Elegant Expedition Clothing?

[MissQueenie]

Hello all!

Odds are looking good that I will be spending this fall in the deserts of southern Jordan. Life in camp is primitive at best -- gravity fed unheated showers, kerosene lamps, etc -- and we'll be working 10-14 hour days six days a week. I'd like to step out in vintage style on my days off, but I'm not sure what to pack, considering I'll be living out of a military duffle for 2 months. I'm assuming whatever I pack will have to be pretty casual. Any ideas?

 

[mysterygal]

well, with seeing some of the pictures of where you're going to be, nothing white! slacks and blouses are always a good stand by

 

[Nick Charles]

Khaki, khaki, khaki. and a Pith Like this

 

[MissQueenie]

Gotta love that pith helmet!

So far, I'd like to bring:

2-3 pairs nice wide-legged trousers (what colors/fabrics?)
A few button-down cotton shirts
1 jacket (wool? belt back?)
1-2 sweaters
Bright silk scarf to tie around neck or over hair

Everything gets washed by hand in cold water in a metal bucket, so it's got to be sturdy fabric.

 

[Tomasso]

Linen for day, fleece for night. The days can be hot well into November so lighter earth tones would work well. The nights can get cool/cold so mid weight fleece would be handy.

 

[magneto]

Vintage-minded expedition clothes

I don't have much to add (aside from the obligatory mention of "tropical weight wool")...but as you may know, up until the 1960s(?) Abercrombie and Finch's and Banana Republic both exclusively sold tropical/safari and other expedition gear and attire. (Hard to believe now, I know!). Perhaps you could find some of their old catalogs to see the sort of things they sold for this sort of trip?

 

[MissQueenie]

Linen for day, fleece for night. The days can be hot well into November so lighter earth tones would work well. The nights can get cool/cold so mid weight fleece would be handy.

Thanks for the tips -- my last trip out there was during the hottest part of the summer, so I'm having a hard time with the concept that I will need a sleeping bag and a jacket and sweaters! I'll make sure to pack a fleece layer for those chilly nights.

 

[MissQueenie]

I don't have much to add (aside from the obligatory mention of "tropical weight wool")...but as you may know, up until the 1960s(?) Abercrombie and Finch's and Banana Republic both exclusively sold tropical/safari and other expedition gear and attire. (Hard to believe now, I know!). Perhaps you could find some of their old catalogs to see the sort of things they sold for this sort of trip?

What a great idea! I'll have to do some hunting and see what I can find. I bet a lot of that stuff will turn up in salvation armies and goodwills...

 

[Etienne]

Hi, Queenie, I've missed seeing any posts of yours lately. So now I'm feeling like I'm out of the loop--you're going to Jordan FOR...???--Is this related to your job?

 

[Paisley]

You'll probably need a handbag--check out Duluth Pack . They're U.S. made, the same way they made them in the 1900s, the website states.

I have one of their backpacks--it has a little more cachet than a student backpack.


The latest and greatest in fabric is Coolmax. I haven't tried it, but it's supposed to help keep you cool.

 

[BellyTank]

Us Boys have had many a thread on this type of gear-
I will second Nick Charles' "Khaki, Khaki, Khaki, Khaki,..."

Vintage khakis, Army surplus, Johdpurs, ...

Khaki trousers with a white shirt is a good look but the white might be a risk.

...don't forget to take the coffee along.

Oh- and those boots of yours, perfect match with the johdpurs.

For some more Vintage Adventure wardrobe inspiration, check out some more pictures of Osa Johnson here-

http://www.safarimuseum.com/exhib_photo_online.htm



B
T

 

[MissQueenie]

Holy smokes!

BT, what an amazing link! I'd never heard of the Johnsons before, but they seem like a remarkable pair. The photographs are stunning! I can't thank you enough for introducing me to their work


Paisley, thanks for the link to the handbag! My mother gave me a purse that is very similar to the one in your picture last year, and I love it. It's a little too small for my purposes this time around; I need something that will be able to carry one or two cameras, film, possibly a changing bag, a pocket notebook, my wallet, and a bottle of water...I'm terrible. Either I'm bringing the kitchen sink, or I go empty handed, so I think I'll have to find something at a surplus store.

Etienne, if I go (haha, I'm still trying to tell myself I haven't decided yet) to Jordan, it will be as part of a research excavation of a Bronze Age fortress in the levant. I was with the team in 2003, but we were working about 15 km away from the fortress on two other sites (Iron Age cemetary and Bronze Age village).

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I'll definitely take a browse through the men's threads -- it hadn't occured to me to look there.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Bring back some almonds for us! (Just kidding ... I know that Jordan almonds aren't from Jordan.)

 

[BellyTank]

MissQueenie- I have attached some links to previous posts for your perusal(and amusement...) Us lads have talked about a lot of Khaki, WW2, The English Patient,..., etc....

Remember-our very own MojaveJack is an Archæologist too- and a wearer of khaki.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6819&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=7948&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=7173&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=7177&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=7111&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=2340&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=3508&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=1626&highlight=khaki

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=7639&highlight=knees

I'll leave you with Thorkild Jacobsen-

B
T

 

[Lauren]

I have the Folkwear big sky riding skirt pattern. It's pretty good for that sort of thing. And you should make a belted back jacket in linen

 

[Paisley]

Either I'm bringing the kitchen sink, or I go empty handed, so I think I'll have to find something at a surplus store.

I am the same way--just going to work, I carry a lunch, a book or two, wallet, umbrella, makeup case, and sometimes dance shoes. Hence, I bought a nice backpack.

You might check out the shell bags; they're larger than the haversack I posted a photo of. It says, "Naturalists, geologists and hikers also love this bag, stuffing them with specimens, tools, field guides, camera and notebook." They look good, too:

Dedicated campers might also find the history link interesting.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

Etienne, if I go (haha, I'm still trying to tell myself I haven't decided yet) to Jordan, it will be as part of a research excavation of a Bronze Age fortress in the levant. I was with the team in 2003, but we were working about 15 km away from the fortress on two other sites (Iron Age cemetary and Bronze Age village).

Sounds fascinating. Which fortress are you working on?

 

[MissQueenie]

The site is called Khirbat-en-Nahas. The site is one of the largest copper production site in the Eastern Med. known to date. Here's the project website: http://www.anthro.ucsd.edu/~tlevy/index_files/Edom.htm

The grey and black matter littering the ground in the aerial shot of the site at the bottom of page is slag (a waste product from the smelting process). The site is absolutely covered with slag (filthy, heavy, sharp-edged...did I mention it was filthy? Makes everything coal-black!). I think in 2002 they stopped counting the weight at more than a ton. I won't be wearing white in the field, that's for sure!

 

[Julius Xavier]

Posting on behalf of LuckieDame

My girlfriend Mindy (LuckieDame) is a new member here and doesn't have the ability to post yet (still awaiting MK's approval) but she has always like these outfits that Chrissy Swanson wore in the movie The Phantom. I think they look like what you ladies could be looking for myself.

Her pants button on the sides and have a flat front.

Hope this inspires... Yours in Adventure-

DocIndyJones

 

[Lauren]

Heehee.. This reminds me of what I wore to Wildroot's birthday party. Love that look!