text: Travelling Fashionably |
  I know, another brief hiatus. No matter how much you prepare yourself throughout the semester, it gets you every single time. So after an exam, visit to the Christmas market at the Distillery District, and a lovely dinner at Richmond Station, I was headed home for the holidays; but not before I spent 7 hours in the Porter Island Airport. Of course, Toronto got the biggest dumping of snow in ages on the day I needed to get home (yes, I mean needed). After countless struggles throughout the day (which I don't care to rant off), I had a fair bit of time to do some people watching which is the reason I am sharing some of my tips and tricks to dress appropriately for travelling while still being comfortable.
  Of course being comfortable I can definitely understand but wearing big, baggy sweats is not the only way to do so. Seriously, there are a million different things to wear that look better than sweats. Baggy sweats are to stay at home; on the occasion they are allowed after a gym-sesh but that is it. There are so many different versions of stylish and tailored sweatpants that if you do opt for this option, do it right. In that case, make sure the sweats are the only baggy thing in the outfit; everything else should be tailored properly. Take for example a solid blazer or minimalist top in a tailored fit. I think it's also very important to keep everything else put together. Adding little touches like earrings, a simple necklace and/or watch or bracelet are all super simple and work wonders. The overload of bracelets here is also not recommended. Some of the ones I'm a fan of are at Gap and Zara.
  The one that really threw me off was one woman in the airport with her exceptionally baggy sweatpants tucked into a pair of leather riding boots. The fact that the material of the sweats even made it into the boots as they were zipped up is beyond me; but regardless it was not a good look.
  As a side note, my general rule is dress according to where you are going. So if you're headed to the mountains or out west, I will normally sport a tuque of some sort and a pair of Oakleys but if I'm headed to the island airport in Toronto, I'll sport something more downtown appropriate.
  So now that has been said, here are the positives.
  Jeggings – These are a no brainer. Don't throw those old, raggedy sweats on; jeggings are essentially the softest and stretchiest pants other than your running tights. They're also the perfect jean version for flying if you're particularly concerned with being comfortable. I snatched an amazing pair at Winners which has an amazing selection of jeans almost all year 'round.
  Scarf – Make sure you've got one of these handy as your board that plane. Not only is it a key element for dressing in those colder months but in all the shapes, sizes, and prints they come in, it'll fit in with any style and make you look that much more put together. For the flight, I'm always getting super cold, especially at night. So by the time we land my scarf has wrapped itself around my shoulders for warmth. One of my favourite reasons for carrying a scarf is that it's one less thing to carry; just throw it around your neck and if you really don't want to wear it, it takes up less space in your carry on than a sweater. One of the most popular styles is definitely this one from Aritzia which comes in a whole slew of different designs and colours.
  Jewelry – I've always got my everyday pieces on, even when travelling. A couple rings and a necklace to make that t-shirt or sweater more stylish. A statement necklace is also so easy to put on over a T to get a casual cool vibe; and if you are wearing a pair of tailored sweats this would totally complete the outfit.
  Luggage – This is just for fun. I snagged a DVF carry-on bag at Winner a couple years ago and the fun print always gets me even more excited. When you have to check your bag, it's also far easier to find it as it makes its way down the conveyor belt.
  That's all for today but stay tuned for more of my insights; especially now that I'm home and looking for new opportunities!