Why dressing up for flights is outdated

Should you still dress as if you’re travelling first-class even when you’re not?

Margot Robbie nails casual cool at the end of a long-haul flight.KHAP/BACKGRID

The age of jet-set glamour ended for me two years ago when I saw a woman in cartoon-pink pyjamas and fluffy slippers board a plane at Auckland airport. To be fair, she was one of the better-dressed people at the gate.

I was raised in the mistaken belief that a smart Gucci loafer and navy blazer with polished buttons to rival those of the pilot could score you an upgrade. Today, you need a frequent-flyer account with more zeroes than a Kardashian’s pay cheque to gain entry to the Velcro-curtained confines at the front of the plane. And now celebrities are dialling down their wardrobes for airport paparazzi, offering a new, loose and layered formula for sky-high style.

Margot Robbie, in baggy, low-rise jeans, nails casual cool. Jeans, or wide-leg sweatpants, give you the freedom to engage dynamic yoga moves to get from the middle seat to the aisle for a mid-air bathroom run. Jeans are my preference, since they can withstand a spill after turbulence or a tray mishap. Robbie’s white T-shirt is ambitious but suitable for layering beneath long sleeves in a breathable fabric to combat unexpected air-con blasts.

Step into the ballet-flat revival for stress-free travel, but make sure there’s room for swollen toes: bare feet, mid-flight, are as questionable as cartoon-pink pyjamas.

Got a style conundrum? Email damien.woolnough@nine.com.au