I’ll be the first to admit that us guys are not all too picky about what our travel clothing looks like when we go on vacation or are backpacking around the world. The women in our lives don’t always agree though. So they’re less enthusiastic about rugged clothes meant for travel and often want to pack 20 pretty blouses for 10 days of travel.

This Tangier Travel Top from Columbia Sportswear got a major thumbs-up from my significant other though, thanks to its ability to effectively combine form with function. Think of it as a Lulu Lemon top at half the price: a list price of $45 and even less for close-out colors at Amazon. (Follow that link.)

What sold my personal trainer wife on this top was that it made her look great. The usual complaint about travel clothing is that it’s too baggy and is not flattering to a figure that stays in shape. This Tangier Travel Top is a different story, fitting snugly but with plenty of stretchy movement built in. It is drawn in at the waist and goes partway down the hips, accentuating the body shape.

It looks like something a trainer could be wearing to a gym, but is made to wear well on the road. It dries fast after a sink washing or a strenuous climb. It is made with Columbia’s Omni-shade technology, giving you an SPF factor of 50. (So you can ride a camel through the desert, but be more sensibly dressed than the Sex & the City bimbos.)

It’s all synthetic of course, but this travel top is soft, comfortable, and feels nice to the touch. No swishy-swishy as you sashay.

For some reason only the black color is available at the Columbia Sportswear site, but I’ve seen others at retail and you can find the whole spectrum at Amazon and at Backcountry.com

Related post: Fashion and Function for the “It Girl”