Looking great when traveling always sounds easy in theory — just put on that favorite outfit that makes you feel fab and hit the road! But then travel travel reality sets in: long journeys on chilly airplanes, lengthy car rides and long, sweaty walks to the furthest gate at the airport or along Europe’s cobbled streets. Obviously, not every outfit will do in these types of travel situations.
Besides not wanting to arrive at your destination a rumpled, wrinkled mess, you also don’t want to feel uncomfortable when traveling. Things that ride up, squeeze or aren’t breathable can make a long journey seem even longer. And being cold or hot on a plane or bus is no fun.
Ease is just as important as fashion when traveling, and everyone wants cute travel outfits that are easily packable and quick to dry. We put travel outfits to the test and rounded up (with the help of some trusted travel experts) some of the best items of clothing to wear on your next trip without sacrificing comfort or style.
Dressing comfortably when traveling doesn’t mean you’re wearing pajamas or have to look dowdy. The trick is finding materials and articles of clothing that look chic but are comfortable to sit and move in.
- Fit: Don’t opt for anything overly tight or too small. Loose-fitting garments are best. If you do opt for something tighter, like leggings, make sure the material is soft and stretchy.
- Material: Materials like pleather aren’t ideal for flying. Stick to cozy fabrics that look nice, like cotton or cashmere. When sitting in your outfit for hours, you want material that feels good against your skin, isn’t itchy and has a little give or stretch.
- Layers: Traveling means that you won’t have access to temperature control for long periods of time, especially if you’re on planes, trains, or buses or in airports. This means that wearing layers is key. Always have something warm to put on, because being stuck on an airplane freezing without a sweatshirt, jacket or scarf isn’t ideal.
- Ease: Stick to articles of clothing that are easy to get on and off without lots of buttons, straps or strings. When putting on your outfit, think about whether or not you can easily slip off those shoes while passing through TSA or can button up those pants in a tiny airport bathroom with ease.
- Function: Think about the purpose of your trip. Are you traveling for leisure or business? Business travelers should choose fabrics like wool or cashmere that look professional but don’t need to be ironed. Leisure travelers have a little more flexibility but should select items that can be mixed and matched for more outfit variety. Backpackers or anyone not checking luggage should wear and pack items that can dry quickly in order to wash and reuse clothing items when needed.
Travel expert and founder of Hotel Lobby Candles Lindsay Silbermann is a big fan of jogger pants for travel. And we agree — why not wear pants that are roomy and soft, but can also look sophisticated? Silberman swears by joggers when traveling, telling CNN, “To me, the perfect travel pant needs to be lightweight, breathable, stretchy, made of soft material and have pockets. Over the years, I’ve tested just about every popular brand of joggers, but these Vuori ones take the cake.”
Vuori’s joggers come in a variety of colors and sizes, with a fit roomy enough for comfort but a taper at the ankle for style and function – just in case you have to actually jog to catch that connecting flight.
Traveling from cold climates to warm ones and vice versa can be a pain. What do you do with your giant jacket after you’ve arrived in Miami from Chicago? You fold it up into a tiny square and shove it in your suitcase, or at least that’s what you do with Free People’s Pippa Packable Puffer Jacket.
This jacket is warm enough to keep you dry and toasty during a Canadian winter and but still looks ultra-urban cool as you strut through the snow. With funky color options like Pineapple Punch (yellow) and Washed Jade (light green), opt for the color that lets your personality shine through.
A cozy, soft cotton T-shirt is key for travel versatility. You can leave it out, tuck it in, knot it, crop it, layer it and more – the options are endless. And Madewell’s Whisper line is perfect for travel. The tees are lightweight, soft and won’t wrinkle when carefully rolled up in your suitcase. The Whisper line has a version for everyone: short-sleeve T-shirt, long-sleeve, tank, V-neck and beyond in various sizes and colors so you can find the one that best fits your travel personality and vibe.
For an undergarment that’s just as comfortable for long travel days as it is for beach yoga or a day of tourism, consider this stylish bralette by Calvin Klein. Valerie Joy Wilson, solo female travel expert and founder of Trusted Travel Girl, swears by this bra during her travels around the world, saying it’s especially good for long-haul flights. “You don’t want your bra straps digging in, plus this bralette offers perfect shape and support, unlike regular sports bras. It’s really comfy and breathable for those long travel days,” she told CNN Underscored. The cotton modal stretch maintains its softness wash after wash, too, making this a supportive, comfortable and attractive undergarment travel option.
Travel scarves are some of the most useful and flexible travel clothing items out there. Nicole Rinker, support operations manager at Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights), won’t travel without her handy oversized scarf. “It’s possibly the most versatile piece in any traveler’s capsule wardrobe. Mine is lightweight and easy to pack or wear around my neck while en route to a new destination. What’s most impressive is that I can use it as a blanket, shawl, belt, sarong, beach towel, head scarf, poncho or privacy screen while sleeping in hostel bunk beds. It doesn’t get more resourceful than that!” she said. This particular scarf from Zara comes in three basic colors: gray, off-white and black, which can easily pair with almost any travel outfit.
These moisture-wicking, odor-resistant leggings are just as good for long plane rides and evenings out on the town as they are for the yoga studio. The high-waisted leggings are made with a stretchy, airbrush fabric and come with pockets to stash all your essentials. With the flexibility to wear them both day and night, they won’t take up much room in your suitcase, either. The leggings come in several different color options and five different size options, ideal for any body type.
This lightweight, summer hoodie made from merino wool is just the right size to slip into your carry-on bag or tote – it won’t take up too much space, but will warm you up wherever you are. The wool is thermoregulating, antimicrobial, breathable and even made with SPF protection. Muted colors like olive and terracotta make it both a fun and functional lightweight travel sweatshirt perfect for any season, but especially apt for summer.
Silberman says the APL Techloom Waves are the most comfortable sneakers she owns. “Wearing them feels like you’re walking on clouds, which is ideal for navigating through airports and on long walks to the terminal or baggage claim. Plus, they’re slip-ons! So if you don’t have TSA PreCheck, they slide on and off really easily –—no shoe-tying required,” she said. And, they come with cute patterned soles like leopard or marble or in simple solids, if that’s more your vibe.
We know travel backpacks, bags and purses are a whole other category, but most women like to carry a bag around (and some men, too), which is why we had to include at least one travel purse on our list. The Beis Sport Tote is the ideal travel bag, usable as a purse, an under-the-seat carry-on, diaper bag, pet bag, hiking bag, backpack, overnight bag and more. It can be worn like a purse or on your back as a backpack, and is made from durable yet fashionable nylon with plenty of pockets and a drawstring and cord lock closure. The purse feels modern and looks cool, the perfect travel companion for any scenario. This unisex bag comes in beige and black.
Aviator’s First Class Lounge Hoodie was designed with frequent travelers in mind. It's made of fast-drying merino wool and ultra-soft blended Cloud Fleece, complete with a hood that can be pulled down over the eyes to double as a sleep mask. The pullover comes complete with a special mitten feature, consisting of extra fabric at the end of the sleeves perfect for a chilly plane ride or when you just don’t want your bare hands to come in contact with something nasty.
This comfortable maxi dress comes with a slit for maximum mobility and is baggy enough so you can sit and lounge without feeling tightness. Dress it down for a flight with sneakers, or pair it with snazzy sandals and jewelry so it’s fancy enough for a night out on the town with your travel buddies. The dress comes in basic black, Tawny or Canvas, plus a peppery green for a bolder fashion statement.
This cozy, oversized tee is perfect for those long travel days and can also be worn while sightseeing or even for a night out. Coming in multiple colors, it can make a fashion statement with a brighter color or keep it basic. The extra-soft fabric won’t itch or rub and the raw-edge seam detailing and ribbed V-neck mean you’ll be both comfy and stylish.
One of the hardest things about travel is packing limitations: You can only bring what fits in your suitcase, carry-on or backpack. But Konrad Waliszewski, CEO and co-founder of the trip planning app AtHotel, doesn’t mind traveling light as long as he’s wearing his Allbirds Tree Runners, saying, “I’m an extremely minimalist traveler, so bringing a second pair of shoes or checking luggage is out of the question for me. I need footwear comfortable enough to go off the beaten path and explore all day, but that looks good enough to wear out to a nice restaurant at night. These are the only shoes I’ve traveled with over the past few years.” And even better news? The travel shoes, made for both men and women, are eco-friendly. In fact, the SweetFoam midsole is made from the first carbon-negative green EVA.
Lee Abbamonte, a travel expert who’s visited every country in the world, proves that comfort and ease are key when it comes to travel wear. “I’m a real guy’s guy and I just care about being comfortable. I don’t plan my outfits ahead of time. I don’t think what clothes will look better in photos and I only travel with a carry-on," he said. "On a plane, I always wear some kind of long-sleeve pullover, whether it’s a hoodie, quarter-zip or full zip-up, like this from TravisMathew. Planes get cold and I can always take it off if I get hot.”
The TravisMathew Wanderlust has features like four-way stretch for added comfort, plus it is quick to dry and made extra-durable to last through adventure activities and frequent washes.
This Lululemon classic fit short comes in a traditional short style, but with all the benefits of a gym short, like quick drying, four-way stretch, breathability and wrinkle resistance. The fit gives legs some space and room to move around during a long car ride or flight without rubbing, riding up or getting the skin all sweaty and hot. The shorts are cool enough to wear during a humid summer day of tourism, during a tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok or for a workout in the hotel gym. With secure pockets to store things like your phone, passport, keys or wallet, any guy can travel in style wearing these comfy shorts.
A sleek pair of shades is important when traveling, especially when you’re running around town hitting all the tourist attractions in the bright sun or lounging on a tropical island beach. These sunglasses are both trendy and functional, with lenses that block out 100% of damaging UV rays and impact-resistant material for those that travel hard.
These are another favorite of Waliszewski for being both affordable and durable. He’s been sold on Warby Parker for ages as his go-to sunglass brand for travel, saying, “They look amazing, fit perfectly, are high quality and are made by a value-driven and customer-focused company that I’m proud to support. I can’t imagine ever buying another pair of sunglasses.”
Every man (and woman, this belt is unisex) should make space for a basic black belt in their suitcase. This one is especially handy when traveling in foreign countries or needing to stash some cash away from wandering hands on subways or buses. The belt, which can store US dollars with just a single fold, keeps bills safe inside the belt in a secret compartment that opens with a zipper on the inside. From the outside, the belt looks like any regular belt that no thief would suspect is holding cash. And just like any other belt, it keeps pants or trousers in their place.
For men who want to stay cool and look cool, Outlier’s Merino tee is made with Mackenzie 17.5 micron merino jersey to keep you chill and collected even during the most precarious travel moments. Soft and dry (even when you’re sweaty), the tee will also insulate you when it’s cold outside to warm you up. Cut One is the most classic of the brand’s cuts, straight and long, and the tee comes in several different colors so you can find the one that best represents you.
These Vuori pants are ready for any and every travel adventure, made from the brand’s signature DuraTerra ripstop fabric. The pants come complete with a 33-inch inseam and a gusset crafted specifically for a large range of motion so you can sleep comfortably on a long bus ride, hike the Rockies, zipline across the Costa Rican jungle and beyond with ease, all while looking great at the same time.
Looking for a new credit card? Check out CNN Underscored’s guide to?the?best travel credit cards of 2023
