I've Flown Over 100,000 Miles This Year—Here's My Airport Uniform

I recently hopped on a plane to Italy for a summer vacation, and when I logged onto Delta to check out my frequent flyer miles, I was surprised to see that I’d racked up over 100,000 miles since last summer. My frequent stops at the airport have resulted from a few personal trips to Paris, London, and Rome with some quick stops home in Arizona, but also some business travel that took me overseas.

What has this meant for my travel wardrobe, though? It has resulted in plenty of practice to craft the perfect airport uniform. To be honest, narrowing in on a great travel outfit has been something I’ve wanted to master. In the past, I’ve often found myself regretting some of my fashion choices. Stiff jeans might look great, but after a few hours, they start to feel uncomfortable. The same thing goes for small bags that aren’t roomy enough to fit my in-flight essentials.

After a year spent in airports and on planes, I’ve finally come up with the perfect airplane outfit. It’s a combination of ideas I’ve borrowed from celebrities like the always stylish (and on-the-go) Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and fashion lessons I’ve learned after some trial and error. Ahead, I’m breaking down the airport uniform I swear by.

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My airport uniform:
(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

I wore this outfit on my recent flight to Italy and realized that I finally figured out a winning travel look.

An Oversize Blazer

Seeing Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wearing an oversize blazer to the airport cemented the idea for me, and now it’s one of my go-to travel pieces. Throwing a blazer over any outfit always makes me feel more pulled together, and the airport is no exception.

A Crewneck T-Shirt

Another key piece? A lightweight basic T-shirt in a crewneck cut. It’s the perfect layering piece.

Comfortable Jeans

For the airport, I love to wear jeans but always make sure they’re comfortable and not too stiff. While I usually opt for rigid denim, here’s where I always make sure my jeans have some stretch in them.

Ankle Boots

Not only are ankle boots comfortable enough to wear for hours of travel, but they also keep me warm when the AC is blasting at the airport or on the plane.

A Sleek Carry-On Suitcase

After years, I finally invested in some great matching luggage and am so happy that I did. One of the pieces I love most is my carry-on bag from Away. I always use it to pack valuables and an extra set of clothes and toiletries in case anything happens to my checked suitcase.

A Roomy Bag

I always love having a big bag to take on the plane—in addition to my carry-on—so I have enough room for all of my essentials like my passport, healthy snacks, headphones, and all of my in-flight standbys.

Next: Shop my Instagram, featuring my 27 latest finds.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.