The Clothing Mistake To Avoid When You're Getting On A Flight

The minute you step into any airport, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be greeted with swarms of people wearing sweatpants and hoodies. Loungewear and athleisure have become the uniforms of choice for those bracing for long hours in the confines of an airplane seat. While there are some travelers who opt to dress to the nines or wear vibrant colors in hopes of receiving better treatment, the majority opt for comfort above all. Fortunately, airlines are considerably lax about your fashion choices, as long as you're not sporting anything considered "lewd" or "offensive." But the ultimate key to a relaxed flight experience? It's not just matching sweats; it's layers. Think hoodies, cardigans, jackets, scarves, socks, and even tights.

Regardless of whether you're going on a short or long-haul flight, layering is important. Airplane cabins are notorious for their inconsistent temperatures, swinging from bone-chillingly cold to uncomfortably warm. American Airlines flight attendant Andrea Fischbach said that, because of this unpredictability, it's in your best interest to incorporate layers into your travel wardrobe. "Practically every flight, I see someone with barely any clothes on — crop tops with booty shorts; sports bras and leggings sans jacket; bathing suits and board shorts. You name it; chances are we've seen it," she told Who What Wear. "And practically every time we see this, these are the people who want a blanket on flights we don't provide them on. We all know airplanes are freezing, and it's just common sense to dress for it."

If you've ever wondered why you're shivering on a plane in mid-July, it's simply because it's challenging to maintain a regular temperature throughout the whole cabin. In fact, some areas can be cold, while others practically mimic the Sahara. You're lucky if you manage to be seated in a section where the temperature is just right. But don't think airlines are in the business of making you miserable on purpose. "We try to keep things somewhere around 70 degrees, but it can be tricky," Patrick Smith, a pilot for a major U.S. airline, explained to Frommer's. "Often the cabin is divided into zones, each with its own controller. Temperatures can sometimes vary quite a bit, zone to zone."

Even if you politely ask a flight attendant to fiddle with the cabin thermostat, there's still no assurance that the result will be in your favor. The workaround? Layers, of course! Dressing in layers allows you to pile on or peel off pieces as needed. Even if you end up in a spot that's too hot, you can easily remove your jacket or cardigan and stuff them in your purse. If you're seated in the plane cabin equivalent of Antarctica, at least you can be snug in your extra layers. You may even want to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on. That way, you can swap out your tights for shorts right away if you're landing in a tropical paradise.

Opting for sweatpants and hoodies for your flight attire isn't a sign of laziness; it just means you value your comfort over everything else, which is what you should be doing anyway, especially if you know you're going to be up in the air for hours on end. While dressing to impress is all well and good, it shouldn't be done at the expense of your comfort. So whenever you hop on a flight, make sure you're wearing clothes you won't be desperate to peel off halfway through the journey.

Athleisure is a great choice, but beware of those skin-tight leggings that don't let your legs breathe. In fact, you may want to steer clear of tight, constrictive clothing in general, lest you run the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of blood clot which, according to Columbia Surgery, is prevalent among people on long-haul flights. The only exception, however, is compression socks. "They're great at keeping the circulation in my legs going strong as well as keeping my feet warm," travel agent Cindy Sanborn told The Washington Post. "Anyone who has any kind of circulatory issues should be wearing them for any lengthy periods of sitting."

It's always advisable to stick with clothing with loose, airy fabrics and stretchable pieces. As flight attendant Amy Caris advised in an interview with Reader's Digest, "A nice pair of modal cotton sweats or a harem pant is acceptable. Just make sure there are no holes in them!"