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Dressing for a flight can be a complex equation to solve – one that requires considering comfort, your future destination’s weather and the dreaded airport security dance. After much debate between our team, it’s evident what to wear on a plane comes down to personal style. One man’s comfortable leggings of choice is another man’s sartorial nightmare. However, our editors can agree on a few things to avoid wearing when travelling. Here’s our agreed-upon list on the things to never wear on a flight and what to wear instead.
Jeans
Instead wear: drawstring trousers
Sitting still in a cramped seat for hours is not the time for your stomach to be grappling with a stiff denim waistband. A more comfortable yet equally smart alternative are trousers with drawstring or elasticated waists. Look for styles in light fabrics like ponte or cotton, or curl up in a fleece jogger style for a long-haul flight.
Shoes with laces, buckles or high tops
Instead wear: slip on shoes
Even though they’re perfect shoes to wear on holidays, trainers, boots, and Birkenstocks will only slow you down at the airport when you are inevitably asked to remove them to go through airport security. Trainers mean pausing to have to tie up laces, while Birkenstock wearers are forced to do the awkward tippy-toe walk to try (and fail) to avoid getting dirty feet. Trainers are also redundant on long-haul flights when feet are prone to swelling, and you’ll want to remove your shoes anyway. Instead, pack your trainers or Birkenstocks in your carry-on luggage (store them in a packing cube with rolled-up socks), and opt for a sturdy pair of flat slip-on shoes like ballet flats, mules or loafers.
A romper or dungarees
Instead wear: a matching set
Rompers and dungarees may offer a relaxed head-to-look look, but their all-in-one style can turn cumbersome when it comes to going for a mid-flight bathroom break. The risk of accidentally having a dungaree strap touch the floor, or even the toilet is just not worth it. A better option is a matching set, which still looks effortless and put together while avoiding having to strip down in the bathroom.
A claw clip
Instead wear: a soft scrunchie or a cap
They’re a cute and effortless way to whip your hair up, but claw clips might be the most uncomfortable things to wear when leaning back against a headrest. For optimal comfort, tie hair up high in a loose bun and secure with a soft scrunchie, or embrace a quiet luxury aesthetic à la Succession and slick hair back underneath a smart baseball cap. Do note though; you must remove your cap when going through airport security.
A bra with underwire
Instead wear: a soft wireless bra
An uncomfortable bra can feel ten times worse when worn at 35,000 feet in the sky. Since you’ll ideally be wearing a relaxed top on a flight, why ruin it with a rigid bra? The alternatives are plentiful too – since the pandemic there’s been an increase in easy-to-wear soft wireless bras and bralettes that still offer a sculptural shape and support. We also swear by bra tops for keeping us comfortable during long travel days.
White
Instead wear: darker colours
If a coffee is going to be spilt, or a chocolate is going to be sat on – there’s a strong chance it will happen on a flight. Play it safe, avoid wearing anything that’s bright white or requires dry cleaning, and opt for clothes in darker shades and easy-to-wash fabrics.
Lots of makeup
Instead wear: SPF
A touch of mascara or blush is obviously fine, but a full face of foundation will do more harm than good when combined with the dehydrating recirculated air on a flight. If you arrive at the airport with full-coverage makeup, the best thing to do is remove it with a cleanser followed by a moisturiser and some sunscreen before boarding the flight. Don’t forget to make sure you bring travel-sized products too.
Chunky watches or costume jewellery
Instead wear: simple gold or silver jewellery
It’s important to know that airport security scanners won’t go off if you’re wearing good-quality gold or silver jewellery – so there’s no need to remove wedding rings etc. The scanner is looking to detect magnetic metals, often used in costume jewellery or chunky watches. To get through security quickly, keep jewellery to a minimum and pop any jewellery or watches that are likely to be made from magnetic metal in a zip-up compartment in your hand luggage.
