What to Wear on the plane

Advice abounds everywhere on what to wear on the plane. Some people go for comfort, some go for fashion, and some go in between. 


I personally like to dress up when I go for a flight. It makes me feel more special. It makes me look like I have a purpose, and it makes me more apt to fit in with the nice people in first class, should I get bounced up there. :) 


Fabrics that breathe are your friend. If you are going to be on a plane for a long time, double knit polyester is not your pal. no matter how wrinkle free it is. A better bet is a linen/cotton/silk/bamboo or some other mix of natural fabrics that will allow you to feel more comfortable. 


I like fabrics that have a touch of lycra/spandex in them, to help them keep their shape better. TravelSmith makes a nice line of things, but some feel as though they are pricey. I have not ordered from them personally, but my grandmother, who used to travel extensively, swore by their things. This dress, in either plum, pepper, or mint would be a great gift to the writer of this blog! 


Sunglasses. Man or woman, you need sunglasses. They are good from everything to holding hair in place, blocking sunlight and bright light, hiding puffy eyes, and, they can be a style statement. I always have at least one pair of sunglasses with me when I travel, because if one pair gets lost, I am not having to make do with a pair that don't make me feel great. 


Shoes. Make sure that the shoes you choose to wear are comfortable and easy to get off and on in the security line. Waiting behind women who have to unlace espadrilles that go all the way up to their thigh is not a great way to spend a few moments of my life. Same for lace up boots. Same for anything with buckles. Opt for a secure slip on. If you have never been to an airport before, even though they are not cute, bring a pair of flats with you to get through the airport in. I have a pair of Mary Jane's that stay in my travel bag. They are cute enough, and my feet thank me by the end of an airport jaunt. 


Underclothes. Wear things that are practical, but comfortable. Ladies, this is no time to wear that bra that cuts into your rib cage. Men, this is not the time to wear the jeans that bite into your waistband. Comfort, but attractive. 


Hats. I don't know what to say. I do love a hat on a man. My man looks smashing in a fedora. BUT, I don't think he would like if the hat got smashed on the trip. 


Layers. If you are a temperature sensitive person, dress in layers. Bring a small blanket. Don't use the one that the airplane has. Goodness knows how many people have used it before you. 


Blazers/Jackets. Dark suit? Take it to a tailor or a drycleaner and get a bright lining sewn into it. You will be less likely to leave it behind. 


I can go on and on, but think about how long you will be gone on the plane, and plan accordingly.

Entertaining Children on flights

When you are flying with small children and babies, there are some things that you need to bear in mind when you travel. 

Children are not small adults. I get very upset internally when I hear someone say "Oh, she is 13, going on 30" or similar age comparisons. It is possible to have a child who is quiet and stable, responsible, and yet, s/he is still a child. It is unfair to expect a child to be able to entertain themselves for the several hours that you will be spending at the airport/on the plane/in transit to your final destination. 

With babies, the task is even harder because you cannot explain the process to them at all. If you tell an infant/baby that they are going to have a big, fun, exciting adventure today, they are going to look at you, perhaps smile or coo, and then go back to what they do best, which is eating, urinating, defecating, crying, sleeping, and whatever else it is that babies do. 

Here are some tips to make sure that you and your baby and or child have a better trip when you travel. 

Bring small noise free toys when you travel. No one wants to hear a loud toy in the airport, in the airplane, or anywhere else that you go. Great baby toys are soft, stuffed toys that do not jingle, buzz, beep, click, etc. Baby books are a wonderful thing to bring, especially if they have a lot of illustrations of different brightly colored things. A friend of mine took sheets of photocopy paper and stuck stickers all over the front and the back of the papers until they were covered, and then laminated them front and back. The child (age 3) and his baby sister (9 months) would take the sheets out of her diaper bag and she would ask them to find things. (Where is the tall yellow flower? Where is the short pink flower? Can you find the letter A? Where is the blue train?" It worked like a charm, and she said that other passengers with children were jealous.

Large beads PRESTRUNG on yarn or rope that is already knotted at both ends can be anything from a bracelet, or necklace to a row of cars, trains, or cargo trailers. They can be drug across the meal tray, counted, colors and shapes can be identified, and lots more. Make sure that both ends are knotted securely, and that the beads are not too small for the child/ren that you are traveling with. 

Sticker books, coloring books, activity books, age appropriate are wonderful. So are little readers, comic books, and simple children's magazines. Keep them tucked into your travel bag until you are at the airport. Small children have small attention spans. 

MP3 players are very affordable now. An MP3 player can be a little storyteller on its' own. Tell stories by reading into a mic on the computer, and convert it to a format that is compatible with your player. You can also sing songs and put little messages into the player such as "I love you very much! I am glad we are having such fun on this trip."

Spend time with your children while you are traveling. Turn off the cell phone. Tell the children about the airport. "Over there, that is a place where people go to order a snack before they get on the plane." Point out things where you go. "This table is for mommies who have babies who use diapers. You pull it down, buckle the baby in, and then change the baby". Just because we know what something is does not mean that our little ones do. 

Explain the security process. It can be very overwhelming to adults, let alone wee ones. If they have a toy/blanket that they cherish, explain to them that the people in security need to look at it, and it keeps us safe on the plane. 

Make sure that your children are well fed, in comfortable clothes, and have shoes that fit. Bring extra diapers and formula for babies. Don't over snack a child as a form of entertainment. Bring an extra change of clothes and underclothes for toddlers, as sometimes they can get air sick on a plane. Make certain that everyone gets to the toilet before you leave the house, and, even though there is a bathroom on the plane, let them use the airport bathroom before you board the plane. 

With children old enough to understand, explain what they need to do if they get separated from you. A lanyard with your cell phone number on a feisty toddler can be a lifesaver. They can wear it under their shirt so that no one can see their contact information on it, but use it if it is needed. 

On a trip to Walt Disney World, my eldest niece was separated from me during the parade. She and I had reviewed what to do in the event that happened, and, although it was a little scary for her, she was able to do what we had talked about, and we were reunited in less than 30 minutes. On the contact lanyard, put a photo of you and other adults traveling in the group, as well as a photo of the child. On the ones that I made for my nieces, I put my cell phone number, my sisters' cell phone number, and their siblings' names. The staff at Disney told me that it was wonderful to be able to tell my niece that her aunt was on the way, along with her sister. 

Make sure that you charge your cell phone. If a child DOES get lost, it would be awful if you could not take the call because your battery has run out of juice. 

Explain the boarding and takeoff process to children that are old enough to understand. Explain how the plane will feel when the plane lifts off, how it will "bump the ground" when it lands, and what turbulence is. There are a number of videos on YouTube to watch. I strongly recommend this, especially for anxious children. 

Tell a child who is safe to go to in an emergency. Point out the people in the airport that are safe to go to, My sister used to always tell her children that if they were separated from her, find a mom with children, or a police lady or man. 

Listen to your child. If they are scared of something, listen to them carefully, and address their fears. 

Have fun. Traveling with young ones can be exasperating, but, with proper planning, it can be a lot of fun. 

Making dangerous comments and threats on a plane is plain stupid.

I was in the airport about five years ago with a male friend of mine on the way to California from Dallas. We were very excited about the flight, happy to see some sights and have a little fun. 

There were some kids behind us, mid to late teens who were horsing about, joking with one another and shoving at each other. Occasionally, they would shove into us, and we would clear our throats, say "Excuse me" loudly, and turn back around. They were not our favorite people. 

As we got into the security clearance area, we did all of the things that you are supposed to do: Take off your shoes, remove your laptop from the case, etc. It was a no-brainer in light of the incidents of September 11, 2001. 

The kids behind us started joking to each other about having a bomb, about being a bomb, and about blowing one another up. It was irritating, but when they got to security, they were in for a rude awakening. The Department of Homeland Security took those boys aside for security reasons. I do not know what happened to them, but I do know that they were not on our flight to California. 

Airport Security is nothing to joke around about. We all know that it is a nuisance at times, but the security that is in place is there to help you, and to make sure that we are all safe in the skies. 

Here are a couple of tips to make your travels safer. (And mine.)

• This sounds like I am being funny, but I am not. If, for any reason, you carry a firearm on your person or in your belongings, remove it before you travel.  This lady flight attendant was treated the same as any other passenger when she went through security, and now, her bad choice kept her from working her flight, and she has some legal issues to deal with. 
• Do not make false comments or jokes about things you have on your person, on the plane, in your bags, in your checked luggage.  This man, aged 75 was treated the same as any person of any age who would make such comments. They are treated very seriously. 
• Report anything suspicious to someone appropriate. But do not make a false report. 
• Look on the internet for what is and what is not allowed to be brought with you on board or checked onto a plane. Pack accordingly. Don't break the rules. 
• You cannot board a US plane without proper identification. A list of that can be found on any US airline website as to what is accepted and what is not. 
• If you are traveling with people who are prone to jokes and pranks, explain the seriousness of airport security to them. 
• If you are traveling with someone who has a diminished mental capacity for any reason, let the ground crew (Gate Agent/Ticket Agent) know. You can sometimes note this to the airline via their toll-free numbers. Let the inflight crew know as well. A friend of mine has a mentally handicapped son who began screaming "Help Me! Help Me!" while seated on the plane. The flight attendant, thankfully, knew beforehand about his disability, and was able to assist wonderfully. 

The skies will never feel as safe to us as they did in the time before the September 11 terrorist attacks. Last year, at Christmas, a man tried to blow up a US plane. Thankfully, he was stopped. Air safety is something that is very important and cannot be taken for granted. 

Airline security is something that we, as Americans for the most part did not have to deal with before 09/11/2001. It is something that we should be honored to have now to keep us safe.