A reader had recently asked if I had a certain outfit for long flights, and it’s something I’d thought about often when I first started to travel a lot–usually when I was already on the plane and regretting what I’d worn. Trust me, I’ve seen all those photos of Posh Spice (aka Victoria Beckham) leaving the airport with not a hair out of place, dressed to kill, armed with some fantastic bag, and I’m here to tell you, it’s all about having your own plane. Because whether I’m flying first, business, or coach class, it’s going to be hard to look fab after any flight lasting longer than 4 hours. I’d need to book an extra ticket for a makeup artist, hair person, and personal stylist for me to look like that upon landing. Fine, also someone to man the wind machine.
For “short” flights (3-6 hours) you will most likely find me in pants (usually khakis with stretch), sneakers, black shirt (in case of spillage by someone in the seat next to me), and a light-weight cashmere hoodie that’s not bulky in case I also have to wear a coat (layering is important when you can’t control the cabin’s temperature and cashmere can be easily rolled up to fit inside your purse or carry-on bag when you don’t need it).
My uniform is tidy and comfortable but nondescript so that I can blend in almost anywhere. The last thing I want to do when going overseas, or almost any public place involving large crowds, is to stick out like a sore thumb. But I also want to be respectful and not look too sloppy. I also find that, whether it’s fair or not, when I need to curry some favor from the airline’s ground crew, I get more help when I don’t look sloppy. That’s just how the world is. So save the cutoff shorts and muffin tops for a picnic maybe?
I don’t recommend sandals or flip flops–even though they are easier to slip on and off when you go through security–because of the public restrooms in airports and on planes. Closed-toe shoes are critical for this reason alone. Plus I remember getting stranded unexpectedly more than once in cities that had inclement weather, wearing pretty but useless sandals that did not protect my toes from rain and snow. So I repeat, closed-toe shoes are critical. It’s not a crime to kick them off once you’re in your seat.
For longer flights, especially the ones involving sleeping on the plane, I have mixed feelings. I have tried wearing dresses–anything with a stretch and that doesn’t wrinkle, and in fabrics appropriate for the weather. The only problem is that some dresses can flag you for an extra round of security check (note to self: TSA does not like maxi dresses), even though it is easy to look smart in a slim black dress even after 12 hours on the plane. So sometimes I’m in my black dress uniform and other times I’m in the look from above. But that black gauze cotton dress I picked up from Target last week…I think I might give it a go on my next flight this summer. I could wear it with the closed-toe espadrilles on the plane and then the peep-toe heels when I go out to dinner that same night:
I now dress for travel while adhering to the Boy Scout motto: be prepared. I always ask myself if, God forbid, there were some emergency, would I be able to run or jump or help someone in my outfit? Therefore, gone are the days of wearing stilettos on the plane–unless I really have no time to change out of a business suit and Louboutins before catching a plane after a meeting. I save those for when I reach the destination. Though I must say, the extra 4 inches from the heels go a long way in reaching overhead bins!
But utility is no fun, am I right? Where’s the joy in dressing like a boy scout when you can look like Victoria Beckham? Well, I’ll concede that vanity and practicality are not mutually exclusive, so I like to accessorize my flight uniform with a fantastic bag or some key personal item (like a watch or Hermes muffler) that I will need when I land anyway. The plane ride is just the means to an end, and comfort is a top priority. Perhaps I won’t look like Posh Spice when I land, but at least I won’t resemble Scary Spice either. Uh, not that there’s anything wrong with looking like that.
In the next entry we’ll look at what’s always inside my carry-on bag.
PS: this is the Chanel mule I featured yesterday. Another reader had asked for a shot of the heel and I’m always happy to comply with gratuitous eye candy!
Tags: cashmere, Chanel, Louboutins, Posh Spice, Scary Spice, Victoria Beckham
When I was 10 some kid took it upon herself to tell me that I was a runt. English was my third language at this point yet I was not exactly literate in any of the three, so I wasn’t sure what that word meant. But from the wrinkle in her nose I knew it wasn’t a compliment. You might say this entry is about the revenge of the runt.
OK, so I’ve always been tiny. I hit a growth spurt around the age of 13 and to this day have only reached 5′3″ when semi-tiptoeing. In my favorite Louboutins I might pass for a gal of average height, but there’s not much I can do about the small frame. I won’t complain about the difficulty of finding ready-to-wear pants or swimsuits that fit because judging from the size of the aforementioned disaster area better known as my closet, I’ve managed to do all right. But I will say a big part of my buying decision often revolves around the difficulty (and expense) of getting the items altered.
Once in a while, however, it pays to be pint-sized. Exhibit A: the Stella McCartney collection for GapKids. Yes, Kids. As in children. I’ve long been a Stella fan since she helmed Chloe and am now following her eponymous label. My sister and I have been anxiously waiting for this collection to hit the store since we saw blurbs about it on WWD and elsewhere…she, more so for her baby Lil A, and I, well, for my baby Lil L (that would be me). She lives in NY so by 8am my time she’s already on the ground with details of the items in hand: the band jacket is super cute but small, things are selling fast, and where is that pink tutu? Around 9:45 I speed dial the stores that I’d already researched a few weeks before. A few locations end up not getting the collection as promised. By the time I reach a live person at the flagship store the band jacket is sold out; the store has been open for only ten minutes. Sigh. I knew Stella would be a huge hit in NYC, but here in LA, too?
I call the last and most geographically unlikely store on my list and amazingly they still have everything. Sometimes I can’t contain my excitement (mostly in a fashion context) so this nice lady on the phone pinky-swears me that she will pull items in my size and wait for me to arrive within half an hour. For some reason she tells me to drive safely. I get there in 20.
The mall is completely dead for a Monday morning, and I’m the only customer out of the 5 people inside the store. I like these odds. A petite mom pops in, though, but I see that she has a toddler by the hand so I’m relieved. I mention my holds to the guy who greets me. He gives me a once-over and I think the light went off in his head: Ahh, the stuff is for you! He shows me all the pieces they’ve received so far and we add a few more tops to my pile. He jokingly shows me the shoes, but no one over the age of 13 should be allowed to wear them. 15, tops.
And then it was time….for the walk of shame. To the dressing room. With no kid in tow. Thank goodness the store is not busy with judgmental eyes, but I could have sworn the stocker averted her eyes when she saw me entering the room. See? They can’t even look at me!
Everything is small here; clothes are small, racks are small, stools are small:
But the pieces look so cute hanging on the wall of my dressing room:
By the time I’m done trying the clothes on, the store is hopping with customers and the salespeople are all in a great mood. The gal ringing me up tells me that she’s jealous that I could fit into these clothes. There’s no shame in shopping in the kids’ section when the clothes are so Stella-fab, she continues; it totally pays to be small. I’m just happy the kiddie clothes come with runty prices! And the adorable shopping bags you see in this post are whimsical enough to make me smile:
By noon the collection is made available online and I do a little more damage, this time from the anonymous safety of my desk. But all fun and games aside, this all begs the question…can I really step out the door of my house in this outfit?
Tags: Chloe, GapKids, Louboutins, ready to wear, Stella McCartney
