Want to look sharp at 32,000ft? Layer up the lightweight fabrics and you'll be right from runway to resort
From Condé Nast Traveller
Back in the 1960s, when air travel was, as we're always being told, the acme of glamour, it was absolutely de rigueur to settle into the window seat in your Sunday best. Men wore suits and women wore dresses. And everyone was uncomfortable. Since then, the pendulum has swung alarmingly in the other direction. These days, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to rock up to the gate in tracksuit bottoms and slipper socks, your hair still in curlers or sporting a baseball cap. It won't be long, we don't doubt, until it's entirely normal to travel in a onesie, sucking, if you so desire, on a dummy.
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Back in the 1960s, when air travel was, as we're always being told, the acme of glamour, it was absolutely de rigueur to settle into the window seat in your Sunday best. Men wore suits and women wore dresses. And everyone was uncomfortable. Since then, the pendulum has swung alarmingly in the other direction. These days, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to rock up to the gate in tracksuit bottoms and slipper socks, your hair still in curlers or sporting a baseball cap. It won't be long, we don't doubt, until it's entirely normal to travel in a onesie, sucking, if you so desire, on a dummy.
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But it is possible, surely, to put together an outfit that manages to be both practical and comfortable at 32,000ft; one that is also stylish enough to recapture some of the spirit of the golden age of travel.
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Lightweight merino-wool jumpers are perfect too - such as those by John Smedley - as are unstructured jackets, which achieve that rare trick of being gorgeously light and airy, while still being heavyweights in the style stakes. Margaret Howell will reliably have a great one on the rails somewhere. Wearing a jacket also increases your chance of being upgraded: admittedly from absolutely nothing to vanishingly small, but the stars occasionally align and you want to be 'suitable for upgrade' if they do. You wouldn't want to find yourself in the on-board lounge of the Emirates A380 dressed in a singlet, would you?
It's vital, too, that you don't forget the importance of your base layer. There's nothing worse than sitting in a sweat on the sunny side of the plane, too embarrassed to take off your jumper because you're mortified by your careworn vest. Sunspel has pretty much perfected the white T-shirt (for him and her) and it goes with practically everything.
[post_ads]As always, breathable fabrics are best. Cotton is perfect, as is silk. And linen is a winner if you can cope with the inevitable crinkling. Avoid denim, which traps the air (and sweat) and is really too hard-wearing for long haul.
If you're a little paranoid about stowing your passport, phone, and all your other travel essentials in the overhead compartment, you're going to want lots of substantial storage. Instead of cargo pants, opt for an on-trend, over-sized jacket with roomy pockets such as those by Cos.
See more at: Condé Nast Traveller
