Dressing in Style for International Flights

For an Italian Enthusiast, dressing with style is par for the course. With Italy being the world’s best-dressed nation, Italian Enthusiasts know that dressing fashionably not only feels good, but also represents Italy. Dressing fashionably, however, is not just about wearing a fancy suit and shiny shoes.  It includes dressing for all types of environments, including the international flight zone.

The challenge in dressing for international flights, especially Europe-bound flights from the United States, comes from the fact that the trips in general are uncomfortable. They seemingly last forever and involve sleeping in cold, cramped spaces with the streaming sound of wind and crying babies. With proper attire, many potentially uncomfortable situations can either be minimized or avoided altogether.

On international flights, I always wear tracksuits. Puma has some great tracksuits, along with Adidas and Nike. For Italian brands, I recommend Emporio Armani, Sergio Tacchini or Dolce & Gabbana. The main advantage in wearing tracksuits is that they are comfortable, and Italian Enthusiasts know that style without comfort is impossible. Tracksuits are soft, relatively loose, and warm.  Dressing in soft, loose attire will promote sleep, and dressing in warm clothing may allow you to rest without using unsanitary airplane blankets.  In addition to the functionality of the clothing, they are also quite fashionable in that they have evolved in recent years to resemble the tighter and more fitted look.

A feature included on the preferred type of tracksuit for the international travel is the zipper. For one, in the event the flight gets too warm, you want to be able to unzip your jacket with ease rather than trying to remove your shirt without elbowing your neighbor. Further, zippered pockets in both the jacket and pants of the tracksuit will provide security, allowing for a less stressful journey.  For example, I always travel with important items in my pockets such as a passport, wallet, currency, and cell phone. With the two zippered pockets in the jacket, and the two zippered pockets in the pants, I choose a pocket for each item and keep them zipped through the majority of the flight. The zippers allow me to rest peacefully without having to worry about my personal items being stolen or simply misplaced in transit.

For footwear, sneakers are always the best choice because they are designed for comfort, quite durable, aesthetically compatible with tracksuits, and useful for the amount of walking you will be doing when you reach your destination.

A wrap-around neck pillow is also an important item to maximize your sleep routine. It will help make your trip more comfortable, thereby decreasing your chances of getting sick, and increasing your energy levels for your final destination.

Bose noise-cancelling headphones are also another great item to travel with on international flights. Sometimes the loud stream of airplane noise becomes so invasive, and the ability to cancel this noise, while listening instead to something desirable, can promote a more relaxing flight experience.

Lastly, a cool carry-on bag is an important accessory. They are useful for carrying a number of item essentials including a laptop computer, reading material, snacks, hand wipes, toothbrush and toothpaste, and external phone battery chargers. There will always be a need to carry essentials with you on international flights, and a carry-on bag will provide a mechanism to do so comfortably. On top of its utility, there are very stylish carry-on bags out there that are compatible with all sorts of personalities and tastes.

If anyone has other suggestions on how to dress during international flights, or otherwise maximize the most comfortable flight experience, please share in the comment section below.