Whether it’s for business or pleasure, any gentleman is too types of traveller in one. You have the potential to be a stressed, dishevelled figure sprinting into the gate minutes before the doors of your airplane are sealed, furious with perfectly innocent people moving at a perfectly normal speed, and panicking that you’ve not packed what you need for the trip. No one wants to sit next to this traveller, let alone be one.
On the other hand, you could also be the gentleman traveller, strolling into the airport in plenty of time, looking comfortable and smart, prepared for everything, sipping coffee airside before taking a seat and sitting back to enjoy the flight.
Today we’re looking at what you need to travel like a gentleman, and be the envy of your fellow flyers.
Preparation
Being ready to fly is the key to looking your smooth, relaxed best at the airport. Pack well in advance, with a few well chosen accessories to keep your possessions safe as you fly. A good leather wash bag marks you out as a sophisticated and stylish traveller even as it serves the more prosaic function of protecting your clothes or documents from a spillage.
Make sure you have all your documents laid out and ready, from your passport and ticket to your itinerary and visa. Merely doing this the night before isn’t sufficient. Do it a day or two before your trip so if you encounter a problem, you have plenty of time to fix it, whether that’s reprinting a document, or even scheduling an emergency visit to the passport office! It means that when you travel, you have the assurance of sorting out every detail before you start.
Looking Good
Travel is often anathema to the well dressed man: comfort overrides all other concerns and what used to be a suited and booted affair is now the domain of shorts and tracksuits.
You can still dress for occasion, and feel comfortable as you fly, and potentially benefit from an upgrade as you look the part, while others don’t!
A suit is indeed a bad choice to fly in, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look smart. First of all think about layers: you’ll be contending with a lot of different temperature as you fly, at home, at the airport, in the air and at your destination, so give yourself options that let you adapt.
Consider soft clothes: cotton and wool that will let you relax into your seat, with a smart jacket, v-neck or even cardigan. You won’t suffer for comfort and you’ll still look like a stylish and relaxed traveller.
Anticipation
The key to happy travel is moving smoothly through check points and stressors. Think about what’s going to be required of you and be both physically and mentally ready. When you’re approaching security, pay attention to the signs and make sure any liquids you have with you are bagged and ready for inspection, you’ve checked your pockets for metal and you’ll sail through unruffled, while those who’ve not given it a thought are held up with questions and repeated checks thanks to their negligence.
