Three Ways: Packing for Travel
Jun 28, 2012
If you want to purchase an item from this set, refer to this morning’s post. The only item not there will be the handbag, the Ivanka Trump Crystal Satchel ($150).
My feelings on travel attire are well known. I believe that people should dress well when they travel because a) you never know who you will run into (I once ran into my ex, his new wife and their whole family in Minneapolis, I was stunned to say the least.), and b) sweat pants are for the house, the hospital, the gym and nowhere else.
These two outfits are perfect for work travel because they are stylish but still casual. You could also wear them to a casual dinner or an informal outing to a museum, zoo or sporting event.
The outfit on the left pairs the chambray shirt with white denim for a crisp summer look. I added an aqua necklace for color and to pump up the style. The rest of the accessories are simple but chic. Lastly, I would leave the shirt untucked or just do a front tuck, but you could do a full tuck and add a belt.
The outfit on the right layers a dotted blouse with a lightweight cardigan in a bold hue. If you dislike yellow, you could substitute cobalt, coral, fuschia, lilac, tangerine or a lighter shade of blue. And as is my custom, I paired the yellow sweater with dark green earrings for balance.
Lastly, these are a boot cut jean. A little more forgiving for travelers who gain a little weight on the road (don’t we all), and a more professional choice than skinny denim.
I know you say it's important to dress well while traveling – and I agree – but what do you think about dressing for long-haul or red-eye flights, such as to Hawaii, Europe, or other faraway destinations? I am thinking more for personal travel than work travel. Are leggings OK then?
For a flight that long, I would wear a maxi dress and a cardi or a jersey dress and leggings. It's as close as you can get to PJs without wearing PJs.
I love flying in a maxi skirt or dress (that I can dress up on arrival by throwing a on a belt and necklace – don't fly wearing them, keep it in my purse) and bringing a pashmina
I have also heard that you are more likely to get upgraded if you're dressed nicely. I wouldn't know firsthand, because the only time I get first class is when I fly buddy pass and there are open seats in first (thanks to my future mother-in-law's 30 years with Northwest Airlines.) There used to be a dress code for standby travelers (business casual or better), but it has relaxed considerably since the Delta-NWA merger.
White jeans for travel?
My thought too. I only wore white jeans once on a long haul flight-in 1989-and they were filthy by the time I got home.
On my last transatlantic flight I wore black yoga pants and a black sleeveless boatneck top in a similar material. It's not the most stylish outfit in the world, but it's flattering and comfortable and still looks great after 16 hours of travel. I had to get a patdown while going through security, and the woman who did it said I was the easiest person she'd patted down all day. I assume it was because everything I had on was fitted so it was obvious I wasn't concealing anything underneath.