sunnies : spitalfeilds | dress : bonprix | shoes : valleygirl | hat : h+m | bag : primark | suitcase c/o george | make up bag : oliver bonas | dermalogica daily microfoliant*: pure beauty | denim jacket : h+m
i'm not sure if i've mentioned it here or not yet, but i'm off to turkey - finally, for my birthday at the end of this month. as the weather here in the uk has become increasingly miserable, i am becoming more and more excited to do a bit of sun chasing myself, despite not being much of a sun junkie usually. portugal was lovely earlier this year, and i'm keen to get some more warmth in my bones before we enter into the long english winter.
while i am uber excited for get over there and to be able to tick another country off the list, what does have me slightly concerned is the getting to-and-from turkey in my 'english summer' wardrobe. we'll be going from our chilly end-of-summer days where tights and a jacket are a must, to a mediterranean climate with expected highs of mid-to-high twenties - an idea temperature if you ask me.
after reading amber's post on what to wear on those airport jaunts, i was inspired to create something similar while simultaneously trying to figure out how the hell to actually make the trip from chilly england to very warm turkey, without having to pack for two absolutely different climates.
the flight is almost four hours. that's the furthest i've gone in a really long time, and the one thing i am sure of is that i will want to be comfortable; sitting for four hours in a tiny seat is hard enough to do as it is, add in a slight discomfort and that journey is suddenly kick starting the trip in a not-so-great way. my go-to item is always leggings, not tights. leggings are softer, breath easier, and are generally more comfy, and so they're ~always my travel necessity. a fit-and-flare dress (my uniform, naturally) means nothing too clingy around the tum or back while i'm sat for long periods of time, and flat and comfortable shoes that can easily be kicked off within a moment are totally essential.
security are notorious for making you take your shoes off as you pass through, but not only that, i just hate flying with shoes on. i feel like my feet are trapped, and maybe it has a little to do with the cabin pressure issue, but i do like to have bare feet while i fly, with a pair of socks on hand if the flight gets a little chilly. a lightweight and comfortable jacket is essential - not only for the uk side of the trip, but also because we all know how cold some flights can get when they try to please everyone's temperate preferences.
sunglasses or a hat are a bonus for daytime flying. ok, maybe not a hat with a wide brim like the boater pictured, but something more soft, or flat at the back; a cap if you're that way inclined, or a soft fabric bucket hat (or something similar) that you can wear low across your eyes if you decide to take a little prosecco nap while in-flight. not recommended though, unless it's a super early flight, because presumably you've been up since the crack of dawn and been at the spoons at gatwick since it opened. no? just me? can't be.
now, i don't know about you but i can't wear make up on a flight. between the cabin pressure, the recycled air con, and the gross airplane water, something about that combination makes me simultaneously break out and dry up at the same time. i need to avoid all gunk on my face until touch down, so i am always careful to carry make up wipes so i can start fresh when i have boarded. i also make sure i have a bb cream for a light reapplication of colour at the other end, some of my i'm-sure-it's-actually-making-things-worse paw paw cream to keep my life hydrated in-flight, and a fine facial scrub for de-germing my skin in the arrival loos. and dry shampoo of course, because it is a curious mystery how airplane travel makes my usually thick hair turn limp ~and frizzy at the same time, but somehow it does.
there has to be an easier way to fly and look like a star the whole time, right? i bet the answer lays with the class of travel. i do recall my stint in business class (an upgrade because i was travelling a) alone, b) on christmas day, c) halfway around the world) left me feeling less dry and frizzy than normal, so maybe one of these days i will make it to first class and complete the experiment.
until then, tell me; what are you travel secrets and must haves?
*post written in collaboration with brand, all thoughts are my own*
