Business Travel In Comfort - Yoga Pant Not Included - YouLookFab Forum

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Business Travel In Comfort - Yoga Pant Not Included

Cindy Fontan

(website)

Today I'm flying back home to NJ after conducting an interview/video shoot at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnessota. It's exciting to be back in a position where I get to travel around the country traveling around the country to speak with medical experts about their practice, treatment, and management of diseases. I mention this because as I get older traveling in comfort is becoming a key point when planning my outfit.

Dressing comfortably for business travel is tricky. Although comfort is key for me,
maintain a professional image is just as essential. Here's WIW today. I hope you agree this outfit looks comfortable, professional and stylish.
A paired a black dressy jogger pant, bw cheetah print sleeveless blouse with a hot pink blazer. This outfit have me the comfort I needed while maintaining a professional image.

Yesterday I wore a dark skinny jean with a black eyelet peplum top and the same blazer. Because I am most comfortable in heels I choose a heeled wedge (worn both days) and carried a ballet flat as backup. I'm happy to say, I didn't need them!

PSA: Ladies, when traveling for business remember your image will speak to who you are and the brand you represent whether it is your own or your employers. Whatever you do...steer clear of yoga pants, sweat pants, short shorts, flip flops or running sneakers, please.

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14 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

abc

Veteran

I travel for work frequently and love the feeling of being a little dressed up yet 100% comfortable. I see people in sweats and yoga pants and think, if they only knew!

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

The last few times I have traveled for work, I wore the striped VC tube skirt with an unstructured top. Very comfortable and stylish.

JenA

Veteran

You look very stylish and beautiful. I wouldn't have thought about the outfit being comfortable, but I can see that you choose it really well.

With a little extra work is possible to find a travel outfit that is attractive and comfortable and not yoga pants.

Great thoughts.

Dee

Veteran

Great travel outfit! I'm always impressed when I see people traveling in heels of any sort.

shiny

Veteran

Great outfit! Would like more details - brands? Always looking for ideas in this direction.

Dee, I think Cindy's outfit would work just as well with flats, which is the genius with that style of pant -- works just as easily with heels or with flats.

All around, and even for traveling, I actually find a mid-wedge heel to be more comfortable than flats. It of course depends on the shoe itself. Most important travel shoe requirement is the ability to handle the inevitable swelling. The lace up cage wedges (below) have turned out to be 12 hour+ workhorses for business travel - because I can loosen the laces as needed. For example on a recent trip I tromped through the airport, to hotel, tromped all over the city once I arrived, wore them to dinner, then put them on again the next day to stand for 8 hours at a conference, then tromped back through airport late at night and to home. My feet did not get tired, I never needed to swap out into the flats I brought. When I got home, I duplicated them in cognac.

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Marley

Veteran

Very cute outfit! The bright pink looks like a great color for you! I beg to differ on your statement about steering clear of running sneakers though - depending on the business that you are in. For many women, when worn intentionally (with the 'right' pieces of clothing) they are just fine for traveling and will even up your style quotient and put you right smack dab into 2014! (And - the comfort factor is wonderful!)

MsMary

Veteran

Ditto the sweat pants, which seem to be having a fashion moment for some reason. Obviously they need to be worn intentionally and at your own risk in a "professional driver, closed course, objects in mirror are closer than they appear" kind of way.

Cindy Fontan

(website)

@Marley, you are so right about the running sneaker. I re-read my post and it looks like the word 'dirty' fell off when I transferred the text from note pad. It was supposed to read, "dirty running sneakers" which I do see plenty of and that is just unacceptable.

Now earlier this year at fashion shows throughout the world we saw embellished running shoes, slip-ons, wedge sneakers, flatforms, trainers, tennis and hightops from designers like Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Marc Jacobs, DKNY and others. These fancy pimped out and upgraded sneakers were not paired with sweat or yoga pants but mostly with dressy girly romantic full length skirts or maxi dresses. I'm not really a sneaker or romantic flowy dress kind of girl but, I picked out a few of my favorite sneakers and will share them with all of you in a separate post.

@Shiny, I love your choice of travel shoes. I contemplated wearing a similar pair by BCBG Generation but wasn't sure they would work. I am comfortable in them and can wear them for hours at a time. Ill have to wear them next time I travel!
@JenA Thanks! The outfit might not look very comfortable but the materials are soft, roomy, and have some stretch in them which helps with the comfort factor.
@MsMary- YES! Dressing with intention is key to any great outfit combo.
@abc, LOL someone's got to tell these people! LOL
@dianthus I'd love to see a picture. Sounds lovely and comfy.

Caro

I have always felt that it must suck to have to dress business-y when flying. I just got back from traveling, and was soooo happy wearing leggings and a super cute long top, with ballet flats. I didn't look like I was wearing pyjamas, but I was definitely in comfort mode. If you don't talk to potential clients or colleagues during the trip, what is the harm in going incognito and comfy? I suppose if you do have to be seen by important people, I would rather go with a skirt due to comfort and also facilitates maneuvering in that tiny airplane bathroom! This outfit is very cute though--nice job!

BethL

(website)

Veteran

Cindy, it's great to see your WIW. I'm a little uncomfortable, though. It feels a little close to a lecture, or even a sales pitch for your consulting business. I'm sure that's not what you intended, given that this is Angie's site.

Cindy Fontan

(website)

@Caro - you have a great point here. Leggings with a long shirt could look really chic on some people and really sloppy on others. It goes back to MsMary's point of dressing with intention. The right accessories, purse, and shoes could power up a leggings and long shirt ensemble to give that I mean business vibe. Body shape and proportions will also play a key role here in determining if the leggings and long shirt are a good choice for the individual. I wish I could feel professional in leggings and long shirt but, my petite somewhat chunky frame just won't do that ensemble justice. I've tried and end up looking boxy and short. I could belt the shirt but would probably end up taking off after a few hours just because I could. Please share a post of your outfit next time you travel. I'm always looking for ideas.

MsMary

Veteran

Never mind. Welcome to YLF.

Gaylene

Veteran

Hmm, I get a little nervous at telling people exactly what they should, and shouldn't, wear when travelling because there can be so many factors at play. I think dressing nicely is the goal which can be achieved in a myriad of ways. Welcome to the site, Cindy; It's nice to see your outfit, though I'm with Beth in wondering why you are putting forth rules for people other than yourself?

shiny

Veteran

Caro, flying to a meeting, I want to dress business appropriate just in case my bag gets lost. Even if I am taking a carry on. Recent trip, they made everyone check their carry on bags - not even gate check. Even if you carry on, there's the potential for flight delays, leaving zero time to change before the meeting. Or maybe you run into colleagues while you are checking in to the hotel. Then there is always the unfortunate baggage incident, as in, you accidentally pack a liquid or hot flat iron or whatever and you pull out your intended outfit -- and it's ruined. Or maybe you forgot to pack the right underwear or belt.

So yes I can give a long list of reasons to dress business appropriate on the way there. The way home is a different story, but often on my trips I wind up sharing a cab with a coworker to the airport, or otherwise running into a coworker at checkout.

Also - if you are dressed business road warrior style, other fellow such types chat you up in the airport lounge, or on the flight. This can be a disadvantage if you just want quiet downtime or to work on the flight. But I've made some great connections this way. And I am a social flyer -- I don't mind whiling away the airport/flight chatting with people who are equally open to chatting.

Then there's the whole generational thing. My mom raised me to dress up for air flight. I cannot shake that, I've tried. It's deeply ingrained.

The outfit you describe sounds quite lovely to me, and I have worn similar myself. My personal version right now is VC tube skirt plus comfy shirt.

What I can't mentally/emotionally jump over -- even for personal travel -- is wearing running sneakers, sweats, sweatshirt. I.e., gear. No matter how practical and comfortable, even if it was a 14 hour flight!! argh!! -- because of the generational messages that I grew up with. My mom's dictate to "dress up when flying" - I just can't shake that. I have tried.