Part of the thrill of travelling is meeting new people, traversing new public spaces and fitting in amid the backdrop of a foreign culture. In other words: all scenarios where you want to look your best.

Unfortunately, travelling can seriously take the wind out of staying stylish. Sweating through a new city on your way to a hotel, packing mismatched items that don't make sense together, and unpacking your bag to find wrinkled, dishevelled clothing – these can inflict lasting damage to your sense of fashion.

In this article, let’s try to correct these common style threats: heat, mismatching and wrinkling. With these three tips, you can travel in style, whether you’re out meeting new friends or simply trying to impress the locals.

Heat: Pack Merino Wool

Merino wool is the ace up the sleeve of any world traveller. Not only does merino wool create versatile and sustainable clothes, but it also handles hot climates exceptionally well. Merino’s heat-beating properties are threefold.

First, as a fine-fibred material, it is very breathable. Secondly, it wicks away sweat from your body and dissipates it in the air (minimizing those unsightly pit stains). And finally, merino wool is antibacterial, meaning you can wear it for days (sometimes weeks) on end without it smelling foul. (Seriously: some travellers report wearing their merino t-shirts for weeks on end without any discernible odour). It’s a triple-threat material that every traveller needs in their suitcase.

Mismatching: Create a Capsule Wardrobe

Here’s a packing tip for the would-be stylish traveller: don’t just throw a few composed wardrobes into a bag. At best, you are tethered to just a few looks that can’t be customised. At worst, you pack clashing clothing that doesn’t make sense for your destination.

It’s far better to pack a capsule wardrobe. Pack neutral-coloured merino wool clothing (see above), that features a healthy variety of structures (i.e., do not pack all baggy or all tight clothing). Another upside to packing a capsule wardrobe is that it can save on space and weight – a bonus as you lug your luggage around.

Wrinkling: Pack a Handheld Steamer

One of the few pains of living out of a suitcase is suffering through wrinkled clothing. You can gamble if you want, hoping you lodge at a hotel or Airbnb with an iron. But especially in certain countries, access to an iron and board are spotty at best.

If you have some extra space in your luggage (and you should, because you’ve packed a merino wool-forward capsule wardrobe), consider adding a handheld steamer. Unlike conventional irons, you don’t need a board to use a steamer; you can hang your clothes or drape them on a bed instead. And handheld steamers are more compact, making them a preferable option for travel.

Next time you book a flight to a far-flung destination, keep the three tips above in mind. With a capsule wardrobe heavy on merino wool and a handheld steamer to ward off wrinkles, you can beat the heat, mismatching and wrinkles associated with travelling abroad.