Elevate Your Airport Outfit With These Easy Tricks

There are few sartorial ensembles as tricky to pull off as the airport outfit. On the one hand, you want to be pragmatic—what you wear should be simple enough to get you through security rather swiftly (so much for layers and metal accessories) and cozy enough to keep you comfortable through any layover or flight delay that comes your way. It goes without saying that pragmatism and comfort don't always go hand in hand with looking chic, hence our dilemma when dressing for travel days.

Despite the challenge in balancing these seemingly binary functions—being cozy and looking chic—it is possible to achieve the two simultaneously and to great effect. Our favorite fashion girls demonstrate how to instantly elevate an otherwise comfy airport outfit by adhering to some simple rules. By following any one of them (or a fun combination thereof), your look will be polished and put together without compromising on comfort.

What are the tricks? Dress in all one color (black is a fail-safe go-to), cover up with a statement jacket, and, if you feel so inclined, sport coordinating athleisure. No need to don heels or deck yourself out in designer duds. Take note for all your impending holiday voyages and travel in style while still staying comfortable during even the longest long-haul flights

Here are the straightforward tricks to take your style sky high the next time you fly.

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974670-1478909066

Trick #1: Wear All One Color
(Image credit: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Chrissy Teigen

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974666-1478909064

Trick #1: Wear All One Color
(Image credit: Starzfly/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Jessica Alba

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974673-1478909067

Trick #1: Wear All One Color
(Image credit: Marc Piasecki/Getty)

WHO: Bella Hadid

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974671-1478909066

Trick #2: Cover Up Comfy Pieces With a Statement Coat
(Image credit: Gotpap/Bauer-Griffi /Getty)

WHO: Gigi Hadid

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974672-1478909066

Trick #2: Cover Up Comfy Pieces With a Statement Coat
(Image credit: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Kate Bosworth

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974665-1478909064

Trick #2: Cover Up Comfy Pieces With a Statement Coat
(Image credit: Starzfly/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Alessandra Ambrosio

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974667-1478909064

Trick #3: Sport Some Coordinated Athleisure
(Image credit: Starzfly/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974668-1478909066

Trick #3: Sport Some Coordinated Athleisure
(Image credit: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Kendall Jenner

3-tricks-to-instantly-make-your-airport-outfit-more-chic-1974669-1478909066

Trick #3: Sport Some Coordinated Athleisure
(Image credit: Starzfly/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)

WHO: Cara Delevingne

What's your airport outfit go-to? Head to the comments to share, and then shop more airport outfit pieces here.

Dacy Knight
Weekend Editor
​Who's your style icon?

My mom circa 1975

Who are your 5 favorite people to follow on Twitter/Instagram?

@fingermonkey @katefoley @idea.ltd @designmilk @overheardla

What's the fashion essential you can’t live without?

My black-on-black Birkenstocks. If that even counts.

What's your desert island album?

Radiohead's OK Computer. Or maybe Pablo Honey for something a bit more uplifting if I'm going to be stuck by myself.

What's your favorite WhoWhatWear.com story?  California Dreaming with Poppy Delevingne