Reading Time: 3 minutes What to Wear When You Travel Long Distance
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In the days when air travel was a real luxury, people wore suits and their best dresses on the plane. Nowadays, you’re more likely to see yoga pants and shorts on planes, but you can still strike a balance between comfort and style, which will ensure you look good while you fly, and don’t feel self-conscious once you get to your destination.
What to Wear When You Travel
Choose loose-fitting clothes
While you don’t want to wear things that look baggy and sloppy, it’s better to find clothes that have a slightly loose fit when you fly. This is because tight clothing can already put you at risk of blood clots, and when you’re on a plane, this risk is even higher. Wear something tight on a plane, and you’ll most likely regret it. Sitting on a plane for hours, possibly while drinking and eating salty foods, can lead to bloating, which means you’ll soon be dying to unbutton your jeans. Stretchy jeggings are a much more sensible option, and they still look like jeans. Look for some comfortable, stylish clothing.
Find multipurpose accessories
Space is limited in your carry on luggage, and besides, nobody wants to root around in their suitcase mid-flight to find something. Therefore, you should find accessories that work in several ways. For example, a blanket scarf can be worn many ways; it’s stylish enough to wear as a normal scarf at the airport, you can drape it over your shoulders when it’s cold on the flight, and if you have a spill, you could even wear it like a belted poncho.
Find outfits that work for different weathers
If you’re going on vacation, your outfit may need to work for the cold weather and be easily adaptable for when you arrive. If you are lucky enough to be booking a private jet on a site like stratosjets.com, then you’ll have space to change into an entirely different outfit. However, on a commercial flight, you can’t really change in the tiny bathrooms.
Layering is key when dealing with a weather change. Wear a t-shirt under your sweater that can quickly be removed, opt for leggings or light jeans, and swap your sneakers for some flip flops you’ve stashed in your carry on. Also, don’t forget to pack a mini sunscreen, so you have sun protection as soon as you land.
Choose comfortable shoes
Yes, you’ll be sitting down for most of your plane journey, but this isn’t the time to choose stilettos or chunky work boots. When you’re on a long journey, your feet swell, so even if your shoes are only slightly snug, they can become unbearably tight after a few hours. Again, this increases your risk of DVT. Luckily, it’s perfectly fine to wear sneakers on a plane, even in first class, as long as you make sure they’re clean. White sneakers are a big fashion trend at the moment, as well as being comfortable, so they’re a win-win. For a wide array of choices, head to Lucky Feet Shoes Stores.
Being comfortable on a plane doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style or wearing your gym clothes. You can look like a stylish international traveler with a few simple accessories and arrive at your destination, still looking good.
Read more travel tips here.
Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.