Airport style: what to wear for a long-haul flight

admin 3 weeks ago

0 6 3 minutes read

Many of you have asked about what I wear on the plane. Here’s what I’m wearing for my long-haul flight to London.

Airport style: neat & comfortable

For travel days, I’m all about comfort, but I also want to look neat and put-together. That means clothing that breathes and has ease or stretch, layers for fluctuating temperatures, and supportive, slip-on shoes. (Not shown in photo: my leather jacket which I’ll carry with me to have handy upon arrival.)

👉Travel tip: even though I have TSA pre-check, I have occasionally been asked to remove shoes going through airport security. So I ALWAYS wear socks!

The cashmere hoodie is one of my Wild Cards. It looks like my first few days may be quite chilly, so I love being able to put the hood up to keep my head warm if needed. The other Wild Card is a lightweight water-resistant quilted jacket.

Luggage

The suitcase is a medium-sized spinner (now several years old) which I’ll check. Even with some gifts I’m bringing over, it’s still only about 2/3 full, and light enough for me to lift and carry if absolutely necessary.

👉 Travel tip: if you do check a bag, I highly recommend getting Apple air tags. Even just for the peace of mind of knowing that your bag made it onto the flight with you. I also recommend purchasing holders like these, and attach it inside your luggage.

In the backpack (which I’m trying out for the first time) is a change of clothes, medications, laptop & tech gear, liquids/skincare, my handbag, a cozy cashmere wrap (c/o), and other in-flight comfort items. (The backpack is supposed to be able to qualify as an under-seat personal item. I’ll let you know, but since I’m not bringing any other items on board, can always stow it in the overhead bin.)

In case you missed it, here’s my entire travel capsule wardrobe for 2 weeks. I’ll be sharing updates from London & Paris, so be sure to follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of new posts.

More travel tips for long flights:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink more water than you think you need. That includes your skin too. I travel without makeup on and apply a hydrating cream mask early in the flight, which I’ll leave on until about an hour before landiing. (This one is also good.)
Compression socks can help prevent swelling of feet and legs. Especially if you’re sitting in coach or a seat without a footrest, try to get up and move around as much as you can to help circulation.
A silk sleep mask to block ambient light can help you to get some shut-eye.
Airline food is NOTORIOUSLY high in sodium. If you’re on a low-sodium diet or just want to avoid water retention, see if your airline offers a low-sodium meal option (you’ll usually need to select this at least 24 hours in advance…check with your airline).
Go easy on the alcohol. It’s dehydrating and can exacerbate jet lag.
Set your watch for your destination’s time zone as soon as you board the plane. It’s a little mind trick I use to help me adjust more quickly. Also, once you arrive at your destination, get as much daylight and movement in as you can before you succumb to a comfy bed…it really will help the jet lag!