Travel Outfit Ideas from a Pilot's Wife

Let’s talk about travel outfits today. This is a topic I’ve been wanting to cover for a while. I’ve written posts on travel outfits in the past, but today I wanted to dive deeper into the topic. Last month my husband and I went on a trip together for our anniversary. (Read about it HERE). It had been a while since I had last flown so I went to Pinterest for some travel outfit ideas. I am not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in what I found.

First of all, I think that Pinterest might have my age wrong in their system because almost every outfit idea I came across was styled on a skinny 22-year-old blogger girl sitting on her suitcase wearing a crop top and baggy sweat pants. It was hard to find an outfit that a woman my age would wear. I saw lots of crop tops, distressed baggy jeans, sweatpants, leggings, and even some outfits that looked like they came right from the gym. Now I feel extremely old critiquing these girls’ outfits like this, but I do believe that there is a certain way that you should dress while traveling.

Flying on an airplane should be thought of as a professional place. Back in the 1960s when air travel was newer and flying was a luxury for most people there was a dress code. People dressed up to fly. Now that air travel has become more accessible and affordable people treat it the same as going on a long road trip. I don’t feel like it’s necessary to get all dressed up the same way they did in the early days of air travel, but I do think that you should look put together and well-groomed when traveling.

I’m married to a pilot, so I fly for free. Each time I get on a free flight, I am a guest of that airline employee, which is my husband. I represent him in my behaviors and my appearance. There is a dress code that I have to follow and the same goes for any other family or friends who use any of his airline benefits. The dress code is casual. They don’t expect you to get completely dolled up, but you do have to dress appropriately. No crop tops, no spaghetti straps, no halter tops, no ripped jeans, and you must wear shoes. (That’s right, people actually go to the airport in slippers not shoes.)

Don’t get me wrong, when I travel, I do dress casually. I like to be comfortable, especially when I am traveling with the kids. There is a difference between a put-together comfortable outfit and a thrown-together, just-rolled-out-of-bed comfortable outfit.

Today I want to share a few appropriate travel outfit ideas along with my do’s and don’t for dressing in comfortable travel outfits.

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Do wear jeans. Don’t wear distressed jeans.

I have a love for all styles of jeans, but there is a difference between distressed and non-distressed jeans. Most work dress codes would not allow distressed jeans in the workplace, so I follow that rule when traveling on airplanes. (Just to add on the distressed jeans topic, I do think that raw hems are okay. I’m mostly talking about distressing in the knees and legs.)

Instead, I like to wear a comfortable pair of jeans like my straight-legged jeans (HERE) or my stretchy skinny jeans (HERE, HERE). I did wear white jeans on my last flight, however, I would never wear my white jeans while traveling with my kids. 😂

Do wear a jumpsuit. Don’t wear baggy sweatpants.

I love jogger sweatpants, but I never wear them when I travel. Yes, they are comfortable but save them for a car trip. Instead, I wear a jumpsuit. It’s just as comfortable as sweatpants, but it looks like a dress. It’s just a little more presentable.

Do wear a dress or skirt. Don’t wear cut-off shorts.

Dresses and skirts are very comfortable to travel in. They look presentable and they are always easy to style. I love my cut-off shorts, but I would never wear them to the airport. Instead, I opt for a longer pair of shorts like my linen shorts (HERE) or paper bag shorts (HERE).

Do wear tennis shoes. Don’t wear slippers.

I can’t believe I need to say this, but slippers are not meant to be worn out of the house. Your garage is one thing, but the airport?? The last time I flew there were a lot of people wearing slippers. I mean crocks are pushing it in my opinion, but at least they are a shoe.

I always like to wear my tennis shoes when I travel. They are comfortable and also harder to pack, so that makes them perfect to wear while traveling. I do wear sandals when I travel, but I am still a little weirded out about taking them off at the TSA check and standing barefoot in the airport security line. That gives me one more reason to wear my sneakers to the airport.

Do wear layers. Don’t show too much skin.

I feel like the old mom saying this, but it’s always good to cover up. After working for so many years and following dress codes, I guess there are just certain tops that I would not wear in a professional setting. Crop tops are one of them. I get that they are very in style, but I don’t think they are travel-appropriate.

I always say layers are a good thing to have on hand while traveling. A denim jacket, blazer, or cardigan will complete any travel look. This way, you can always cover up with a layer if you want to wear a dress or top with thin straps.