Vintage Camping and Hiking Outfit Ideas for Enjoying the Great Outdoors

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Style goes beyond tailored suits, cocktail dresses and statement hats for devoted vintage fashion lovers. Our passion for vintage clothing extends to nearly all areas of life, including enjoying the great outdoors. Putting together cute vintage camping and hiking outfit ideas is a fun part of the nature trip planning process.

Hiking and camping are some of my favorite ways to unwind. And when I say camping, I mean in a cozy cabin with electricity, a comfy bed and ideally a hot tub. After a long day of hiking, there’s really nothing like relaxing in a hot tub with a view of the mountains and a glass of wine in hand.

Still, I admit that I struggle with planning cute outfits that are also practical for exploring nature’s wonders. I often look through advertisements and photos from the 1940s and 1950s for ideas on what to wear camping and hiking. From what I have seen, women usually wore denim or cotton shorts with button-up shirts and loafers or sandals. That is much more my style than modern leggings and active tops; I’m just not a bike shorts kind of girl.

If you, like me, love the outdoors but not modern athleisure wear, read on for cute vintage camping and and hiking outfit ideas. Most of my clothing pictured below is vintage, but I’ve linked similar styles when available, including my must-have hiking pieces toward the end of this post.

Keep in mind that these outfits are not meant for long, difficult hikes or extreme weather conditions, when activewear and performance-focused clothing and gear is necessary.

Vintage camping and hiking outfit ideas

Camping and hiking outfit ideas for fall

Wool shirt with jeans or pants

On chilly mornings in the mountains, it’s nice to have a wool shirt or jacket to throw on and enjoy coffee outside. I have a vintage Pendleton wool button-up shirt that is also light enough to hike with during cooler months. I wear it with jeans, cotton pants or my Outdoor Voices Rectrek Pants. Wool is great for keeping you warm but is also more breathable than synthetic fabrics. Wool also wicks away moisture, making it a smarter choice over cotton for excursions in cold, wet weather.

Here’s another time I wore my vintage Pendleten wool shirt, this time styled with a white cotton t-shirt, blue cotton bandana, Hell Bunny Carpenter Denim Jeans and navy Keds Champion Sneakers.

Camping and hiking outfit ideas for summer

Plaid cotton shirt with denim shorts

For relaxed walks around the cabin or campground, I like a sturdy pair of denim shorts with a lightweight cotton shirt. When the terrain doesn’t require hiking boots or sneakers, I prefer comfortable sandals, especially when it’s hot outside. The Sidse sandal by Memery is a late 1940s to early 1950s-inspired wedge sandal with an adjustable ankle strap and silicone inserts under the sole for comfort. They are truly the most comfortable sandals I’ve ever worn, and come in a variety of cute colors. I’m wearing them here with a vintage cotton plaid shirt and vintage denim shorts:

A white cotton top and plaid shorts

OK, wedges aside, this would be a cute cabin stay or camping outfit! I was inspired by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season set in The Catskills for this summer outfit. A white cotton button-down shirt can be worn with just about anything, so I always pack one, no matter where I’m going. I like wearing mine with vintage plaid cotton shorts during spring and summer. I’d swap the wedges for Keds Champion Sneakers to look cute around the campfire.

My must-have hiking clothing pieces

I buy most of my clothing from vintage stores and thrift shops, but sometimes it’s necessary to invest in pieces designed for the wear-and-tear of exploring the great outdoors. I prefer hiking pants and shorts over spandex leggings or bike shorts. My legs room to breathe. Also, I need pockets, pockets that actually hold things. These are a some of my favorite shoes, clothing and accessories for hiking:

Pants: The Outdoor Voices Rectrek Pants have the right amount of stretch and the cropped fit keeps the hems from getting wet and dirty. They’ve held up well through several hikes and have plenty of pockets.
Hiking boots: KEEN Innate Leather Mid Boots were my first pair of hiking boots and they’ve yet to disappoint. They’re sold out but you can see a similar hiking boots style here. I went up a half size from my normal shoe size.
Bandana: I like to wear a cotton bandana as a headband to keep my hair off my face. It can also double as a napkin or towel if you need one.
Cotton t-shirts: The Plunge Tee from Coalatree is one of my favorite t-shirts and I never go on a hiking trip without it. It’s made of 100% organic recycled cotton, is soft and comfortable and has the cutest design.
Sunglasses: My Parafin a s unglasses are my absolute favorite pair of sunglasses. They’re eco-friendly, lightweight and have a unique shape that keeps them from slipping down or falling off. The Sunski Dipsea Polarized Recycled Sunglasses are a similar style.
Wool hiking socks: Thick wool socks are a must for wearing with hiking boots. I like the Smartwool Classic Hike Light Cushion Crew Sock.