No matter whether you are travelling by air, land, or sea, you will want to look effortlessly chic while ensuring you are comfortable throughout your entire journey. Below, you will find the best travel clothes for women and outfit inspiration for all of your trips, whether you’re taking a quick road trip or a long-haul vacation.
If you are going on a trip soon, we’d love to hear about where you are going. Read on for a travel capsule as well as the best airport outfits.
Travel clothes for women
At 40+style we like to travel a lot and we love to share some of our tips on how to build the perfect fashionable travel wardrobe to make fashionable travel easy.
We believe that dressing in a stylish way for travel is just as comfortable and easy as flying in an old t-shirt and cargo pants or sweats.
But one of these two options makes a better first impression! Don’t worry, We are not asking you to wear anything too fussy or high-maintenance.
In fact in the image a little further below below I’m wearing a t-shirt and pants, but I’ve elevated my style through the print on my top and by adding silver shoes.
Travel clothes for women: best travel outfits
You may consider getting a few designated travel outfits. Investing in stylish travel clothes for women can help you put together a “stylish travel clothes uniform.” Your travel outfits will also work well for day-to-day wear and running errands.
Before you build the perfect women’s travel wardrobe for your needs, consider these 3 points below when choosing your signature travel outfits:
Best travel outfits for planes
1. Fabrics for traveling
The material of your clothing makes all the difference in the world when choosing travel clothes. Natural fibers like cotton and linen wrinkle easily, so you may wish to avoid wearing 100% linen or cotton fabrics if that bothers you. The best wrinkle-resistant fabric options include:
- Polyester (although you may wish to consider whether you will be too hot as this fabric doesn’t breathe)
- Wool
- Cashmere
- Tencel
- Lycra
- Knits
- Jersey
- Spandex
A blend of any of these with a natural fiber like cotton would be perfect. It would give you the stretch you need for long periods of sitting while still looking crisp.
I’m wearing comfy airy pants (similar here and here) and I make the outfit more stylish with Rollies shoes (similar pairs here and here). Also check out this similar tee and suitcase.
When it’s a bit cooler I will add a short stylish jacket too like this one.
2. The best fit for your travel wear
Loose-fitting, easy tailoring is the best choice when traveling, especially for your pants or bottoms.
You don’t want to deal with tight, constricting pants in a small cabin for a few hours.
Choosing materials with some stretch further enhances your comfort level. Eileen Fisher is a wonderful source for travel clothes!
3. What to wear when traveling – Color
Go with patterns or darker tones when traveling.
You’ll likely be crammed into a public seat that may not be 100% clean. And coffee spills from those wobbly tray tables happen.
If you’re traveling to a foreign country, darker or earthy neutral colors help you blend in and look more low-key. Save the white clothes for when you get there.
Travel clothes for women: must-haves all stylish ladies should travel with
When thinking about the best travel clothes for women, below are some of the best options for pants, tops, dresses, skirts, shoes, and accessories to choose from this season, and a travel capsule wardrobe.
1. The best travel purse ever
Let’s start with your bag. Your carry-on purse for travel needs to hold more than you usually would carry.
A tote is great for travel because loading up is so easy. But a crossbody bag is also excellent, especially for keeping it secure when you need your hands free for other things.
Safety and security will be a key priority when you travel. You want to make sure that your belongings are secure, even if you are in busy markets or places where pickpocketing may be a problem.
The Travelon brand is highly recommended for travel bags with anti-theft features.
Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag
Or, you could try the Baggallini crossbody (below), which comes in a good choice of colors and has an anti-theft design. Reviewers say it is the perfect size and weight for travel.
Baggallini Everywhere Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag
The TUMI tote is another stylish option for weekends at home or travelling.
TUMI Voyageur Valetta Medium Tote
And, for packing your suitcase, investing in some packing cubes means you can easily organize everything so you can put together your outfits upon arrival without rummaging through everything you’ve packed.
BAGSMART Compression Packing Cubes
Also check our top 10 picks of the best purses for travel.
2. Travel scarf or shawl
A scarf or shawl ALWAYS travels with me, even in summer. Airlines don’t hand out blankets or pillows on flights as much anymore, particularly if you’re traveling in short-haul or domestic economy.
A scarf or shawl will keep you warm and comfortable, work as an airplane pillow when rolled up, and add some chic to your outfit when you arrive.
A blanket style could be the perfect option because you can use it as a blanket or headrest on the plane. Then, when you arrive, you can use it as a shawl to keep you warm on chilly evenings, a beach towel, or a picnic blanket.
Another great choice, particularly if you are heading to a destination where you don’t want your valuables in plain sight, is to choose a travel scarf with a hidden pocket, such as the infinity scarf (below).
elzama Infinity Scarf With Hidden Zipper Pocket
Sheree @shesheshow above opts for a navy outfit and adds a pop of color with her pink scarf.
Get her look with this similar set, sneakers, suitcase, tote, scarf and sunglasses.
A poncho is another great choice for keeping you cozy on your flight and for wearing on chilly evenings.
Here’s a tutorial and video for you on how to style a scarf.
3. Best travel shoes
Choose a pair of flats that are comfortable.
Bear in mind that you are likely to have to take your shoes off to go through security, so you may prefer a slip-on style rather than laces.
I would ensure your travel shoes double up as comfortable walking shoes. The Sperry sneakers (below) come in a choice of colors and neutrals, and feature a molded footbed so they should keep you comfortable while travelling and sightseeing.
Sperry Crest Vibe Knit Sneakers
A pair of white sneakers is a classic that will go with everything from your shorts to your summer dresses. The Keds sneakers (below) also have great arch support.
Keds Center III Lace-Up Sneakers
We also love the slip-ons below, which come in a good choice of colors. They will keep your feet cool and feature an interesting, on-trend sole. Slip-ons are a great idea at the airport if you need to take your shoes off for security.
Silver shoes are a good travel choice because metallics act as neutrals and will go with everything else in your closet, so you don’t need to travel with too many pairs of shoes.
If you want to add a slight heel, making it chunky will keep you comfy and on-trend.
Marc Joseph New York Eleanor St Oxford
4. Women’s travel shirts
A great button-down isn’t just a good travel option for men. It can look great worn with pants for your journey. Then, you can wear with shorts or over your swimsuit or your dress as a cover-up when you arrive for your vacation.
Desigual Embroidered Button-Up Shirt
Desigual Relaxed Fit Cotton Button-Up Shirt
Caslon Chambray Button-Up Shirt
Claudia @beafitmom.nl above opts for a beautiful shirt with statement sleeves.
Recreate her outfit with this similar shirt (another option here), jeans, sneakers, handbag and belt.
5. Travel t-shirt
T-shirts can be the basic core of any wardrobe, and your travel closet is no exception. When you arrive, you can wear them to travel in and team them with shorts and skirts. Or, you can wear it instead of a pajama top to sleep in.
I’d stick to quality fabric without any logos on the front so you can team it with lots of pieces from your suitcase. Opt for something you can dress up with a statement necklace or scarf or down with sneakers and shorts.
J.Crew New Relaxed Linen T-shirt
Desigual Embellished Cotton Graphic T-Shirt
Or, you might want a sleeveless option to dress up or down on warm days and evenings.
A casual tank top will be perfect for sightseeing.
STAUD Boa Twisted Sleeveless Linen Top
6. Flying clothes: Travel cardigan
No matter where you are traveling, you are likely to need a cover-up in case it gets chilly or when the sun goes down in the evening. If you choose a cardigan in a neutral shade, it should go with most outfits in your suitcase.
Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Blend Open Front Cardigan
MANGO Longline Tie Belt Cardigan
Pact Organic Cotton Airplane Wrap Cardigan
The Lock and Love cardigan (below) can either be worn open as a cardigan, or closed by knotting the ends so it looks more like a draped top.
Lock and Love Draped Open Front Cardigan
7. Lightweight women’s jacket for traveling
You won’t want to take too many jackets on vacation with you, as they take up suitcase space, so make sure the one you do choose is comfortable and versatile. Of course, the best travel jacket for you will depend very much on where you are going. While a blazer will be perfect for the south of France, for example, you are unlikely to want such a dressed-up option on a safari in South Africa.
If you choose a blazer, I think you can wear it beautifully with pants and sneakers for the plane. Then, for a night out on vacation, you could team it up with sandals or heels.
Natural fibers like linen will crease, but I think that’s part of the charm of linen blazers. For cooler climates, you can opt for a piece with a wool mix or a polyester mix if you are worried about it creasing.
The blazers (below) look smart, but the relaxed fit and fabric keep them comfortable.
Eileen Fisher High Collar Organic Linen Jacket
Pact Organic Cotton Airplane Relaxed Blazer
You could also think about a denim jacket, which would go well over your summer dresses.
Wit & Wisdom Peplum Denim Jacket
Or, if you love a sporty look, choose a sweater you can pop over your T-shirts when it is cool.
Stellae Dux Fleece Cargo Half-Zip Crop Sweater
Zella Ultra Soft Scuba Half Zip Pullover
Psyche @economyofstyle above chooses a stylish travel outfit featuring cuffed pants and a lightweight jacket.
Check out this similar tank top, jacket (another option here), pants, sandals, tote, suitcase and sunglasses.
You may also like our article on how to fit a blazer.
8. The best women’s travel pants
Many of you will prefer to travel in pants rather than a dress. I would avoid jeans, as they aren’t particularly comfortable if you want to snooze on the plane, unless they are very stretchy.
A pair of drawstring pants, such as the ones below, is a good option for traveling and sightseeing.
It’s a good idea to look for pants with an elasticated waist so you don’t feel constricted during your journey. Another option could be the wide-leg pants (below), which should keep you cool if you’re heading off on a sunny vacation.
Zella Luxe Terry Wide Leg Pocket Pants
Wit & Wisdom floral pants (below) also feature an elasticated waist, and look great dressed up or down.
Wit & Wisdom Floral Cotton Blend Crop Pants
There are more elasticated waist options in this article on the best pants and skirts to fit and hide your belly.
9. Best pants for traveling: Travel leggings
Or, how about choosing a comfy pair of leggings to travel in? You can wear them with a loose tunic to ensure comfort.
Pact On the Go-To Organic Cotton Leggings
10. The perfect travel dresses
Do you prefer traveling in pants or the feeling of coolness and freedom you get from a comfortable dress?
If you do choose a dress, we recommend looking for one in flexible, stretchy fabric such as jersey so you won’t feel restricted on your journey.
Madewell Stripe Smocked Waist Seersucker Dress
Desigual Disconnected Stripe Knit Dress
Or, wear a shirtdress over your leggings. Then, simply wear it with your sandals or pop it over your swimsuit when you arrive.
Madewell Stripe Dolman Sleeve Poplin Midi Shirtdress
Susanne @textelle above (read her style interview here) looks lovely in her print knee-length dress. You could always wear leggings underneath while on the plane.
Steal her look with this similar dress (another option here), sneakers and bag.
11. Travel skirts
Skirts can be a great staple in your travel closet. For an easy style to wear with sneakers, opt for a cotton A-line knee-length style. Midi or maxi lengths also look relaxed and stylish on vacation.
For traveling, we would stick with a knee-length or a midi skirt. You don’t want trailing skirts to get stuck anywhere while you board and deal with your luggage. Or, if you want to switch into a skirt when you arrive, you could pop a longer skirt in a crinkly fabric into your hand luggage.
Desigual Floral Pleated Satin Maxi Skirt
Organic Cotton Sunset Lightweight Cotton Button Skirt
Best travel clothes for women
Now that you have a good plan for your travel outfits, below are more stylish travel looks to give you some inspiration according to your style personality.
Airplane outfits for the classic and casual woman
This classic, comfortable travel look starts with relaxed-fit pants or jeans, and sneakers.
Choose a t-shirt or shirt for your casual look, and add a denim jacket to keep you warm. You could also opt for a denim shirt and cardigan. You may like to add the travel scarf we featured earlier to add a little polish and extra warmth to your travel look!
MANGO Longline Tie Belt Cardigan – Caslon Chambray Button-Up Shirt – Vuori Daily Leggings – Sperry Crest Vibe Knit Sneakers – Baggallini Everywhere Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings
Wit & Wisdom Peplum Denim Jacket – J.Crew New Relaxed Linen T-shirt – Zella Luxe Terry Wide Leg Pocket Pants – Keds Center III Lace-Up Sneakers – Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings
Airplane clothes for a modern-chic style
A modern-chic look can be one of the most comfortable and easiest to pull off. Go with monotone neutral colors with an occasional splash of color.
Opting for one of the dresses with leggings can give you a modern look that you can wear if you’re heading out straight after your flight.
Madewell Stripe Dolman Sleeve Poplin Midi Shirtdress – Keds Center III Lace-Up Sneakers – Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings
Desigual Disconnected Stripe Knit Dress – Vagabond Shoemakers Delia Leather Flats – TUMI Voyageur Valetta Medium Tote – Open Edit Polished Teardrop Stud Earrings
Greetje @no_fear_of_fashion above (read her style interview here) wears an outfit that you could wear on the plane, and then for sightseeing.
Steal her look with this similar top, trousers, sneakers, tote, belt and scarf.
Plane outfits for long-haul travel: What to wear on a long flight
While all of the travel clothes above are very versatile, if you are traveling long-haul, you are likely to want to try to get some sleep.
Therefore, comfort is essential. You could choose a stylish leisure set that is as comfy as pajamas but looks more like daywear. You can always wear them as separates when you get to your destination.
The leisure set (below) comes in a choice of five colors. Reviewers describe it as a fantastic outfit for the price.
TAOVK Woolen Sweater Set – Ilse Jacobsen Tulip Slip-Ons – Vera Bradley Hardside Rolling Suitcase – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings
Travel wear for a sporty look
Take advantage of the latest yoga-chic athletic trend! This includes state-of-the-art fabrics that are durable, comfortable and look good.
Zella Ultra Soft Scuba Half Zip Pullover – Desigual Denim Cargo Joggers – Keds Center III Lace-Up Sneakers – Baggallini Everywhere Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings – Treasure & Bond Cotton Twill Ball Cap
Abi @stealmystyle40 above chooses a versatile casual outfit of sneakers and a hoodie, and adds a pop of color with her sneakers.
Recreate her outfit with this similar hoodie, jeans, sneakers, tote and cap.
Best travel outfits for warm climates
Of course, what you wear and pack will vary depending on where you travel. For warmer climates, a loose-fit dress in a natural fabric can be a stylish, cool choice. A light-colored, neutral outfit can look great if you’re heading somewhere warm. You could dress it up for evenings out with some statement gold jewelry.
Theory Sleeveless Silk Top – Wit & Wisdom Floral Cotton Blend Crop Pants – Vagabond Shoemakers Delia Leather Flats – TUMI Voyageur Valetta Medium Tote – Open Edit Polished Teardrop Stud Earrings
Travel clothes for cold climates
For cooler weather, you’ll want to ensure that your travel closet includes a warm, but packable jacket which doesn’t take up too much space.
You may also want to pack some thermals that you can wear under your clothes and as pajamas.
Thermajane Ultra Soft Thermal Underwear Long Johns Set
The North Face Retro Nuptse Colorblocked Down Jacket – G Gradual Thermal Fleece Top – CAMPSNAIL Fleece Lined Leggings – SOREL Joan Now Chelsea Boots – Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag – Cashmeren Cashmere Scarf – Cashmeren Cashmere Gloves
Travel clothes for business trips
What about if you aren’t traveling for leisure, but for business? A comfy jumpsuit can be a good option. You can wear it with a cozy cardigan and slip-on shoes for traveling, then switch to a blazer and heels for your business meeting. Or opt for a smart elasticated pair of pants and a linen blazer.
Eileen Fisher High Collar Organic Linen Jacket – Theory Sleeveless Silk Top – Zella Luxe Terry Wide Leg Pocket Pants – Vagabond Shoemakers Delia Leather Flats – Arcoyard Rolling Laptop Bag – Open Edit Polished Teardrop Stud Earrings
Desigual Relaxed Fit Cotton Button-Up Shirt – Zella Luxe Terry Wide Leg Pocket Pants – TUMI Voyageur Valetta Medium Tote – Vagabond Shoemakers Delia Leather Flats – elzama Infinity Scarf With Hidden Zipper Pocket
Plane outfit to stay cozy
If you usually get a bit chilly on your flight, make sure you have a cardigan or poncho with you.
PULI Knitted Poncho – Desigual Embellished Cotton Graphic T-Shirt – Zella Luxe Terry Wide Leg Pocket Pants – Koolaburra by UGG Burree Platform – Baggallini Everywhere Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Triangular Hoop Earrings
A belt can be handy
A belt is a handy accessory when traveling. When you reach your destination, you can use it to cinch dresses or tunics to create different looks.
There are more tips and tricks here on how to wear a belt for the most stylish effect.
9 travel outfits using the pieces featured above
You can put together the travel clothes, shoes and accessories used above into a capsule wardrobe (below) to give you plenty of different looks during your journey and while on vacation.
shop the best travel outfits here:
Read our ultimate guide to creating a capsule wardrobe that works best for you.
Best brands when looking for travel clothes for women
What do you consider the most stylish travel clothes for women? What are your go-to travel outfits?
Continue reading:
- The Best Travel Gifts For Women
- 10 Of The Best Travel Purses For Vacation And Every Day Use
- Cruise Clothing Essentials: What To Pack For A Cruise
- Travel Light: 10 Days In Carry-On Luggage
Like this article on the best travel clothes for women over 40? Share it on Pinterest!
Feature image by Psyche @economyofstyle
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I am visiting Portugal this June. I’m curious where you lived and
if you have any “must see” places.
Thank you.
Great decision! Portugal is beautiful. I still live here (in Luz, which I love) although I travel a lot but I’m here in spring and autumn. Honestly all of Portugal is beautiful so hopefully you have some time to explore. There are 3 articles where I talk about my experiences in Portugal on this page https://40plusstyle.com/?s=portugal
I was wondering where the jean jacket could be found.
The link to the jean jacket has been added. Here is a direct link https://amzn.to/3MWqtdC
Sylvia,
Where did you get that amazing tshirt you are wearing in your picture? I’m not a tshirt person but I would wear that one in a minute!
I got that from Zara a few seasons back.
They are all working now.
If one is flying long-distance and has a problem with not just ankles but also feet swelling from extended sitting, be sure to wear shoes that allow for that. When I travelled overseas in winter months, I used to wear low-heeled boots that were a half- or full-size bigger, filled up with a couple layers of heavy socks. If my feet swelled in flight, I could always take off a pair of socks to accommodate them. (This layering also kept my feet warm and blister-free while doing a lot of walking after arrival.)