You’ll find plenty of articles and advice about how to dress for a flight, but I thought we’d turn it around and talk about the things not to wear on a plane. When you read an article on what to wear, it can be somewhat annoying because you might recognize that you don’t have those items in your wardrobe and you don’t really want to splash out on traveling clothes. If you know the things not to wear on a plane, you can eliminate those when you’re scouring your closet, and choose from the rest of your wardrobe.
1 Inappropriate Shoes
Inappropriate footwear is at the top of the list of things not to wear on a plane. But that can mean a few different things. Tight footwear can cause you discomfort on long flights as your feet may swell. Complicated footwear with multiple buckles or long, long laces will slow you down when going through airport security and not endear you to your fellow passengers. Towering high stilettos can be less than fabulous if you have to clamber in an ungainly manner up the airplane steps with your carry-on bag!
Frequently asked questions
2 T-Shirts with Offensive Slogans
Airlines have actual policies these days on the wearing of offensive slogans on your clothing. You may even have heard the odd story of passengers being asked to leave an aircraft or cover up the clothing they were wearing. Don’t let this be you. Make sure you aren’t wearing anything that could be considered offensive. Think long and hard before wearing anything you think might be borderline offensive. You won’t win any argument with the airline staff over the clothing you are wearing.
3 Low Cut Shirts or Dresses
Right up there with offensive slogans is clothing that shows a lot of skin. Cabin staff are generally left to interpret the policy on how not to dress on a plane and have been known to ask passengers wearing low cut shirts to cover up. If you always wear revealing clothing you might not think it would be offensive to anyone but it’s best not to test this theory out on the flight staff.
4 Heavy Perfumes
When you are considering what not to wear on a flight you might not even consider that your perfume could be a problem. Surprisingly many people are allergic to perfume and even to strong odors from some deodorants. To avoid making your fellow passengers sick, avoid any heavy scents while onboard. You can always carry a scent with you to apply when you reach your destination if you absolutely have to smell of Chanel No 5!
5 Tight Pants or Skirts
Tight pants on an aircraft are never a good idea and are another good item to put on your list of things not to wear on a plane. The seating on an aircraft is small and squashed enough without you having the added problem of uncomfortable waistbands on your clothing. If you wear tight pants or skirts you are just asking to be uncomfortable. Elastic especially can dig into your tummy and be very unpleasant given long enough sitting in the same place. Wear something really comfy and loose so you can relax and let it all hang out!
6 Signs of the Night before
If you’ve had a big night out just before getting on a plane try not to make this the problem of your fellow passengers. What do we mean by this? Strong body odors from no shower or no teeth brushing are the last thing anyone wants to experience in the confined space of an airplane. If you’re unwell from a celebration that may have got out of hand you should definitely consider taking a later flight, when you’ve had time to get yourself together!
7 Too Few Clothes
We’ve told you which things not to wear on a plane but you should remember there are some things you should definitely wear on a plane. Layering your clothing is the number one way to account for any temperature changes onboard. When you are leaving a warm location you might forget to allow for cooler temperatures on the plane. This is a mistake as it can be very cold on some flights. Take an extra jacket or layers that can be added or removed to ensure a comfortable flight.
There you have it. It’s not such a hassle is it when you know what not to wear on a flight. Another thing to remember is that we are all different and our bodies will react differently to the changes in atmosphere etc. You might find you can wear your tightest stiletto pumps without your feet swelling up. Trouble is, it can be a real pain finding that out especially, should the opposite prove to be true. Taking your shoes off and finding you cannot get your feet back in them as you get ready to disembark is no fun – I assure you!
Do you have a favorite go-to outfit for traveling by plane?
