Planning an easy and comfortable outfit for traveling
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Back in May, we took a much needed trip to Maryland to visit our family. I think I was more excited for this trip than Jason was, except when it came to actually traveling to Maryland. We hadn't flown with Benson before the trip and he's a pretty independent kid, so I was very concerned about confining him to our laps for the five hour flight.
I meticulously researched how to entertain toddlers on a plane and texted my best friend who is a flight attendant to get more tips (p.s. she recommended letting Benson have screen time, and she was right!) After I finished worrying about keeping Benson busy, I moved onto worrying about myself. Since I was five months pregnant at the time, I wanted to be comfortable getting through security and sitting on the plane with the addition of Benson hopping between my lap and Jason's.
In an effort to prepare myself the best I could, I started outfit planning. I knew I wanted clothes that would keep me cool, but could transition into something warmer if the plan was extra cold. My to Maryland outfit ended up being way too hot so I made some changes on the way home and ended up loving this outfit for an easy, casual traveling look that was perfectly practical. Here's what I learned about outfit planning and traveling.
Don't over layer
I thought I would want light layers on the plane so that I could stay cool if it was warm, and would be protected if the air got stuck blasting me the whole flight, but I ended up being completely wrong! I was so hot on the plane ride to Maryland; I wore a pair of light joggers and a chambray top but was dying since my children acted as my own personal heaters. On the way home I opted for shorts and a t-shirt, which was perfect because Benson ended up falling asleep on me, with his blanket and that was more than enough layers to keep me warm! I also run hot when I'm pregnant and traveling in the summer made me even more prone to overheating, so I was glad to have worn shorts on the flight home.
Wear shoes that are easy to take on and off
I'm always worried about slowing down the security lines by wearing complicated shoes that take forever to tie or zip, so I always try to wear something that's easy to get on and off. I loved wearing my Vans because they look cute and add a pop of color to my otherwise boring outfit but they are crazy easy to take off and put back on in a matter of seconds. Also, my pregnant belly was happy to not have to bend over in order to get my shoes on and off.
Think about your hair too!
I have a hard time wearing my hair down because it's so long and it makes me hotter and honestly, gets in my way when I'm trying to wrangle a wiggly toddler! I knew when I was flying that I needed an easy hairstyle that would keep my hair out of the way and would be comfortable all day while I traveled. I'm obsessed with this double-dutch braid; I use it at least once a week! It was prefect for traveling because I looked put-together but it was totally functional. Plus, as it falls out throughout the day it still looks good! That's what Michael Scott would refer to as a win-win-win.
A lot of times we have to sacrifice fashion for function, or vice versa, but it's totally possible to be fashionable and functional when you're traveling if you just take a little time to plan ahead!
