Jet-Set Chic: How to Pack Well and Travel in Style

When traveling, your entire wardrobe is temporarily condensed to what you can fit into a suitcase and a few carry-on bags. Choosing what you wear wisely will help you stay on top of fashion trends as you travel to various destinations.

You want easily packed items that travel well and won’t leave you a wrinkling, uncomfortable mess, no matter how long you stay in flight. You also need versatile pieces you can transform easily from day to night, so you can pack less while creating more outfits.

This may sound like a tall order. But when it comes to travel destinations, packing well isn’t too difficult. Whether you fancy yourself a trendsetter or just like to be prepared, here are some fashion tips for traveling in style.

Prioritize Comfort

When traveling on a plane for several hours, you want to travel comfortably. This doesn’t mean donning a sweatsuit and calling it a day in your loungewear, but it does mean giving your leather and denim items a break until you land and can change in your vacation villa or hotel room. You want to wear cozy, breathable bottoms that won’t wrinkle or retain moisture while you travel, especially if you’re crossing several time zones.

This doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to basic leggings or joggers, although neither are unfashionable on their own. Take it a step further and consider boutique leggings for your airplane attire, and you’ll be both fashion-forward and super trendy at the same time. Stick to cotton and other breathable materials when you can. Choose leggings that have ample stretch and plenty of support, so you show off your best silhouette getting off the plane.

Fashion leggings mimic the sexy appeal of leather or vinyl and carry a high sheen and curve-fitting design that turns heads while leaving you beyond cozy. As a bonus, leggings don’t take up a lot of space in your bag — so stock up and collect leggings in several styles, textures, and colors.

Max Out on the Accessories

What makes accessories so great for traveling? For starters, they take up next to nothing regarding space, so you can select a variety of necklaces, earrings, bangles, bracelets, headbands, scrunchies, chokers, and stackable rings to take with you in your carry-on. You can make your most casual outfits stand out and be full of personality with the right fashionable accessories.

Secondly, accessories complete your looks without a lot of effort, allowing you to take your daily touristy attire to the next level by simply putting in hoops or layering bracelets. This helps you take less clothing with you while still alternating styles.

What should you bring? Gold is always the gold standard and allows you to maximize your look regardless of what your personal style is. Rose gold, platinum, and silver pieces also shine and glimmer, bringing allure to the best hotspots in your travel destinations. When in doubt, go with small studs or simple tiny diamonds or other gemstones. You’ll be making a statement either way, and keeping it comfortably chic at the same time.

Consider wearing gold flat-back earrings, for example, to elevate your daily outfits. Multistone earrings with a single back give you extra bling without weighing your ears down.

Kick It with Supportive Shoes

Footwear is a big deal when you’re traveling. You want closed-toed shoes for hiking and other rural adventures, flats for casual sightseeing, and fancy footwear for going out on the town for the night or simply making your attire stand out in a crowd by day. Choose your footwear wisely, but always put comfort and support at the top of your mind when selecting shoes.

Here’s a tip: keep the lounge shoes, such as flip-flops, at home. You can buy those anywhere when traveling and then sell or give these cozy shoes away before you board your plane to come home. You have precious little cargo space for shoes that only serve the purpose of comfort. Save the space for the statement shoes you can’t wait to take photos in and post online.

Do It Right with Denim

Who says denim can’t be your best friend when you’re traveling to the best destinations in the world? A great pair of denim jeans or pants can really take your outfits to the next level, even if pairing them with a t-shirt. Stick to stretch denim with plenty of give (to keep your silhouette looking great from day to night) and breathable fabrics. Also, select bottoms that have decorative pockets or flared hems.

The key with denim is choosing a quality item that has ample give but won’t wrinkle when you travel (note: roll your denim like you would your socks or leggings to prevent creasing while in your suitcase) and limiting yourself to one pair in every color or style. Since denim takes up a lot of space in your suitcase, limit your selections to two or three pairs of denim pants max and rotate them.

You can cuff or let out your denim to change up your look for a versatile style.

Have Your Statement Outfit

One single statement outfit should take center stage in your wardrobe. Whether this is a favorite cocktail dress or a suit and tie ensemble, pack this outfit with care inside your suitcase, paying attention to fabrics that are less prone to wrinkling up, like polyester and darker clothing colors. If desired, wrap these clothing pieces in a plastic garment bag or tissue paper prior to packing to protect the fibers against debris and lint.

Your statement outfit can be paired with a stunning pair of leggings or a favored accessory. So, even if you have to remove a few other basic items to make room for this outfit, it’s worth it. However, you can easily make room for all your favorite ensemble items by following a few simple rules, such as a tops to bottoms ratio, packing items according to size and flexibility (such as socks going in before shoes), and other helpful packing tips.

Before You Travel

Before you travel, air out your suitcase to remove all dingy or musty odors that can affect your clothing. If desired, tuck a scented dryer sheet — or a plain dryer sheet sprayed with cologne, perfume, or body spray you love — into your suitcase interior pockets to give your travel clothing a pleasant aroma when you unpack.

Practice packing your suitcase and carry-ons a few times until you get the space filled just right, and give yourself plenty of time to pack so you can change out of your desired attire as your mood and inspiration demands. Practice packing and unpacking several times so you don’t panic-pack at the last minute during your travels and risk overfilling your cargo.

Also, don’t forget your passport and other important information. While your wardrobe is sure to steal the show, you don’t want to get held up by not having your travel itinerary and required documentation ready.

Bon Voyage in Vogue

As we wrap up our discussion on traveling fashionably, remember that comfort doesn’t have to be compromised when you travel. I wish you chic and unforgettable adventures, fashionistas, whether you’re jet-setting across time zones or exploring exotic destinations.