News In Brief - Coat combined With Sleeping Bag

Trousers with pockets large enough for a map when hiking. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I've read about them before. Clothes with dual function are my favourites. Here's the latest, a coat combined with a Sleeping Bag.

One picture showed it in pink with black leggings which looked absurd. The dark green camouflage look appealed to me more. but maybe the fact that the girl wearing the pink coat has it awkwardly off her shoulder didn't help.

It was from River Island. The price was more than I would spend. £180. Pricey. An online search bought up the picture immediately. Along came more on Amazon. Same price. Different styles.

So what are my favourite multi-purpose outfits?
1 Reversible dresses with matching scarves which work as a long double oblong scarf, hanging down the front, rolled up as a belt; or folded diagonally once into a shawl, triangular at the back.

3 Multi-style sarongs, especially if they have a video or page of diagrams. The trouble is most of the sarong styles require no bust, or ten types of bra, or somebody who doesn't mind displaying their underwear.

4 Pull up dresses with an elastic top which form two styles. Hang from the waist as ankle length skirts. Alternatively as knee-length dresses when pulled up over the bust.

The best versions have a matching material double tie piece sewn from the centre of the waist. This double ribbon or scarf, can be rolled or narrowed to form a belt, or spread as tummy cover, or bottom cover, when worn as a skirt.  When you pull up the garment, the hanging pieces can be thrown over the shoulders to make a sarong.

You need a lot of safety pins to secure it, or a thin jacket in a co-ordinating fabric if you want to cover your armpits or your arms with long sleeves. Why would you? To look decent, in a church or more formal occasion, or out in the street. Or indoors to avoid freezing in air conditioning.

5 Shoes which had options of two or more heel heights and styles.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4930024/180-sleeping-bag-coat-unveiled-River-Island.html
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=sleeping+bag+coat
Annalondon8@gmail.com

Researching Cambodia and Ankor Wat and What To Wear In Temples

Problems
What should you pack or buy in advance? What should you book?
World famous sites - such as Ankor Wat, Cambodia, trip of a lifetime. Is it safe? Where do I keep my passport - on me or in the hotel? What do I wear?

The name was means temple.

Answers
Picking a reliable hotel in advance should enable you to be briefed. But what about packing?

So far my research on Wikipedia and TripAdvisor suggests:
Ankor Wat and other old temples are not just historic ruin, they are considered holy sitee with a dress code and if you are wearing beach clothes you won't be admitted.

1 Avoid undergrowth and look where you are treading - there could be snakes in temple ruins.
2 A light scarf to cover shoulders is not enough, a piece of clothing covering shoulders is needed.
3 Sarongs are unsuitable for climbing steep steps as they reveal women's legs to those below. Wear trousers or leggings (which would be hot.
4 In order to wear cooler clothes for part of the day, either carry two sets of clothes (which weighs you down) or cargo pants (trousers) with zip off legs. (You might be able to buy them locally - but will they have your size?)
5 I suggest carrying a couple of safety pins to secure scarves or sarongs or clothes which get torn.
6 A safety pin did not work on my wrap skirt - just pulled out as I walked, leaving a hole. A better solution would be ribbons or better still ribbons on elastic.
7 Alternatively a flared skirt which enables you to mount steps.
8 A Punjabi outfit with matching trousers would be another option - if 'trousers' are allowed.
9 I have culottes.
10 What about the wrap tie farmer's trousers which I bought in Singapore and never wear?
I must admit they are hard to tie on, can't be removed easily when you go to the toilet without ragging fabric own dirty floors, Besides I never feel secure. I think they will gap or the ribbons will untie and the whole outfit will fall to the floor!

I shall be adding more thoughts as I continue researching today.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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