What's your favourite outfit for the plane? I need help to start the holiday looking good.

[GiraffeYoga]

I always feel like I should look good when flying on holiday and always seem to fail. I just dont quite pull it off. The bag is wrong, or shoes or something (I'm not very good at this kind of thing normally!)

whats your favourite outfit for looking good and not too uncomfortable.

I will be travelling with a 1 year old.... and DH.

Anything that hides the muck will do well. Big bag for baby things, comfortable shoes, and an extra change of clothes for both of you.

I am having this exact dilemma so will be watching with interest. I did wonder about travelling in a maxi dress and sandles with a denim jacket to keep the chill off.

OOh that sounds good sweetheart.

Chandra- good idea but sounds a bit... errm... frumpy. But still better than normal for me I think....

I always end up wearing the heavy things like jeans and the big jumper to put on when back in the UK after.... And practicality takes over and I take an ugly rucksack instead of attractive bag...

you need layers, i'm either too hot or too cold on the plane.

dont wear a light colour nor a dark colour if you have young kids, will show grubby marks/snot/milk.

my choice of outfit is leggings, long cardi, vest/long sleeved tee and a scarf (also good for covering marks) and my uggs. Take a spare pair of leggings and tee, will roll up small in handbag. Flip flops are no good if you are travelling with toddlers that will stand on your toes. I also wear a vest with the built in support, find bras uncomfy if i have to wear one all day.

I did once travel in linen trousers and ballet pumps and arrived very creased with cold feet. Would love to wear my hoody and jogging bottoms, but they are far too scruffy.

Make dh carry his own bag with spare tee/book etc, you dont want to be weighed down with his crap.

Won't a maxi dress be too flappy? i'd be worried i would get caught in the lifts/esclators and my denim jacket is too stiff and restricting.

No, it doesn't have to be frumpy at all, actually I would avoid frumpy at all costs, frumpy people don't get offered upgrades and get a lot of stupid questions when passing passports controls

LOL good point chandra... not sure there is much chance of an upgrade with wriggling 14mth old little girl

Miche- what do you do with Uggs at the other end? arent they are bit hot?

So far i've got the following items to be included...

Light colours
layers
comfy/ warm shoes
big bag

Isn't the idea that you wear whatever is your heaviest outfit to minimise baggage fees?

oh fgs

That is usually my plan but I always seem to look like a bag woman....

I wear the heaviest sandals so that I have more room in the case!

Always cold on the flight so I need a cardi or jumper.

Do people seriously dress up to fly any more? Wow! I usually wear jeans, a tee-shirt and a cardi

Oh good thinking on the scarf - I'm going to add that to my list. Oh and a pair of socks if your wearing flip flops to keep feet warm on the flight. I always find they have the air con up too high on planes and I'm bloomin freezing!

LOL Oxo

Its not about dressing up - its about making an effort to look good as a nice start to a holiday with my DH and DD. The holiday starts for me the second we leave home not when we arrive at the destination

Looking good/stylish etc doesnt happen naturally for me at any time hence the thread.

I like leggings, tunic top (or long vest), and wrappy cardi thing that I got in Kookai. I wear flip flops usually but I do have socks in my bag for the flight - you're right, they're usually freezing!

Don't wear nylon tights or stockings.

I once heard a woman talk on how to survive an air crash and she said that anybody wearing stockings or tights would suffer horrific burns because they melt.

And wear something you can clamber over seats with, so no short skirts.

Cheery woman she was.

this is how i like to fly

giraffe - my feet have always been fine in uggs, we tend to jump in a hire car. You could always pack flipflops in hand luggage for when you arrive....its never been really hot when we go away, so i've not looked too odd in uggs.

POCKETS! for wet wipes/ lip balm/ mini toothbrush thingy/ ipod/ snotty tissues that you can't deposit until the meal trays have been taken away...etc.

Did long haul recently and yes I did think about the outfit:- leggings, jersey dress with aforementioned pockets. Vest in case it was chilly, long cardi with... more pockets.

And have a bag that doesn't need to be held in the hand: a cross-body strap (or rucksack) leaves your hands free to chase after DD at the airport.

Plus sticker-magazine for DD...

The most comfortable thing I've ever worn to fly in actually a striking black and white patterned jersey dress. It's soooo comfy, I can wear a vest top under it and a cardi over it for layers and it looks good with simple sandals. Plus the pattern means it doesn't show marks easily.

jeans, t shirt and a cardi or hoodie. I always look good.

I wear, starting from the bottom, comfy shoes, socks, loose-ish fitting but thin jeans, a nice vest, t-shirt or 3/4 length sleeve top & a nice cardigan, plus pashmina. Then it can either all come off, or all stay on, depending on airconditioning on plane.

Since I read an article about plane survivors, I've worn something with a hood. And also natural fibres rather than polyester.

The layers are good incase of getting too hot/too cold. The cardigan is good for leaving the UK (always cold in the mornings) & the pashmina doubles as a blanket for me or either of DD's.

I'm talking long haul here, but thinking back would wear the same, but possibly swap shoes for fitflops.

Always, always take at least one change of clothes for DC. Leggings combo is good because it's light. Them wearing a vest is also a good option. Last year DD2 managed to get water down both her top & spare, so was down to her vest until the tops dried off.

thanks everyone. Such good tips.

Im crap generally with good outfits so am loving the suggestions.

I recommend Blooming Marvellous maternity trousers - the one with the massive 'over bump' waist band. I wear them in a size smaller than when I was pregnant for long journies - no waistband so nowt to dig in & they look quite stylish with a long top. Warm too

H&M have a brilliant pair of black roll up chino style trousers in atm with pockets. I think they are £20 and they are a cotton/linen mix so cool but don't crease. The belt they come with is a tie thingy so I put my own orange one in and wore them with a black vest, big gold and black scarf and denim jacket to travel last week. Pockets great for passports etc., denim jacket warm for plane but fine for arrival in hot country, scarf great for covering sleeping dd, wiping her nose, pillow and making a tent on the floor between then seats. I wore gold sandals, gold sunnies but then I am a bit Eurotrash.

The thing I cannot stand is straw hats. I own a lovely straw hat but it annoys me that it can't be packed so has to be worn on the journey. At 3am in a cold London airport chasing a 2yo they are irritating!

I think a big bag with little bags in is always helpful. I am going away again next week and will be using this one which will also be my beach bag when I get there. I have four wash bags from Superdrug in different bright colours I put inside - one for nappies and wipes, one for snacks for dd, one for important things like passports and another for my stuff like makeup, chewing gum etc. Easier to grab a single bag to go to toilet than drag the overstuffed hand luggage bag everywhere.

Echo miche8 on avoiding black or white. I thought I was being clever by wearing black when flying with my DS and ended up covered in milk and snot stains. Patterns are the way to go.

miche I am also going to rip off your leggings etc outfit next time I fly.