I need to up my travel outfit on the plane to be more comfy and stylish. We are going in September, so fairly warm weather, but I’m chilly on the plane. I’ll be wearing a pair of my walking sandals, but putting on compression socks while on the plane. I don’t wear leggings, never have worn joggers....but don’t think those would look nice with sandals.
Just wondering what you all wear. I know to layer with a cardigan and take a scarf.
I wear pull-on pants by Jag Jeans or NYDJ. For summer travel, they are ankle length or crops in twill rather than denim, like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Jag-Jeans-Womens-Marion-Twill/dp/B019NOVLQK?th=1
The wide flat waistband is very comfortable and flattering. And with few pockets and no zippers, there is no extra bulk and no metal to set off an extra-sensitive security scanner.
I am in my mid-50's and am at that point that my internal thermostat is off-kilter. Therefore, I wear clothes I won't get too hot in. I usually wear my pair of Columbia pull on pants, a short sleeve Columbia top, and my athletic shoes that I'll be wearing for lots of walking. I also have my fleece jacket that is easy on / easy off. I love the pants because they are straight leg, a bit stretchy and aren't binding. I have worn them in Europe for hiking and with a nicer top for evenings.
I have recently tried to find the same pants again, but to no avail. I found on Amazon a good replacement should the other pair ever wear out: Columbia Women's Anytime Casual Pull On Pant w/ UPF 50
Hey Lulu,
Since I have been traveling mostly in colder weather, I wear black pants, a "medium weight" V-neck sweater that falls just about to my hips so I am not actually sitting on it. I also wear a spaghetti-strap jersey tank underneath. I always wear a scarf - mostly as an accessory than for warmth (of course wearing one for colder weather.) Trouser socks and black shoes are the finishing touches.
{Oh, and I bring thin leggings that have spandex in them; so they are form fitting. They fit nicely under my pants if needed.)
I fly BA for my International trips and had no issues about too cold. Usually BA is good about keeping even cabin temps.
[Although on one return flight back home to Boston, the heat was up very high. The FA had to turn it down a bit.]
I also carry a white "trash bag" to put my coat in before I board. I place it in the OH on top of my luggage.
I don't use the blanket that is on the seat. Actually, I place it in my small of my back on the seat.
I essentially have a uniform as I wear it on all my travel flights: black bootcut NYDJ , tank top, cotton blouse, decorative scarf, vest (non-travel), jacket, and my dark walking athletic shoes. My pashmina is in my personal item. I've never been cold, but have had the need to strip down due to intense heat a few times, hence the layering. Like Girasole, I fly BA and use the pillow in the small of my back. I use a recycle grocery bag and place my jacket or other clothes in it, before I put it under the seat in front of me.
PS, I wear as much natural fiber clothing on the plane and keep my shoes on in case of fire and evacuation. I am a risk manager after all. (Oh, and at least a days worth of meds for me, and my husband if with me, and financials are attached to me as well so they evacuate with me...but that's another post.) LOL
I'm cold-natured, so the Uniglo merino wool sweater and leggings with pockets that I get from Amazon
My "In transit" outfit is dark wash jeans (poly-cotton blend), SS Land's End Tee (cotton/modal), a quarter-zip Dri-fit pull over and a scarf that pulls it all together. I wear athletic shoes all the time on my Europe trips and also wear compression socks with them on the flight.
I'd suggest you put on the compression socks before you get on the plane. Mine are knee high and I just put them on when I get dressed for the airport. I've put them on later and it's kind of a contortionist act sometimes, especially if my legs have gotten warm and are a little sticky, lol and TMI!!
I know many wear sandals on the plane but I've always wanted to have tie shoes on. Years ago I traveled a lot with a friend who was a travel agent and she insisted we have on shoes that we could run in if we needed to evacuate the plane. I can't wear anything other than that now. No, never have had to use them but I am ready should the need occur.
I used to wear a cardie (Land's End cotton) but decided the last couple of trips they are too bulky to pack later in the trip so went for the Dri-fit. If I get hot it folds up small enough to fit in my tote/day pack/purse, whichever I am taking on the flight.
My travel outfit is JUST for the airplane, and it is a pair of Black Leggings (good knit ones at Costco with no show flesh or underwear) and a long grey knit tunic with a black knit tank top underneath, slip on sneakers, scarf. Being in my 50's I can be burning up one minute and freezing the next, hence the layering. On the plane I ditch the shoes and slip on a pair of fuzzy socks for walking around and to be cozy. My Plane scarf is usually the Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf which can also be a blanket or scrunched up to be a pillow. This is a big heavyish scarf and not one I would wear while street walking, but great for cold hotel rooms, train travel etc.
Once we land I have a "street" outfit I change into in the destination airport bathroom, along with brushing my teeth and general freshening up. This outfit is stretchy dark blue Jeans, the black tank I wore on the plane, the shoes I wore on the plane and a long open cardigan. I am now "drop the luggage and hit the street" ready. My street outfit is prepacked in my personal carry on along with my toothbrush/paste, makeup bag readily accessible. My personal item is packed like Tetris, everything is just so.
Whatever I wear, it is the fabrics I consider the most. Wool makes me itch, so I don't ever wear it anyway. I look for the softest, silkiest (but not silk) fabrics that feel good against my skin for 9 or 11 hours. Nothing rough or scratchy. Fabrics that don't wrinkle. Soft tops with straight sleeves (that won't drag through my lunch plate) but not tight.
There is enough to deal with on an overnight flight without my clothes irritating me!
I always wear my black jeans that have some stretch to them. Add a cotton long sleeved top and I have a sweater in my carry on too. Compression socks per doctors’ orders too.
I wear the heaviest and most bulky garments I'm taking on the trip so I don't have to pack them.
Great advice about being prepared to move quickly if needed. I never remove my shoes on the flight, but that's because my feet get so cold. Now I have another reason. 🤠
I wear either dark wash denim or black jeans. Both have a little stretch and are quite comfortable.
For the top, I wear a cami, a long sleeved thin cotton or thin merino wool shirt, and a cotton-poly plushy tunic. And a scarf.
And I keep my puffy jacket handy if the plane is colder.
I also wear compression socks and put them on at home. Pam is right about the difficulty of bending over in the impossibly tight seats.
I also wear my heaviest shoes, either ankle boots or walking shoes.
(And don't forget the Tide-to-go in case a bit of food or drink falls onto your clothes!)
All are wonderful suggestions and I’m taking note! The jag jean may be make of what I need, good idea. Would look nice with sandals, too. I’ve looked at the twill ankle length and that definitely has a more updated look than what I’ve been wearing.
I also think I’ll ditch the cardigan, and maybe wear a jacket I’m taking. It will free up space and keep me warm, too.
Hi Lulu,
For me comfort & style is the name of the game! We usually travel in moderate to warm weather. I prefer a pull-on light weight pant or crops, wrinkle-resistant. Some of my favorites: Lior, Porto, Hue, Jag, NYDJ, Columbia "Just Right" (not pull-on) My feet get cold so I don't wear sandals. Wear Ecco 7’s sneakers. I do wear compression socks. Long sleeve t shirt, and layer with either a cardigan, denim jacket, a poncho or wrap. I like the Autumn ponchos from danaherbert.com. (Portland, Ore.) Well made, light weight, soft & warm for travel.
If you are already taking a jacket, then yes, I'd wear it instead of taking a separate cardie.
Letizia, how do you manage the airplane bathroom by the end of the trip when the floor is wet? Yikes. I see people wearing fuzzy socks or slippers on the plane but I'd not want to walk into the bathroom in them, lol.
BTW, I know you are not a sink wash person, but when I get in to my hotel room mid-afternoon, I sleep for a bit, then shower and put my In Transit outfit into my 2 gal ziplock to soak until dinner, then finish that first wash that evening. I am in that outfit for a long day - 1 hour drive to the airport, commuter jet flight to SLC, layover time there, then the International leg, then the folderol of getting thru the airport and on to the hotel. Generally I'm in the outfit for 24 hours or longer so the whole thing is ready for a wash.
In one of your other threads someone may have mentioned The Vivienne Files blog? (www.theviviennefiles.com) She has wonderful suggestions on travel capsules and in-transit outfits.
Like Lo, I go mostly for wearing my heavier items on the plane even though I check my carry on size bag.
Black straight leg pants that are light weight.
Can't tell you the brand as I've had them 20 years, and only wear them to fly!
They have a drawstring waist , like scrubs.
A white v neck t shirt, a long cardigan in one of the colours I've selected for my travel wardrobe, compression socks which go on at home and don't come off till I'm at my destination, another pair of thin socks on top, a big pashmina, and no bra, just a tank/vest.
All comfy, and all washable.
I wear a pair of black stretchy lightweight pants that are ankle length, so the bottom of them doesn’t accidentally touch the gross restroom floor. I wear a 3/4 sleeve polyester or cotton top and my black Columbia raincoat. I adjust my temperature by unzipping or zipping my lightweight coat or removing it.
My black cardigan and a scarf are in the top of my suitcase- easily accessible, if I happen to be really cold. I think I’ve only had to layer the cardigan a couple of times.
My shoes are black Rose style Keen sandals. Those are SO comfortable with soles that I could & have definitely run. I wear them 95% of the trip, with only a ballet type flat for dinners or special events.
I wear compression socks and a pair of Allbirds- most comfy shoes and accommodate any swelling that might occur; I’ve walked all over Paris in them. Only downside is that they’re felt, so not good in really wet weather, but- machine washable!
Lulu, if you are Googling to find those Jag ankle pants or crops, the name of the fabric is “Bayside Twill”. They make lots of styles in it. It is cotton (72% I think), rayon, and 3% spandex. Lighter weight than denim, and very soft and comfortable for long flights. When machine-washed and dried, they do not need ironing. I haven’t tried sink-washing and line-drying with these.
I wear:
Dark blue or black jeans (I find leggings incredibly uncomfortable.)
Long sleeve t-shirt or turtleneck, usually black or navy
Light jacket or vest with interior pockets
A large cashmere scarf that can double as a blanket or a pillow
Merino wool or silk undershirt
Merino wool socks
The heavier of my two pairs of shoes
Lulu- for jeans with stretch you want to look for Jeans with Elastane, which would be top of the line as they not only stretch but retain their shape (no saggy bottom) or spandex, along with the normal cotton with a ratio of like 99% Cotton/1% Elastane.
Depends on the season and length of the flight! For late spring/summer I generally wear a pair of leggings with slip on sneakers, a moisture wicking t shirt and a Lululemon zip up jacket - all pieces that I wear during the trip so I'm not carting clothes that I won't wear again! For winter trips, I wear a pair of ponte knit pants and low boots, a long sleeved t shirt and a cardigan sweater and scarf. Compression socks always on long flights!
Another benefit of Spandex/elastane is that at levels of 3-4% or so, it helps speed up the drying process. I don’t know why, but I have observed this many times.
I like to look cute when I fly!! 😊 My warm weather uniform for flying is a maxi dress with a light cardigan or a Pashmina. My cold-weather uniform is a skirt, a turtleneck, a poncho, black tights and tall black boots. I like the look of the longer poncho over a kneelength skirt. Cute and comfy! Flying to Amsterdam tomorrow and I will be wearing my winter uniform!🤣
Like most I wear some variation of comfy layers - Landsend active yoga pants ( dressier than they sound), base layer T, sweater, a scarf to dress it up a bit once on the ground.
I wear Sockwell compression knee socks and once on bound slip my shoes off and wear neoprene travel slippers like these.
They are light, washable and keep my feet clean/dry in the dreaded bathroom. Also nice for wearing around hotel rooms where the floor might not be so clean either.
I don’t take jeans typically when traveling. I wear a beige or black maxi skirt with a cami and blouse, and some Skechers. I put on my compression socks on the plane.
JJill leggings, Betabrand sweatshirt dress, scarf, socks, slip on Eccos (or boots in cooler weather). I just tested this outfit on a trip to Orlando and I loved how comfy it was.
My uniform is blue jeans (mine are fairly lightweight and have a bit of spandex in them), a long-sleeve poly/cotton T, a light jacket or fleece vest, and one of the two pairs of shoes I bring, both closed-toe and broken in for serious walking. As the DH and I don't really have travel wardrobes, per se, what goes into the suitcase isn't much different than what we wear on a daily basis. :O)
After a few times being on a hot airplane stuck on the tarmac without its air conditioning on, and after many experiences with hot passport control in airports, I make sure I'm wearing summer clothes as my first layer. Then I add several warm layers on top of that, including a cashmere cardigan and down-alternative vest. When traveling in winter, I (briefly) wear all my warm layers and coat onto the plane so that they are not in my carry-on.
"As the DH and I don't really have travel wardrobes, per se, what goes into the suitcase isn't much different than what we wear on a daily basis. :O)"
Kathy, me too! I started whittling down my wardrobe a few years ago - I think the fancy people call it curating, hahah, but for me it was just getting rid of stuff that couldn't do double duty on a trip. The only thing I have that I keep for travel only are Ex Officio quick dry underwear. I don't like them on a daily basis because it kind of feels like I'm wrapping my nether regions in Saran Wrap, hahaha! OK, TMI!
Pam, Haha. I agree with everything you said...well, I think I always do, although I've given up the ex officio because of that part.
And you know I agree with everything you say too, Wray! I've started taking a few pr of cotton undies just to give myself a break. They take a long time to dry but it's fine if you are in the same place for a couple of days!
Lulu...sorry to skew a bit off topic. I do wear the cotton ones on my flight so that puts the topic back where it should be, right?
I hated the Ex-officio panties, too.
I find these comfortable and fairly quick drying:
https://www.onehanesplace.com/shop/onehanesplace/bali-skimp-skamp-panties-15259?categoryId=212057
Almost as comfortable as the cotton version of same I wear when not traveling.
These are my new go-to, for travel and for work, https://www.betabrand.com/collections/dress-pant-yoga-pants-by-leg-opening
They have several styles, but I can vouch for the "dress yoga pants." I have them in the boot-cut style, but they also have straight-leg. They're soft and stretchy, but also very nice-looking and (bonus for me) slimming. They're too heavy for hot weather-wear, but great for transit days, planes, cooler weather, etc. The only drawback from a travel perspective is that they're not especially light and I wouldn't want to go to the trouble of hand washing them (and they'd take a while to hang dry), but if comfort and style are your priorities, these are really a great investment.
Caroline
I wear a black dress, leggings, and my travel boots. I also have a light sweater to throw on over the top. If it is the summer, I wear sandals. I swap out my shoes if we head right out after getting to our accommodations.
You stinker, Pam. Had such a fit of the snortin' giggles over your "Saran Wrap" post in the coffee shop yesterday, people were looking at me! Pretty sure they thought there was something stronger than plain 'ol joe in my cup.
I wear my prAna Halle pants at home with sport sandals all the time. Also on the plane (they are super comfy), on road trips, while hiking, while on city trips....
Go with a nice straight leg black version and you can dress them up or down and wear them with all kinds of top options.
For the airplane I wear a relaxed cut of linen, graphite colored, Vera Wang pull on pants, a short sleeved striped t-shirt, and a jean jacket. On my feet I wear black sneakers with Bombas ankle socks. I carry a pashmina scarf along with a fleece vest in my lumbar pack in case I get cold on the plane. The pants can be dressed up or down and I have used them for urban walking, and hiking.
I wear sweatpants and a hoodie with my running shoes. I usually take off my bra. Obviously, I value comfort over style. Who cares what I’m wearing anyway?
Emily- I had a hot flash just reading about your outfit! LOL, wear that while you can sounds super cozy and comfy. My feet actually get so hot I can feel a panic attack coming on, so I have to be able to strip down while still being modest and not kicked off the plane. hence the tank top and layers.
Either a JJill over-the-knee short black, elastic waist skirt (sorry, all three of them I own are well over 10 or 15 years old now, so I cannot share a model # or style #), with black tights, black ballet flats or Arcapedio elastic strap shoes (If I will be doing a lot of walking immediately upon arrival). If going on a more expedition type trip (Artic region, etc.) then I will wear skinny jeans (I like SoftSurroundings Metro Leggings (which come in tall).
Top: a long-sleeve black t-shirt (does not show any on-board spills) and a scarf. A fleece black zip jacket (I used to buy them at Target, but they no longer carry that specific style any more), unless it is the middle of the summer and going somewhere tropical. I always wear a scarf.
First and foremost, as another poster mentioned, is thinking ahead re: what would NOT drag on the airline restroom floor (or any other public restroom floor) and comfort for sleeping on board.....plus ability to then leverage those garments with re-wear on the actual land time.
If I am tight with carry-on luggage space and we are doing an expedition, then I will wear my heaviest, bulkiest shoes on board (I even ALMOST wore artic boots for that reason, and would have changed into regular shoes once on board..but luckily that extreme was not needed...Icelandair was kind..........to avoid checking a bag that could get lost).
Not yet mentioned by other posters: Always a sports bra (to avoid the pain of underwire for 12-15 hours (time counts one or two connections to get to gateway airport).
P.S. If space in my RS carry-on is tight, I have been known to slip my Columbia hooded rain jacket over my light fleece jacket for boarding...ditto for a hat.
For traveling in warm weather, I tend to wear my JJill leggings with a very lightweight, flouncy top. If I take more than one pair of shoes, I wear the bulkiest one on the plane.
For cold weather, I wear skinny jeans with a touch of stretch and a cozy top (again, usual JJill). We just got back from Europe the other week, and this is what I wore, with my one pair of boots (did not bring another pair of shoes at all). I was cozy enough to feel like I was somewhat in pajamas and I slept great, lol.
I love my Ex Officio undies for backpacking/hiking, but not for traveling. Good old cotton Jockey for this;) I agree a comfy bra is a necessity. I took one bra that was not new and cut the underwire out of it. Perfect for flights.
Whatever I wear on the plane is ONLY for the plane. I just feel icky after flying, so the one outfit is for flying both directions, and never for during the rest of the trip. We do carryon only, FWIW.
I used to wear my Hue stretching denim leggings, but i have switched to Eileen Fisher The System Black crepe pants. The ankle crop pants won't touch the bathroom floor and are pull on for comfort. Best of all, they sink wash and hang dry quickly (unlike the denim leggings) so I can wash them out and wear them the next day.
I wear the pants, with a non underwire bra, a cami, or silk undershirt, a short sleeve merino wool layer, and a cardigan. I hate layering my sleeves, so it is either a sleeveless tank or a short sleeve tee. The cardigan is either cotton for summer, or wool/cashmere for winter.
I add my neck pillow infinity scarf, and my heaviest shoes. If packing a big coat, I bring a brightly-colored pillowcase and two thick rubber bands. Once on board, i use the pillowcase like a stuff sack, and close it with the rubber bands. I then use this as a pillow, or to block the cold air running along the fuselage (I am always in a window seat). I can then use the provided airplane pillow as a seat cushion or a lumber pillow.
This is the thinking man’s opinion. Yeah I realize you are a woman asking for other womens opinions. Just take this with a grain of salt.
The thinking man is going to be fine with whatever colors or patterns you wear. But if you ask a thinking man if he likes your clothes, he will say yes no matter what you wear.
I vaguely remember planes being near the low end of comfortable room temperature. Take a polyester fleece zippered jacked or polyester fleece sweatshirt in your carry-on bag.
Opinions vary about which places it is acceptable to wear leggings or form-fitting pants. The feet are similar to the derriere considering that both should be covered in public (except at a swimming pool or beach). Wear well-constructed walking shoes that are lace up, flat, thick enough to protect your feet from the ground, water resistant, and so on. Don’t pack a second pair of shoes.
Wear a pair of long pants that are not jeans and not form-fitting or excessively baggy, and a long sleeved top that covers you well, something not too tight fitting, and not the low-cut type that exposes half your boobs. Keep your midriff and navel covered on the plane. If you insist on wearing jeans, at least don’t wear the kind that have rips, fading, freying, or holes. Leave your piercings and cosmetics at home.
