Female road (air) warriors: What's best to wear on a plane?
January 23, 2016 2:13 PM   Subscribe

I travel for work, but not often enough to get the upgrade. What's best to wear on cross-country flights?

I'm looking for the most comfortable thing I can wear without looking like I'm wearing PJ's. Bonus points if the clothes can be dressed up or down, in case I go straight from a meeting to the airport. I'm probably looking for something with pockets for the little things I like to keep accessible, and something that keeps my legs covered since I tend to get cold.

What have you learned about dressing for travel, professionally, as a woman?

In case it matters, I'm 5'2, typically a size 4 or 6, and my style tends toward tomboy, but not all the way to butch. I'm not so fashion conscious. I'd love to hear whatever wisdom you have to pass on!
posted by nadise to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (29 answers total) 21 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: You want Joggers. Definitely Joggers. Can be dressed up or dressed down. Black or charcoal is good. Buzzfeed girls tried them and styled them.

They're "in" right now, have pockets, are comfy, and you can definitely make them dressy.
posted by Crystalinne at 2:18 PM on January 23, 2016 [8 favorites]


I can't help on outfit, but I always travel with a pashmina around my neck so that I don't get cold on chilly planes or in the airport. A stylish light jacket would probably be wise.
posted by leslievictoria at 2:21 PM on January 23, 2016 [6 favorites]


I too get cold a lot. The key is layers and stretchy fabrics.

Example: Slacks/pants with elastane or stretchy fabric. Betabrand has a lot of solutions for this exact problem. They even have travel pants. These are dress pant yoga pants, described as "Executive style, yoga pant comfort'.

If you want to wear a skirt, you can bring a pair of thick leggings and put them on/take them off in the airport's washroom. In any case, I'd bring a knee-length knit wraparound.
posted by kinoeye at 2:22 PM on January 23, 2016 [8 favorites]


Wool and other natural fibers, for a start.
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:25 PM on January 23, 2016 [1 favorite]


Pockets don't do you a ton of good once you sit down, and are a good way to end up leaving something at the security line or having something fall out. I have a collection of "pajama dresses" - very comfortable, usually shift, swing, skater or other unbelted style, or maxis for cool weather - I wear over leggings. Find a cardigan with excellent pockets that you can pack in your carry-on during the security slog and slip into and out of at the gate.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:26 PM on January 23, 2016 [7 favorites]


I have a shirtdress from eShakti I wear with leggings to fly -- there's no tight waist, but it's crazy comfy, and there are deep pockets. Seconding wrapping a pashmina around my neck -- it doubles as shawl, lap blanket, pillow, etc. Nice leggings should let you go straight to a business look.
posted by kalimac at 2:27 PM on January 23, 2016


I always wear a dress when I fly long distance, because I find that trousers chafe. A lot. (I almost never wear dresses outside of when I fly). I find that any loose fitting jersey dress that can be layered with leggings and thermals in cold weather and worn with just a sweater in hot works for this purpose.
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 2:33 PM on January 23, 2016


Best answer: Beta Brand "Dress Yoga Pants" look promising.
posted by Beti at 2:34 PM on January 23, 2016 [1 favorite]


For a while my travel uniform was a jersey dress with leggings, flats and a cardigan. I'm not a big dress-wearer, but this was comfortable and presentable.

Another thought: what about buying one of those blazers made out of thick jersey or sweatshirt material? If you get the right one, it looks professional, but it's as comfy as a hoodie. You could pair it with one of the kinds of pants suggested here.
posted by lunasol at 2:36 PM on January 23, 2016 [4 favorites]


My comfy but stylish outfit of choice for travel is some wide leg pants(like these), a plain tank top(or v-neck tee) and a cotton blazer. The pants/shirt combo feels like wearing pajamas and is super breathable, but a casual blazer makes everything look tied together and age appropriate. Also, a good leather(or faux leather) messenger bag can be a great way to stay organized and looking professional. It's as useful as carrying around a backpack, but you won't look like a college student.
posted by InkDrinker at 3:32 PM on January 23, 2016 [1 favorite]


If you get the window seat, something warm and a hat
posted by Jacqueline at 3:53 PM on January 23, 2016


OK, this Is what I wore for a 13 hour flight in December. Wool jersey dress, wool jersey leggings, wool jersey scarf/shawl. I also had a cashmere cardigan in my carry on. The shawl is just a 60" square of a thin sweater knit, folded into a triangle. It doubles as a blanket on the plane. I wore my snow boots, because I couldn't fit them in my suitcase. Sub your own, more business-y footwear.
posted by mollymayhem at 3:59 PM on January 23, 2016 [7 favorites]


I like skirts with leggings for flying. My legs swell up when flying and make trousers uncomfortable, and trousers usually have seams that end up digging into you at some point. I usually wear a very unstylish hoodie with zip pockets which are large enough for wallet/passport and phone, which lets me keep all those accessible and safe. If you are going to a meeting upon arrival you can always switch out the hoodie for a nice jacket or something on arrival (or just before if someone's meeting you at the gate).

+1 to pashmina. You can use it as an emergency eye mask or bundled up as a neck pillow for sleeping, put it over your legs or around your shoulders if cold. They are magical things, and don't take up much room in your luggage when you want to stow them.

Wear comfy shoes that aren't too tight if your feet tend to swell. You can take them off in the air but have to be able to get back into them after! Slip-ons are better than things with laces or zips in case you have to remove them at security. And avoid boots because they always tend to trigger the request to remove your shoes, plus they take up more room under your seat if you want to remove them during flight.
posted by lollusc at 4:10 PM on January 23, 2016


I don't fly often, but when I do it's usually long-haul flights (yay having a really spread-out family.)

I either wear a jersey dress (Target's Merona line has nice ones), leggings, and slip-ons with super-thick soles, or a tunic over track pants. A pashmina for flights that don't offer blankets. Also, socks for when you have to take off your shoes for security. You can get compression socks if your feet tend to swell. Getting up and walking around during the flight helps, too, as does keeping well hydrated. Take an empty bottle and fill it once you're past security.

Seconding whoever said pockets are a bad idea; a small crossbody bag that you can tuck into your carryon is a good option.
posted by Tamanna at 4:40 PM on January 23, 2016 [1 favorite]


a small crossbody bag that you can tuck into your carryon is a good option

I have one of these (vaguely like this one) that is juuust big enough to slip my iPad into the main pocket and has a couple additional smaller pockets. And I have a 2" binder clip. I clip the bag to the pouch pocket on the seat in front of me so all my personal stuff goes in and out of the purse and not the pocket. Easy to chuck into/fetch out of my carry-on, and it's pretty much impossible to leave my seat without remembering the bag.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:56 PM on January 23, 2016 [5 favorites]


I'm a woman professional and I fly a lot. In winter I wear a comfy long velour skirt and t-shirt over long underwear, a pashmina, a couple of hoodies, and doc martens. If I'm changing climates I can peel layers off. If it is cold enough that I will need to wear a coat where I'm going, I'll wear a sweater and my trenchcoat as the top layers.

Summer I wear a shorter skirt, t-shirt, hoody, and sneakers. If it's really hot, keens sandals. Note: if you do not have TSA precheck and don't want to go through security barefoot, you probably want to wear sneakers and socks.

Key things: layers and getting fitted properly for bras. A bra in the wrong size makes flying miserable.

For any occasion where you're going straight from the airport to a meeting... I change clothes in airport bathrooms a lot. Fly comfortably, don't check bags, and pack stuff that doesn't wrinkle easily. My best advice on this is that a scarf will easily cover up a wrinkled shirt.

Other things: I fly with a roll aboard suitcase and a briefcase bag. I have a small bag I can drop into the briefcase bag. I also carry an empty nalgene through security so I can have a full liter of water on my flights.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:05 PM on January 23, 2016


Huh. I just wear jeans (ideally the thinner stretchier ones, those are perfectly comfortable.) (I love knit pants for relaxing at home but planes and terminals are so dirty, I need more distance between them and my body...) Real socks (not the nylon ones) and warm slip on shoes or booties that are fast at TSA, and that I can run and walk in for a long time in. A decent long sleeve top and a layer to go over it, like a packable coat. Makeup that can't smudge or flake (ie usually nothing on the eyes.)

Ideally for a business trip, one wheeled carry-on of a size I don't have to worry about. My travel purse is big enough to contain my regular stuff plus an iPad mini and the warm layer to take on or off. It goes under the seat in front. I never ever store anything in the seat pocket... kudos to those who trust themselves to do that, but I once left something on a plane that way.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:27 PM on January 23, 2016


I also like the dress idea and it would be my go-to.

The Limited makes dress pants/suits with a lot of stretch that are very wrinkle resistant. I would get one of those suits and mix and match it with sweater ponchos and wraps and cardigans as needed in transit, and bring out the blazer for the meetings. I think Ann Taylor and Banana make similar pants but the Limited fit me best, and might have more stretch.

I also like to bring airplane-only cozy socks. Helps keep feet warm!
posted by littlewater at 6:25 PM on January 23, 2016


I bring incredibly warm and squishy socks. Then I knock off my shoes and wear the socks (often over my other socks) for the whole flight.
posted by Toddles at 6:48 PM on January 23, 2016


Best answer: I fly in Icebreaker Lifestyle clothes. Today, I wore the Tech Lite Tank dress and a long-sleeved t-shirt, under one of their hoodies, over a pair of merino tights from Nordstrom. My last flight, I wore the Villa pants and their blazer.

Ibex and Smartwool also make lifestyle clothes from merino jersey. As does Ureshii. I love merino jersey for travel. It's comfortable, especially across a range of temperatures; cleans easily, but does not get stinky; does not wrinkle.

I never wear a real bra when I travel--just a soft one--I'm a double-D and I know I look less pulled-together when I'm wearing a yoga bra instead of a real one, but I'll be damned if I wear a real bra on a long flight (yes, I'm wearing the right size, underwires suck; they just do). I second the recommendation for a pashmina, though, very handy on airplanes.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:01 PM on January 23, 2016 [4 favorites]


I wear LL Bean stretch pull-on pants and a long sleeved cotton tshirt, slip on shoes and a pull-on crossover bra, super comfy and less likely to trigger the scanner. I always wear a nice scarf so I feel "dressed" (take it off once on the plane) and my best coat or jacket (depending on the season) for getting to and from the plane. On the plane, I wrap myself up in a large wool shawl and put on leather-soled knitted slippers and Bose Quiet Comfort ear buds, with or without music - the noise cancelling feature is worth every cent.
posted by strasbourg at 7:06 PM on January 23, 2016


Yep, leggings, cotton shift dress, maybe with a sweater over it so you can adjust if you are too cold/warm, then cute ankle boots that zip or slip on (for easy security). Nothing with buttons or laces or anything tight.
posted by greta simone at 8:08 PM on January 23, 2016


Always a stretch-material or loose casual dress with leggings underneath and comfy shoes I'm not worried about scuffing. A pashmina (or scarf, because I don't actually own a pashmina) is a good bet. I use a backpack as a personal item, and I also have a small crossbody "travel" bag that I tuck into my backpack when boarding and walking around the airport.
posted by easter queen at 8:31 PM on January 23, 2016


I flew so much last year that I have "gold status" on my main airline and often have to go direct from the airport to conferences (academic, not corporate, so the dress code is a little looser).

I wear jeggings (stretchy, dark rinse and thick enough that they just look like regular jeans) that are easily dressed up with a blazer (usually I just keep this in my carry on rollie). Sports bra, nice tshirt or tank top, and a long sleeve shirt. I disagree with folks who are anti-pockets. Regardless of the destination weather, I've started wearing a down vest that has two pockets that are perfect for things like chapstick, ear plugs, eyemask and a pack of tissues that I will want through out the flight. Plus it helps me regulate my body temperature for when I invariably get freezing or overheat (less bulky than a coat) during the flight.
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:38 PM on January 23, 2016


You're getting a lot of dress recommendations but said your style is more tomboy, so I'll make a different suggestion.

First, find comfy, professional-ish pants. Ponte is a good material for this. You can find dressy pants that feel like pajamas -- like the betabrand pants linked above -- at a lot of stores, including mainstream department stores. Go for straight or pencil pants but not leggings. If you're in between sizes, go for the size up for comfort. You want black or navy or maybe dark gray, but black is easy.

Then get a simple, plain, solid top with a nice neckline. You don't want it baggy, but not tight either. Darker colors are better to avoid obvious stains.

Then, for another layer: depending on how dressy you might need to be, go for a button- or zip-up cardigan or hoodie. The cardigan is nicer but you can also find sweater hoodies. A hoodie is nice in case you want to hide and nap for a bit. The buttons or zipper mean you can regulate your temperature a bit and take off your sweater for security or on the plane more easily.

A scarf is great, as others have mentioned, and because it dresses up your outfit a bit.

For your feet, find slightly thick socks and shoes that slip off easily, again for security but also to kick off on the plane. Sneakers are comfy, of course, but they don't look as nice and they're harder to take on and off.

And to prove how comfy this is: I did a Google search for 'ponte pants with cardigan and scarf' and one of the top results is for a blog entry about this being the perfect flight outfit.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:12 PM on January 23, 2016 [2 favorites]


A lot of the advice above assumes that you are going to a very, very causal meeting. There is no way I could wear joggers or denim to my office.

I fly to a meeting about once a week. My standard outfit is:
- a sweater set. That allows layers to handle climate issues and dressier than a single layer. Much more comfy than a suit coat.
- a skirt that goes below the knee or pair of slightly looser trousers. No pockets and no knit! It's really hard to stay looking tailored and crisp after sitting on a plane for hours. Pockets, even well tailored ones, add fabric and can look wrinkly. Knits are going to stretch out when you've sat in them for awhile. (The Betabrand ones bag out a bit unfortunately, but are pretty darn comfy.)
- Two scarves - a silk one to wear to the office and a big, big pashima to use as a blanket.
- Flats for the airport (heels in my bag).
- My seat bag - a small bag that I toss in the seat back pocket to hold my phone, Zendure, lippie, pen, mints for foul-breathed seat mates, and a small tube of unscented moisturizer.
posted by 26.2 at 9:48 PM on January 23, 2016 [4 favorites]


Nthing the recommendation to get changed at the airport if possible. Personally my long haul flights are normally really long haul - 8-11 hrs, often with a short hop to get to a hub beforehand - so I really want to freshen up some and get changed on arrival, if I can't just go to my hotel to shower.

My go to travel pants for long trips are yoga pants and a t-shirt/hoodie combo. If there was a chance I couldn't get changed fully before a meeting/after a meeting before boarding the plane I'd invest in something like the above mentioned yoga dress pants, a smart tshirt/top in stretchy fabric, and a jersey blazer, that travels well with minimal creasing. I'd also have a scarf and some accessories that are more work than leisure in my hand luggage to put on as required. At a push you could wear that work outfit on a long flight and not be too uncomfortable. But I'd probably still at least change into a hoodie and take off work jewellery etc because I find that relaxing in itself.

Wear shoes that are easy to walk in and easy to slip on/off but will also accommodate swelling feet. There's a lot to be said for something that requires socks because shoes that are perfectly comfortable non rubbing can start to rub if your feet swell.

If you wear make-up I'd also consider how to pack your key make-up/beauty items for freshening up so they meet hand luggage requirements. If you can't have a shower brushing your teeth and washing your face is surprisingly refreshing.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:02 AM on January 24, 2016


I have a very smart pair of pants that are stretchy, but out of a good, crisp material. Kind of like leggings, but a step up. They are super comfy and versatile. I can wear them with a tunic, or a sweater, depending on how 'work' oriented they need to be.

I bought a nice, soft, wooly shawl at Wal-Mart. This thing is PERFECT in-flight AND in a chilly office. It's also a nice addition over a coat (and head) to keep slightly warmer outdoors.

A neck pillow is really good for naps as well.

Stay hydrated!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:25 AM on January 24, 2016


Best answer: Lululemon makes some pants every year called trouser pants - they are AMAZING.
posted by shazzam! at 4:36 AM on January 26, 2016


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