It always amazes me when I see what people wear to fly. Even on 9 hour flights, I’ll see women in high heels, skinny jeans, push-up bras and every item of jewellery that they own. It’s as though they’re so concerned about how pretty they look that they’ve neglected to realise that their feet will kill them, their jeans will not make for comfortable sleeping positions, their bras will dig into their backs/ribs/shoulders and their necklaces will be pain in the ass when it comes to security checks.
Because I’ve worn the wrong things so many times when I travel, I’ve finally managed to come up with the perfect ensemble conducive to comfort and practicality – I hope it helps!
What to Wear on Long Haul Flights
1. Don’t wear make-up
Don’t do it. Seriously. Your foundation will make your skin oily, your eye make-up will smudge, and wearing bright lipstick to travel just makes you look ridiculous. The absolute most make-up that I’ll ever wear to travel in is some tinted moisturiser, powder to combat the dreaded Shiny Face, and possibly some lip balm, to keep them feeling soft and smooth.
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2. Simple underwear is key
If you have a sports bra, wear it! I don’t actually own one, but what I do have are a few lace bralettes that are so comfortable to travel in. I would never usually wear them as they don’t provide much support, but the fact that they’re non-wired means that they are so good to wear for long periods of time as they won’t dig into your skin! If you’re lucky enough to have small boobs, I’d just say skip the bra entirely!
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3. Harem pants
Harem pants are the perfect pants to wear whilst travelling. Unlike a skirt, they allow you to put your legs up and fall asleep without having to worry about your dignity falling out, and unlike jeans/leggings, they are loose enough that you feel as though you aren’t actually wearing anything. If you want to get any sleep on your long-ass bus/plane journey then harem pants are a must.
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4. Vest top & sweater combo
Although it would be foolish to wear a thick sweater with nothing underneath (you’re going to get too hot at some point, and then what?), it’s always wise to opt for a simple vest top combined with a sweater over the top. Even if you’re travelling in a hot country, it gets cold at night and most buses and planes blast the air-con on full power. No matter if you’ve been at the beach all day – wrap up warm. I’ve made the mistake of not bringing long sleeves onto bus rides with A/C and trust me, it’s not a pleasant experience.
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5. Socks & trainers!
Socks are a must – no one wants to smell your sweaty feet when you kick your shoes off and get comfortable for the night. If you really want to look after yourself then get yourself some special compression socks made especially for long haul flights! 
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Trainers are also essential as you never know how far you’re going to have to lug your heavy bags to the terminal/to find a taxi, and if you’re on a night bus in Asia, you may find yourself unceremoniously dumped in a random city to change buses – always best dealt with while wearing sensible shoes!
So there concludes my tips for what to wear on long haul flights. I know that a lot of this seems obvious, but trust me, I’ve gone against every single rule here and it hasn’t been pretty! Now, after travelling pretty much non-top for the past three years, I think I’ve got this down to a fine art! What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Photo by Brooke Cagle
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