Problem: Article: The items that you wear on the top of your body, whether they're a tank top or button down blouse, all conform to a certain set of rules about what makes your body look best. As with all clothing items, the most important rule is to wear something that fits! Wear clothes to flatter your neck. If you have a short neck, you want to avoid turtlenecks, or anything that cuts off your neck. Instead go for low plunging tops or tops with items that draw the eyes down (necktie or button down shirt, for guys). Wear clothes to flatter your shoulders. If you have narrow shoulders, you can wear items that make your shoulders look more broad. Good examples include shirts that puff slightly at the shoulder or include a small amount of padding or structure to the shoulder. Avoid these same things if you want to play down your shoulders. Use stripes. You can also use stripes to your advantage, to make you look taller, thinner, or to make your shoulders look more narrow or more broad. Wider stripes will make your shoulders look more broad, while thinner ones will make you look narrower. Similarly, narrow stripes make you look taller and thinner, while wider stripes or horizontal stripes will make you look wider and shorter. Wear clothes to flatter your waist. Generally, you want to wear clothes that are fitted at your natural waist. Covering up a tummy with baggy clothes tends to make women look pregnant. Men can get away with it a bit more. Use contrasting belts to draw attention to a small waist. Both genders will also want to avoid large prints if they've got extra space in the stomach region, as this just adds imaginary weight. Wear clothes to flatter your hips. Men: if you're pretty bootylicious, you're going to want to skip double vented coats and suit jackets. If you want to make narrow hips look more round, go for cuts that flow out at the hip. Those with too much hip should instead wear darker colors on the bottom and bright colors with bold prints on top. The items that you wear on the bottom of your body, whether it's a skirt or slacks, also conform to a certain set of rules about what makes your body look best. As with all clothing items, the most important rule is to wear something that fits! Flatter your bottom. Rule number one is definitely to wear pants that fit, no matter the size. If you want yours to look more shapely and you're a person of a lady-like persuasion, go for full shirts (either short or long). Either gender can go jeans with very structured and thick pockets, to create the illusion of shape. For those with a little too much bum, go for dark pants. Many of these same rules apply for flattering your hips. Wear clothes that fit your height. Narrow, thin stripes will make you look taller, so avoid these if you're already towering over your peers. Wider stripes or horizontal stripes, however, will make you look shorter and fatter. Play with either stripe in order to achieve a look that works for you. Colors can make a huge difference in how we look. Wearing a bad color can make you look washed out and sickly, or draw attention to blemishes in your skin. Good colors can draw attention to your best features and make you look fresh and awake. What colors are good or bad for you, however, depend on a lot of factors but the general rule of thumb is that high contrast is your friend. Warm skin tones (naturally look better in gold): wear colors like reds, yellows, and olive greens. Cool skin tones (naturally look better in silver): wear colors like purples, blues, and teals. Try to highlight your best features. If you have a bright eye color, such as blue or green, where colors that are similar in order to draw that color out. Try to downplay bad features. If your skin is naturally ashy, avoid washed out colors like pastels. If you have blemishes or a red face, avoid reds and pinks, as they will make the problem look worse.
Summary: Find good tops. Find good bottoms. Find a color palette.

Problem: Article: If you're not leaving for a few weeks or even months, find a list of average highs and lows for the time of year that you're going to a particular place. Search for averages on Wikipedia; the site lists average temperatures in the "Climate" section on most pages for countries, states, and provinces. You might also Google the weather in a given city. For example, you can search "average temperature in Chicago in April" to get results that will be helpful for choosing what to pack. Check the specific forecast for each of the seven days that you'll be gone. Many websites, like weather.com or AccuWeather, provide forecasts for anywhere in the world. Even though weather predictions are not always accurate, this is a good way to get a sense of what to expect. Reach out. If you are still unsure about what kind of weather to expect and thus what kind of clothing to pack, reach out to a friend, family member, or colleague who has visited your destination for pointers. Additionally, many major cities have travel or tourism bureaus. Call or email one of these agencies to speak directly with a local and get their advice and pointers on what to expect and what kind of clothing to pack. If you can, wash your clothes during your trip (even if it's just a quick sink-wash and hanging the clothes out to dry) so that you have to pack even fewer items. If you won't have access to laundry while you're gone, you should plan to bring a change of clothes for each day of the week. Some hotels, for example, will provide complimentary toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Others will even provide a toothbrush and toothpaste. If so, that is at least a couple of items less that you have to worry about packing in your suitcase! Depending on your destination of choice, you may have to pack certain precautionary items or align your packing with the cultural sensitivities and traditions of your destination. Learn whether certain diseases are common in your destination. Consider, for example, malaria. If your destination has malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, you are at a significant risk of getting the disease, so take the necessary precautions. These may range from insect repellent to malaria prevention medicines. You can learn more about malaria and whether it is a concern in your destination by visiting the CDC website. This is especially useful if you are traveling abroad. Take into account security considerations, such as whether it is generally safe for somebody of your nationality to travel to your destination of choice at this time. If you currently live in the U.S., the Department of State website is the go-to site for this information. Consider whether there will be any important local holidays while you are there. Knowing this ahead of time will allow you to better prepare and not be taken by surprise should there be any major closures, crowds, or events. If you are traveling abroad, it is important to know how to communicate basic information. For this, you can use an app like Duolingo or free online materials.
Summary:
Check weather patterns in your destination city. Ask your accommodation(s) about laundry facilities. Find out whether your accommodation(s) will provide you with toiletries. Find out if there are any regional considerations you should take into account. Research the political, social, and cultural climate of your destination. Learn a few key words or phrases in the local language.