Travel what to wear?

[oreos]

Question for my fellow cold-weather people. What do you wear when travelling from a very cold weather location (say, Alberta) to a hot location (say, Mexico).

I just use a small backpack for carryon, so no room to carry an entire wardrobe change. I'm always hot when I'm on an airplane, in case that fact impacts your opinion.

[Deleted]

Specific example from a few years ago:

Very Thin down coat (Eddie Bauer Microtherm), smartwool turtleneck over shirt and tank top. Jeans or leggings.

Once I got into the airport, and am safely out of the cold, I fold up the down coat and take off the smartwool and jam them in my luggage.

Then, I travel in my tank top and shirt, with a sarong / scarf handy for airplane chills.

I travel in my sneakers / hikers, and sometimes swap into flats / sandals after landing.

[raangoli]

I wear layers - ones that are useful to keep me warm going to the airport and then I can use them if things get chilly at night/over air conditioned places in the hotter climate. So a long sleeve tshirt, a cardigan, a scarf, etc.

[Deleted]

How long will you be out in the elements to/from the airport?

Lightweight jacket - if you have a lightweight packable down/pimaloft type I would bring that. The stuffable/packable ones can double as a pillow on the plane If not I would bring a water/windproof rain jacket.

Long sleeve wrap cardigan over a tank or a t-shirt and tank

Infinity scarf/pashmina

Leggings/skinny jeans

Basically, a lot of lightweight layers with pieces that can double as a blanket/pillow on the plane.
For shoes - I wear the bulkiest ones to save suitcase space

[oreos]

Thanks, everyone!

Sounds like tank top + leggings + long sleeve wrap is a safe bet. I'm still a new convert to leggings so I don't think of them as a go-to for public wear.

[cheezer]

I'll take a cab to the airport and be freezing for the time it takes to run from my house to the cab and from the cab to the airport. I'm also always freezing on the airplane so I'm decked out in sweaters anyway. Generally I'll wear leggings or yoga pants with a tank top, a long-sleeved shirt, a giant sweater or jacket of some sort and then I can start peeling off the layers as soon as I arrive. You can just stick them in the outer pocket of your suitcase and I bring a pair of flip flops.

[sunshinedaydreams]

I suck it up for the time it takes to get the car warmed up and to get from the car into the airport. I typically wear jeggings, a tank/tee, a lightweight zip-up fleece and flip flops. I don't want to take up valuable space with extra clothes, and I hate socks and shoes.

Back in December we flew to Curacao. It was 16 degrees when we left and my H thought I was nuts, but I lived.

[v]

I flew from 87 degree weather to 27 degree weather yesterday!  

I wore my usual for these situations:

Leggings
Long t-shirt
Long open front cardigan made of t-shirt material
Lululemon scuba hoodie (which is a really warm, thick hoodie, so it keeps the top of me warm even when it is very cold)
Toms

When I'm in the hot area, hoodie is wrapped around my waist and maybe cardigan comes off.  When I'm in the cold, everything goes on.  On the plane it can be freezing, warm, or both, so I go for some combination of those items on the plane depending on the current conditions.

[RoxMonster]

Layers will be your friend.

When I flew from Chicago to FL in January, I wore leggings with boots, a comfy tee and a soft cardigan with a scarf to board the plane. When we landed, I could take off the scarf and cardigan if it was too hot, and I also brought a pair of cute flats in my carry-on so I could take off my boots, stuff those in my carry-on and put the flats on instead.

[aurora]

This is the kind of thing a down coat is made for: high-quality down compacts so much better than any of the synthetics.

What I wear does depend on how I'm getting to the airport (e.g., if I can leave something in the car or if I have to pack it with me). But, really, layers is always the answer. I can wear 2 lightweight wool long-sleeved tops for the journey to the airport and then have them both with me during the course of my trip for cooler evenings, for example.

Also, a pashmina can go a long way toward keeping you warm (e.g. as a scarf en route to the airport) while also making a nice fashion accessory when you arrive.

I almost always end up traveling with a lightweight hat and gloves in winter, even if I'm going somewhere warm. They take up very little space.

[bonnie]

I wear leggings, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. I keep my sweatshirt on while traveling b/c I tend to be cold on planes. Once I get to my airport of destination I take the sweatshirt off and stuff it in my carry-on.

ETA: We always get dropped off/picked up at the airport so I don't need to worry about a coat.