Airport Style

Things have been pretty quiet on the blog, as I've been traveling a lot over the past week, and am working on some big (i.e. busy and stressful, but exciting) life changes (more on that later). Anyway, wanted to dive back into things, and while I was jet-setting over the weekend, I jotted some notes down on my advice for travel attire - more specifically, for what to wear to the airport. 

Sometimes, these decisions are dictated by the occasion - if you're landing for a job interview, or a business meeting, and therefore by necessity have to travel in a suit. Other times, though, it's completely up to you. Many people take this kind of opportunity to dress purely for comfort, but my recommendation is to really think through each item and go for the most practical and useful pick, and to aim for middle-of-the-road formality, as opposed to something uber-casual (or uber-formal) that will really limit your moves straight off the plane. Here are my thoughts:

Shoes:

My recommendation here is a nice pair of penny loafers, or boat shoes if you want to be a bit more casual. However, what it really comes down to is anything slip-on. It's just one less thing to do while you're in line at security. 

Socks:

Even though you're wearing loafers (or boat shoes) don't just go sockless. Walking around in your bare-feet on an airport floor? Disgusting, for you and for everyone else. Grab a nice pair of no-show socks and you'll be all set. 

Belt:

Honestly, this probably won't make a huge difference, but I tend to reach for a ribbon D-ring belt, as it adds just a little convenience - the belt itself is quick to get on or off, and (rather than stiffer leather), rolls up nice and small (I usually just stuff mine in my shoes).

Pants:

Lots of flexibility here - and speaking of which, pick a flexible fabric! Nothing wrong with traveling in jeans, but if you pick a pair with a little stretch, you'll probably be much more comfortable on the plane. Really though, chinos, jeans, trousers, whatever you feel comfortable in, as long as it matches the formality of the rest of your ensemble. I do, however, recommend against wearing white or even light khaki. You never know when you're going to hit turbulence right as your neighbor takes a sip of his red wine (I can speak from personal experience). 

Shirt:

I'll often go with an OCBD or some other mildly casual button-front shirt, but my real go-to is a Uniqlo x Michael Bastian button-down polo. It's sharp enough to wear with a blazer, but as comfortable as any Tee, and the pique fabric will hide the wrinkles and rumples(?) of travel much better than a crisper shirting fabric. 

Jacket:

It's by no means necessary, but I highly recommend wearing a jacket to the airport. First, the airport, or the plane itself, will often have some heavy-duty A/C on blast, and it's always easier to remove a layer if you're warm than it is to dig an extra layer out of your carefully packed bags. Even more-so, a blazer (or even a more casual jacket) has the benefit of lots of pockets. I can usually skip fumbling with the little change-trays at security entirely, with all of my loose items in my blazer pockets. Streamlining, folks! I alternate between a more casual, unconstructed blazer, or a light bomber if I know I'm keeping it casual once I hop off the plane.

BONUS: It's a pain to figure out how to pack a blazer without making it irreparably wrinkled and misshapen. Easiest solution? Just wear the damn thing.

To recap, a quick checklist:

• No laces!
• No white pants!
• Lots of pockets!
• No bare feet!
• Avoid stiff and pressed!

And as usual, versatility is the name of the game!

Now, of course going through the airport in sweats and a tee is going to be the most comfortable and carefree, but I think the above outfit has some solid advantages. The biggest and most obvious is that you can step off the plane, and head right to the bar, to your friend's place, out to dinner, pretty much anything but a formal or business occasion, without having to seriously freshen up and change outfits. 

Beyond that, I just prefer to have the more secure pockets that chinos or a blazer offer, rather than sweatpants and hoodie, where I constantly feel like my most valuable and important possessions and documents are going to fall out and disappear at any moment.

I want to end with one last note (even though this is getting loooong). Someone commented on our post on fest fashion, observing that a lot of aspects of all of these different suggested outfits are the same, or at least very similar. They weren't wrong at all - in fact, I think it really demonstrates my assertion that versatility is king. Instead of picking up pieces that are only appropriate for air-travel (see some of those compression socks and 'travel' or 'packable' fabrics), or only appropriate for a music festival (band tees, crazy graphic patterns), stock your closet with things that will keep you sharp, comfortable, and collected for the widest variety of occasions. Once you have that foundation nailed, it's far easier to branch out without blowing a budget or making big style mistakes. 

Alright, how do you all head to the skies? Share in the comments!

Packing Tips

This weekend I'm taking a trip to Snowmass Village, Colorado with my girlfriend and her family. I'll be offline until I return next week, but I figured I'd take the opportunity to share some packing tips with you before I hit the road (er, plane...). Honestly, this is my first ski trip, and I'm relatively clueless about what to pack, so I won't be offering any advice there. Instead, it's with that in mind that I revisit some more general tips that will help you out regardless of where your travels take you:

• Know what you'll be doing: This is probably the biggest, and it's amazing how many people (including myself) will just skip it and try to pack for anything and everything. Instead of being over-prepared for everything, this kind of tactic will really leave you over-prepared only for the things you won't be doing, and under-prepared for the things you will be doing. Instead, take the time to find out what occasions you need to be considering. For example, on my upcoming trip, I know we'll be spending the whole weekend in the ski town of Snowmass Village, rather than any time in Boulder (where Christine's brother lives) or Denver (where her sister lives and we will be flying into). We aren't going out to any fine dining establishments, having any business meetings, or going clubbing. So what does all that mean? It means I can save a ton of space in my bags by leaving my suit, blazers, dress shoes, and dress pants at home. Instead, I can focus on casual, outdoorsy gear that will keep me warm on the slopes and around the town, and comfortable in the lodge or local bars.

• Opt for versatility: If at any point you are trying to decide between multiple items of clothing, always go for the most versatile option. That way, you'll end up with the maximum number of possible combinations once you arrive at your destination. This makes it way harder for some unexpected circumstance to screw up your entire wardrobe plan for your trip, and instead you'll be more able to adapt and adjust to events on the fly.

• Don't forget your basic packing tips: These are the ones that everyone learns (or should) at some point, but that we often forget. Things like rolling your jeans and trousers to save space and avoid creases; to stuff your socks (or ties and other accessories) into your shoes - again to save room; to keep your necessities in your carry on in case your checked luggage is lost; the list goes on, but you get the idea. Keeping all of these things in mind will give you more room - and since you know exactly what you are packing for, you'll have more room to over-prepare for those specific occasions.

• Dress smart for the airport: Again, something that is easy to forget in the whirlwind of packing. Keep your airport check-in simple by making smart wardrobe choices. Among my favorites: wear a jacket with a lot of pockets. Then, keep all of your things in your jacket pockets rather than your pants. Going through security, you just need to remove your coat, rather than digging out your phone, change, wallet, headphones, ID, money clip, etc. etc. right there at the x-ray machines. In the summer (non-coat weather), same idea works with a light blazer. Similarly, save time by wearing slip-on shoes, like loafers. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone in front of me in line with lace-up boots on that will probably take him/her ten minutes just to untie. Easy little decisions like this will make things that much smoother and less stressful.

There are zillions of travel tips out there, and I'm not going to try to list every single one I can think of, but these four are the ones that I'll be keeping in mind as I pack for this upcoming excursion. Feel free to share your own in the comments!