Travel Experts Reveal The Worst Clothes To Wear On Planes And Why

A travel expert, who has spent years hopping around the globe, revealed the worst outfits to wear on a plane.

Dressing up for a flight is a whole category of fashion in its own. But when people are busy picking out the most comfy travel staples from their wardrobe, they might not realize that their clothes could actually put them in harm’s way, especially during an emergency.

Thankfully, experts have listed some of the biggest mile-high fashion mistakes.

A travel expert, who has spent years hopping around the globe, revealed the worst outfits to wear on a plane

Image credits: Project Untethered/YouTube

Granted, very few would step onto an aircraft in sky-high heels, and most people would dress up in their comfiest fit when they go into airplane mode.

But experts gave warnings against the “comfort over everything” approach while choosing travel outfits.

This means flip-flops and t-shirts are not the way to go.

Image credits: Kornienko Alexandr/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

Travel expert Mitch, who shares his adventures with 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, shared some of the clothing items that would be dangerous during flight emergencies.

“The worst clothes for airplane emergencies would be flip flops or sandals that could fall off, shorts or skirts that would make it uncomfortable to slide down the exit slides, or overly bulky clothes that would get caught on stuff,” he told Unilad.

The self-described “digital nomad” also said, “Clothes made of highly flammable materials are also probably not a good idea.”

Travel expert Mitch advised fliers on clothing items they should ideally avoid inside an aircraft 

Image credits: splitov27/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

Mitch regularly shares tips on his YouTube channel, helping viewers travel “safer and smarter.”

He said he met his wife during a 10-month solo backpacking trip through South America.

“I stopped in Cali, Colombia, to take salsa dancing classes,” he told the outlet.

“I only planned to stay for a couple weeks, but God had other plans for me,” he went on to say. “I met a cute Colombian girl in class, those couple weeks turned into a couple years, and before we knew it… we were married and traveling the world as digital nomads.”

Image credits: oliver0723/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

On the subject of flight-appropriate clothes, American Airlines flight attendant Andrea Fischbach also shared wardrobe tips and suggested not wearing anything “constricting.”

“You want to get the most comfortable you can be to avoid cramping, swelling, and anything that can affect you later,” she told WhoWhatWear last year.

An American Airlines flight suggested wearing non-constraining clothes to avoid the risk of DVT

Image credits: Project Untethered/YouTube

Sitting mid-air for extended periods of time could increase the risk of poor blood flow and even cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of blood clot that forms in a large vein.

Hence, it’s important to be able to move around at least a little in one’s seat to reduce the risk of DVT.

Andrea also said bloating can be a “major issue,” even for flight attendants.

Image credits: projectuntethered/Instagram

“So wear something comfortable around your waist like elastic,” she said. “As cute as they may be, leather trousers probably aren’t the best.”

The flight attendant further suggested covering as much of the body as possible. This would particularly help in emergency situations, if passengers are forced to make their way down the emergency slides.

“Emergency slides are not fun to go down and hurt—a lot—and it’s not a smooth landing once you reach the end of the slide,” she told the outlet. “The more you cover the surface of your skin, the more protection for your largest organ.”

“If there is an evacuation, your high heels will have to come off, as they can puncture the slide,” the flight attendant said

Image credits: projectuntethered/Instagram

Regarding footwear, Andrea said it’s best to avoid high heels, flip-flops, or any slip-on shoes.

“If there is an evacuation, your high heels will have to come off, as they can puncture the slide,” she said. Plus, “who knows where and in what conditions you’ll land.”

Aviation safety specialist Christine Negroni also had some advice on what not to include in one’s in-flight wardrobe.

She said leggings, in particular, should be avoided because of the material.

“You have a tight garment that is usually made from synthetic fibers, made from petroleum products, which is not something you want to wear on an airplane because the largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire,” she told HuffPost.

An aviation safety specialist pointed out the one item of clothing that is the worst during fires caused by air accidents 

Image credits: Colin + Meg/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

If a fire occurs after an air accident, Christine said that leggings and other items of clothing made from synthetic fibers would not be ideal to wear against the skin.

“It is going to get very hot, it will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns, and that becomes something that will impact your ability to escape the aircraft,” she said.

Image credits: rh2010/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

Dr. Hugh Pabarue, a physician and vein specialist with Metro Vein Centers, also said leggings and even skinny jeans were not recommended for flights, as these would have a significant impact on blood circulation.

“Tight clothing is not recommended,” he said. “Wearing leggings and other restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood’s ability to flow into and out of the legs.”

Here’s what netizens had to say about high-mile fashion mistakes

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