What to wear on a plane

It might seem simple and obvious that you should just wear the most comfortable clothes you have on a plane. In reality, there are many open questions, especially for those flying for the first time.

What to take with you, what kind of bag to take as hand luggage, what you can generally bring on board, and also what not to wear. We've broken down all these points in detail in this article. 

How to choose comfortable clothes for a plane

Each of us has at least once in our lives experienced shoes rubbing or uncomfortable trousers squeezing our stomach. It's best to avoid such situations during a flight to ensure your comfort and reach your destination peacefully. This will probably be one of the important tips on how to prepare for a long flight.

Tips for choosing clothes

• Create a wardrobe of comfortable items without underwires or tight elastic bands.
• It's important that clothes for a plane have a good composition. Items made predominantly from natural fabrics will help your body not to sweat during a long flight.
• Dress in layers for your plane journey. You never know how comfortable it will be on board. It's nicer to be able to take something off or put something on depending on the cabin temperature.
• It's worth keeping in mind the weather forecast for your destination. In this sense, clothing layers can be very useful. For example, if you're flying from winter to summer and don't know what to wear, you can keep your jacket on so you don't have to frantically pull it out of your luggage with frozen fingers later. And an obvious bonus will be freeing up space in your suitcase/bag. 

Flight attire for cold weather

Natural composition

For a plane, it's good to choose items with a natural composition if possible and "layer" them one on top of the other to be able to dress or undress. For cold weather, cotton thermal underwear/tracksuits, flannel items, and outerwear that is waterproof and windproof are excellent.

Fasteners

It's best not to have any complicated fasteners on trousers or skirts (to avoid making your life difficult when wearing a down jacket in the restroom). At the airport — when you have your passport and ticket in one hand, luggage in the other, and a backpack on your back — a trip to the restroom can be quite an adventure.

Belts

Belts are essentially a cool thing, but it's better not to wear them on a plane (unless your pants fall to your knees with the first step). Firstly, if you have a lot of things with you, the belt will be difficult to stretch or loosen. Secondly, you will be asked to remove it every time you go through security. It's too tiring.

Jewelry

Watches, chains, bracelets, and necklaces perfectly complement an outfit in real life, but at the airport and on the plane, they will only get in the way. When passing through security, you may be asked to remove all metal items. And just imagine the difference between removing one small cross or an entire Cartier collection.

Cut

Clothes for a plane flight should be loose, but not so loose that you don't fit into the seat. The seatbelt, of course, can be extended to the necessary length. But sitting like an onion in winter clothes and sweating profusely is not at all desirable. We recommend putting everything you can in the overhead bins or under the seat.

Small life hack. You can solve the problem of not taking a headpiece and lightening your hand luggage a bit by wearing outerwear with a hood. It can always be taken off/put on, it's always with you, and it can replace a pillow if you roll it up under your neck.

Flight attire for hot weather

Lord, bless the inventor of air conditioners! In the heat, only they can save you, so you don't have to think much about clothes. The main thing is not to overdo it, so you don't step out of a +15 plane into +45 outside. In general, temperature changes lead to sweating, just like the heat itself. Aerosol deodorants cannot be brought on board, and roll-ons and sticks can feel sticky — a great solution would be antiperspirant wipes. They are easy to carry and can be used absolutely anywhere. 

In summer, natural fabrics also save the day: linen and cotton items, and viscose products. We understand that in the heat, you want to expose yourself everywhere, but think about how the leather seat in the cabin sticks to your bare back. A fairy tale, isn't it? For a flight, it's better to wear something that covers the parts of your body that will come into contact with the seat. 

Oversize fashion has become widespread, so no one will look askance at you, even if you wear a parachute. In summer, choosing loose clothing is somewhat easier for girls: spacious dresses, sundresses, and skirts will help you not to suffer from high temperatures. With belts and jewelry, the story is the same — the less, the better. 

How to choose shoes

Obviously, shoes should be comfortable and breathable. The more appropriate they are, the more likely you are to take them off during the flight. Accordingly, non-breathable shoes taken off on board = discomfort for both you and those around you. 

At airport security, you may be asked to remove your shoes — this is standard practice. Therefore, choose not only a comfortable option but also one that can be easily removed. Velcro fasteners and zippers are great, laces up to your knees are not. Believe me, you'll thank us for this advice when you don't have to spend 30 minutes putting your shoes back on after security, while wearing layers of clothes and carrying a lot of things. Shoes with thick soles and platforms are also often requested to be removed to prevent any chance of smuggling prohibited items. 

What to definitely take with you

As we've already mentioned, it's best not to overdo it with accessories. During many hours of flight, you'll get tired of a bracelet constantly catching in your hair. But here's a brief breakdown of what to take on a plane with you. 

1. A must-have for long flights — a neck pillow and a sleep mask. Pillows can be inflatable, so they don't take up much space. And a mask will help you avoid seeing the cabin lights, sun glare from the window, or an annoying neighbor. If you want to arrive rested — you need to take them! 

2. Earplugs and/or headphones (a lifesaver from screamers, as we call them). Here, choose to your taste: hear nothing at all or concentrate on pleasant music. Our life hack: download the playlist you'd like to listen to during the flight in advance. The same goes for movies: it's better to download everything you've been meaning to watch for a long time but haven't gotten around to. You'll find the time on a long flight.

3. Among bags, you can take hand luggage, into which you can put everything we described above. Each airline has its own permissible hand luggage dimensions, but the average is approximately: 55x40x20 cm. The average weight of luggage is 5 to 10 kg — it's best to check this before departure (each airline's website specifies its restrictions).

4. If your hand luggage is made of soft material (e.g., a backpack), you can remove some items from it before the flight. As long as it fits into the special hand luggage sizer before boarding. Plus, it's good to have a small bag/pouch/fanny pack for those small items you might need during the flight. This is so you don't have to reach into the overhead bin for your backpack/small suitcase every time and search for headphones, motion sickness candies, and your passport. 

Conclusions

So, how should you dress for a plane? Let's quickly go over the main points again so we don't miss anything: 

• for the flight, choose comfortable clothing: loose fit, natural composition;
• leave tight elastic bands and belts at home/in your luggage, as well as an abundance of jewelry;
• shoes should be breathable and comfortable, easy to remove, and ideally without thick soles; 
• besides your luggage, take two bags with you: one larger (for the overhead bin/under the seat), and one smaller (to stay with you);
• for a long flight, take earplugs/headphones, a neck pillow, a sleep mask;
• imagine all points of your journey (from home to destination) and think about what you would be comfortable wearing for this trip.