After a few months of colder weather, many of us begin to dream about flying off to a warmer climate. Makes me smile just thinking about it, but some people are paralyzed when trying to decide what to pack and what to wear on a plane.
Your travel clothes are not always just for the plane, but may be what you wear the entire day. Consider your plans upon exiting at your final destination. If you are embarking on a cruise ship or heading right into an excursion or tour in a foreign city, think about what you have on and how this will look in your photos. You may not want to share your vacation pictures so readily if you slept in your new linen outfit on the plane and you look like a wrinkled mess upon arrival!
Ready to travel in layers of a chambray blouse, gray cashmere sweater, ponte' knit pants, and white slip-on tennis shoes
Below are suggestions for appropriate airplane clothing:
*Tops: Shirts are more comfortable if the fabric is soft and stretchy. Lots of travel sites suggest traveling in merino wool, which is quick drying, won't smell after several wearings, anti-wrinkling, and comfortable against the skin. Consider the temperature both leaving home and at your destination. I freeze when I travel, so I always wear long sleeves, either in my shirt, jacket, or both, no matter the season.
Adding a light, knit Eddie Bauer jacket gives a little more warmth on a chilly plane!
Tie it around your waist if you get too hot!
*Pants: Consider a ponte knit with an elastic waist. Also a good choice, are jogger pants with elastic at the ankles, which will keep your pants from touching the nasty floor if you have to use the tiny airplane bathroom. You definitely would not want to wear a flowy pair of pants or skirt that could puddle on the bathroom floor! Leave your more restrictive pants in your suitcase, as these could cause cramping and swelling and make you feel miserable the rest of the day.
*Shoes: Plain, slip-on tennis shoes are ideal when the TSA official asks you to remove your shoes to go through the scanner at the airport. You don't want to have to fiddle with lots of complicated buckles and straps when there is a line of passengers waiting behind you! A run through the Atlanta airport, because of a really short connection time, will convince you that flip flops or high heels may not be the ideal footwear choice. If you need these upon arrival, place them in your carry-on and change before you exit the plane. If you have a new pair of shoes for travel, be sure you break them in before you embark. I once took a new pair of hiking boots to Italy and ended up with blisters!
White, slip-on tennis shoes- perfect for air travel!
*Socks: Lots of ladies do not even consider socks for airplane travel, but it's always wise to slip a pair of compression socks into your carry-on, both for warmth and to keep the circulation going in your legs and feet. This will reduce the risk of blood clots developing from sitting too long.
Overall, the best advice I can give is to layer your clothes! You can never predict the temperature at the airport or on a plane, so be prepared by wearing a camisole, loose t-shirt, pullover sweatshirt or sweater, and having either a jacket or scarf to use as blanket. You can also remove articles if you get too warm!
This Vera Bradley scarf from Elizabeth Dean Boutique can serve many purposes on your trip. It is perfect to wrap up in on the plane, to cover your head/shoulders, as required, when visiting foreign religious settings, or makes a perfect bathing suit cover at the pool or beach.
Elizabeth Dean Boutique has a wide variety of airplane- appropriate clothing, so come on down and start packing for a fabulous vacation!!
The Consignment Fashionista