7 Dress For Success

Here is one seemingly trivial item for you to consider as an expat on an international flight. What will you wear on the plane?

Let's assume you will be sitting in several airports and on multiple planes for many hours as you fly across the time zones. If you are going through an obstacle course of four airports and three flights over a thirty-hour day, what you wear can be far from trivial.

First and foremost, wear slip-on shoes for obvious reasons. On my first trans-Pacific flight, I thoughtlessly wore heavy boots. (In my defense, it was a cold, snowy February morning at Ground Zero when I left.) But boots were not the most comfortable choice when sitting in a cramped space for long periods.

Next, purchase a sports bag - a pouch, not a backpack or a fanny pack. Get the kind that comes with a long strap for wearing over your shoulder. Be sure the strap is long enough to go over your head, not just hang down from your shoulder. This makes it much harder for a street-corner criminal to approach you from behind, simply slip the bag off your shoulder, and run away while you watch helplessly - but probably not wordlessly. In this pouch, you carry everything you will need during the trip: passport and other important docs, boarding pass, phone, Kindle, cash in appropriate currencies, glasses, sunglasses, snacks, keys, medicines, and tissues. If you have any space left, you can throw in a few packets of instant coffee or tea bags and a spoon. Add other items as your personal desires and pouch space warrant.

Yes, if possible, carry cash in addition to credit/debit cards. I mean real cash, i.e., paper money. Don't rely on using your phone to pay for purchases. Carry enough of the local currencies for unplanned expenses after you step off the plane. Unexpected "airport tax" - Don't ask how I know - coffee shops between flights, and emergency McDonald's refuelings may not accept your old currency or digital payments.

Now, after you have prepared a fully loaded sports pouch, let me introduce you to the Ultimate Travelers Ensemble. You may think this next idea is the height of silliness but I assure you I am being serious. I have had multiple comfortable flight experiences while wearing my Big Smith overalls. (Warning: If you follow this advice, you will be in serious danger of looking like a nerd. But do you really care if the total strangers in Seats 40A and 40B assume you are a lost farmer who somehow wandered onto an international flight?) When I say overalls, I do not mean those distressed, flimsy, tony outfits that fashion-conscious young women don for mall expeditions between photo shoots. I mean the real thing - genuine overalls with multiple deep pockets including breast pockets with pencil loops, heavy-duty hardware, no beltline, and tough, durable, comfortable denim fabric. The multiple deep pockets can even take the overflow from your pouch. I抦 not sure which feature is most important but, if you are going to be hanging around several airports or slouched in a cramped plane seat for many hours, the lack of a waistline with belt loops or even an elastic waistband has to be near the top of the list. With loose bib overalls, you can even slip your sports pouch inside the bib, making it completely inaccessible to a thief if you are napping. By the way, as a friend learned from bitter experience, if you are going to nap in a crowded public space, it is better to sleep on rather than near your luggage.

One more thing. Consider packing your own flight meals. Liquids are heavy and often verboten so a fine, crisp, properly chilled Chablis is usually out of the question but a smoked salmon sandwich on artisan bread, stuffed eggs, and a really good potato salad will make you the envy of the economy seat crowd. Finally, even at the risk of a mild overdose, maybe one last binge on your favorite shrimp nachos or their equivalent. (It may be a long time. Trust me on this one.)

En transit, it all depends on how you carry yourself. Many people might conclude that anyone who can intentionally dress that poorly must actually be rich...and they will subsequently treat you like a celebrity exposed while slumming. This is especially true if you followed my suggestion about bringing your own first-class picnic lunch for elegant dining at 30,000 feet. Just insist (politely, of course) that the Chablis be properly chilled.

A final bonus for wearing overalls on a plane is that it will be easy for someone waiting for you at your destination to pick you out of the flood of arriving passengers.

Follow or reject this sartorial advice as you wish. For years, when I made my annual summer vacation pilgrimage back to my hometown, my father used to be mortified when I trooped off the plane in my Big Smiths. For me, however, if I have to tackle an international obstacle course of four airports and three flights, utility is more important than appearance. Of course, your mileage may vary.