Travel packing can be daunting in and of itself, but when it comes to my traveling outfit (the one I wear on the plane), I don’t seem to have as much angst. I don’t know why that is actually, but it seems to come together easily. I get into a rut, though, where I will wear the same travel outfit for months on end (naturally I clean it in between, lol!)

When it comes to selecting a travel outfit, there are several criteria that I follow religiously:

Comfort

First and foremost, it must be comfortable for the long-haul – the waiting at the airport, the potential delays, the flight itself, and the travel to the end-destination. There’s a lot of sitting involved in travel, so there musn’t be any pinching or tightness. A perennial favorite is the black ponte-knit pant – as long as it holds its shape with all of that sitting (no baggy knees.) My black stretch jeans have also made the cut in the past. Lately, it’s my camo-print capri-length pants that are in favor (I originally wrote about them here.) They are totally comfortable – because of the built-in stretch – while holding their shape. And besides all of that, it’s their next quality, which is…

Cute & Stylish

It shouldn’t be amazing any more, but I’m still shocked when I see how people show up for travel, either looking like they just got out of bed or worse, like they just don’t care how they look in public. While everyone has the right to dress and look as they please, I favor traveling in something cute and stylish. These pants definitely pass that test for me. Of course it’s not just the pants, it’s the whole outfit. When you have a statement pair of pants like these, the rest of the outfit can be more simple. Sometimes I pair them with a simple black or gray cami, or with my Salut! tee shirt from J Crew and my white AG denim jacket (one similar here) and it’s no muss-no fuss.

Wear what makes you feel well-dressed and stylish  – it will amp up your enjoyment of the journey, not to mention your self-esteem. And last, but not least…

Easy Off-and-On, No-Metal-Included Shoes

The wedges you see in the photo are SO comfortable, but their added attraction is that they are easy off-and-on if the need arises (extra diligence by TSA, to be precise.) Fortunately, we’ve registered as ‘trusted travelers’ with the TSA-Pre program, as well as Global Entry, so we virtually always go through the lines where you don’t have to remove your jackets or shoes. Even with that, I have learned the hard way that some shoes (usually heavier boot-types) will set off the detector and will need to be removed. If I choose to wear a shoe that might set off the alarm, it at least has to be one that is easy to take off and put on.

And that’s my simple formula. I wear the same outfit coming and going on my trips so there’s nothing more to think about in that department. What are some of your favorite travel-outfit tips? I’d love to hear them!

Thanks for reading!

Adena