wasn’t too worried. To find out more about NosiLife, read our full review here.
One of my favourite parts of the dress are the 4 pockets- 2 at the hips and 2 on the chest. These give the dress a casual look and made me feel even more comfortable when wearing it. For such a statement travel item, it is very lightweight, versatile and perfect for popping in the rucksack for all types of travelling. I am so happy with this dress. I wore it all the time during our trip and will definitely be bringing it with me on our next adventure.
Craghoppers NosiLife Miro Skirt in Parka Green
I am not kidding, Craghoppers really do create some of the best travel clothes for women. Not only are they stylish and technically advanced, each item gives such a feminine look that I just didn’t get with the travel clothing I wore in Europe last year. One of my all-time favourite pieces of clothing I took with me to Vietnam was the NosiLife Miro Skirt in Parka Green by Craghoppers. Like the shirt dress, this skirt is super stylish and could easily be dressed up or down to suit a variety of occasions/venues. I wore it aboard a fancy ship, wandering the streets of Hanoi’s Old Town and whilst trekking in the Sapa mountains. It is an extremely versatile skirt, made even better by the colour. It matched all of my tops and just made me feel a bit more girly.
It is made from Craghoppers’ NosiLife material, which keeps those mosquitoes at bay and also controls any moisture superbly, perfect for the hotter climates such as Vietnam. Plus, just like the Symone shirt dress, it has SolarShield to protect from UV rays and gives you more piece of mind. The material itself is very lightweight and can just be shoved in your luggage, and once washed, it dries quickly and is ready to be on the go again, no ironing required. What more could you ask for?
It is such a great summery garment that is so comfortable to wear. I really like the details that Craghooper have added, such as the 2 front pockets and the buttons all the way up the front, covered by material. To add to the style, it comes with a slim belt too. The skirt has an A-Line shape, which looks fab worn with both sneakers and sandals, plus the length is perfect to keep you cool and look very trendy at the same time. As you can tell, I really do like this skirt. I think it will be making lots of appearances in the near future, both at home and during our next trip away.
Craghoppers NosiLife Fleurie Shorts in Soft Navy
A trip away to warmer shores would not be complete without a good pair of shorts to wear. I was looking for something that would be comfortable and would last for years – basically a pair of shorts I could take on every trip. Craghoppers NosiLife Fleurie Shorts fitted my desires perfectly. I was so impressed with the high quality material used and knew they would withstand my travels.
I actually wore these nearly every single day in Vietnam. They are just so comfy, not only due to the relaxed fit around the legs, but the stretchy fabric used. They really do look great on and felt very comfortable around the waist and hips. The material creates ease of movement and they never need ironing. They are lightweight and as they don’t get creased, these shorts can be shoved in your bag and will be instantly ready to wear. A brilliant item for the travel wardrobe.
They come in either Dessert Sand or Soft Navy (I chose the latter to match my other items). With 5 very useful, easy access pockets, including a hidden zipped one, the Fleurie Shorts really epitomise comfort and security. Like the ones on Mike’s Craghoppers shirts, this secret pocket is perfect for stashing small valuables, cash and cards securely and hidden away when travelling anywhere around the world. This pocket is actually located inside one of the main hip pockets so cannot be seen or accessed by anyone. It is a very useful and practical design feature, which I used many times during our trip.
The design of these shorts includes Craghoppers’ insect repellent and also sun protection just like the skirt and dress above. Knowing that you are protected everywhere you go, makes travelling just so much more relaxing. Not only do they look great when trekking across the mountains or at the beach, they have an urban style, so do not look out of place in the city centre either.
Overall, with the shorts, skirt and dress, I have been so impressed with the technicality of Craghoppers’ clothing. They really are a company at the forefront of travel garments. The quality of the fabric is fantastic. Every item is comfortable to wear, looks super cool and stylish, plus all are extremely practical and well designed for travelling and adventuring around the world.
