If your summer travels are taking you on a long-awaited family vacation to the beach or a national park, an international trip, a family reunion, or a wedding, packing the right pieces for your summer trip is key to having a good time and feeling good in your skin!
Pack for your itinerary and what you’ll be doing
Before you head out on summer vacation, research the spoken and unspoken dress codes for your hotel and travel destination. Especially if you’re traveling to a new country, you want to make sure you’re packing clothes that are appropriate.
Then consider what you’ll be doing from day to day. If you’re taking day trips in the summer months and will be away from your hotel for 10 hours, it’s likely you’ll need to consider weather and temperature changes and dress in layers. You may need an outfit that’s versatile enough that you can easily transition between dressier and more casual venues.
Pack with your personal style in mind
If you’re all about neutrals, stripes, or colorful pieces at home, you want to feel like yourself on vacation. Pack what you love and also keep in mind that neutrals are the most versatile pieces and easiest to mix and match.
In this post, learn what to wear on a long flight, get a thoughtful packing list, and travel tips galore, plus see 12 outfit formulas to use as outfit inspiration.
What is a good outfit to travel on a plane in?
When you’re going on long-haul flights, comfort is essential. Here’s a never-fail outfit formula for traveling on a plane. Choose comfortable pants with an elastic waistband, a short-sleeve t-shirt, a removable button-down shirt or cardigan with long sleeves, your travel jacket, socks, and your bulkiest shoes.
Wear your bulkiest items like a jacket and sneakers so you don’t take up space with them in your suitcase.
When you’re walking to your gate, your body temperature rises so tie your jacket around your waist or loop it through your tote bag or carry-on bag so you won’t overheat so much. Stow your jacket in the overhead compartment when you board the plane.
Dress for maximum comfort. Avoid tight buttoned pants that cut into your waist or hug you tightly at the knees or ankles. Choose wide-leg pants in soft fabrics, with elastic or drawstring waistbands. Or go for comfortable workout pants. Or a pair of leggings and an oversized top.
Dress so you’re not too hot and not too cold on the flight. The average temperature on an airplane is between 71 and 75 degrees F. Your body temperature is hotter when you first board the plane. And the cabin can get warm when you’re sitting on the runway. The plane cools off once you take off and your body temperature cools while you’re sitting. Be ready for hot and cool temperatures by wearing pants, a short sleeve t-shirt with a removable long-sleeve shirt, or a cardigan sweater. Wear shoes you can easily slide on and off at the airport security checkpoint. Tie your sneakers or tuck your laces inside your shoes so you can slip in and out of them without untying them. And wear socks. So when you’re standing in the airport security line, you’re not in your bare feet.
Elastic waistband pants + a short-sleeve t-shirt + a removable long-sleeve button-down shirt + your travel jacket + your bulkiest shoes
Pants | Tee | Button-down shirt | Jean Jacket | Belt Bag | Sneakers
Pack an instant stain remover pen so you’re ready if your coffee spills.
How do you dress stylishly while traveling in the summer?
To look stylish while traveling in the summer season, including little touches like a belt and costume jewelry to elevate your look. Then choose simple tailored pieces. Tailored pieces are elevated because of their details. For example, a classic and trendy white button-up blouse and a shirtdress are instantly stylish, thanks to a smart collar.
What should I wear when traveling in the summer?
It’s a good idea to create a summer travel capsule wardrobe or a suitcase full of hardworking pieces that effortlessly mix and match, help you survive a hot day, and take you into all the situations you may encounter.
If you’re wondering exactly what to wear when traveling in the summer, I have a packing list for you and then 12 versatile summer travel outfits for you.
First thing, let’s look at that packing list.
When it comes to choosing your pieces, look for lightweight fabrics with natural fibers. Cotton and cotton poplin is a perfect choice. I prefer them over linen for traveling since linen wrinkles so much.
Tops
If you’re planning to wear separates like shorts, a skirt, or jeans on your trip, you need tops to pair with them.
Tank tops. The perfect cool weather piece, wear your tank top alone with jeans, a skirt, or shorts. Also, layer one underneath a button-up shirt or denim jacket.
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White t-shirts. White tees are wardrobe staples that you’ll wear by themselves or layered just like you wear tank tops. I love stripes, so I’ll add in a few striped t-shirts in addition to white tees.
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Since tops and tees get smelly and dirty, pack a top for every day that you don’t plan to wear a dress or a bathing suit as your main layer.
A button-up shirt. Choose a button-up shirt that’s white, chambray, light blue, or striped depending on your color scheme. It’s a versatile staple. You can layer it over a tank top and shorts, a skirt, or throw it over a t-shirt dress and leave it open. Or button it up and tuck it into a pair of jeans or linen pants. Down below I’ll show you all the ways to wear one.
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Depending on the length of your trip, pack two.
Bottoms
Unlike tops that need to be laundered between washes, you can wear your bottoms for several days as long as they don’t get stained.
Shorts or skirts. For hot casual days, shorts or a skirt are a great option. For shorts, your most casual option is denim shorts. Linen shorts or cotton shorts are more elevated. If you don’t love wearing shorts, choose a skirt instead.
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Jeans or linen pants. For rainy days or cool nights, you want to have at least one pair of jeans or linen pants on hand. Choose white jeans or white linen pants for a coastal vibe. Or go with blue jeans in your favorite style.
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A matched set
Matched sets. Matched sets are all the rage these days. They take the guesswork out of getting dressed. My favorites are all gauze. I especially love a gauze shorts and shirt set because you can lay around in it without worrying about wrinkles. Wear them together casually with leather flip-flops or with strappy sandals for a laid-back barbecue. Wear them separately with other items in your suitcase.
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Dresses
Bring two different styles of dresses. By packing two styles of dresses you’ll be prepared for different occasions.
A t-shirt dress. You want a casual dress that you can throw on and go. It’s easy to wear when you run out to breakfast or to get a cup of coffee. Choose a t-shirt dress in the best style for your body type. I talk about the best t-shirt dress by body type in this post, 20 Best Black T-shirt Dress Outfit Ideas + Style Tips.
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A comfortable shirtdress. An elevated dress works for moments that are slightly more formal like your family reunion, dinners, sightseeing, wine tasting, or taking in a museum. If you’re headed to the beach, choose an option that can double as a beach coverup.
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If dresses are all you’ll be wearing, then pack more.
Optional: A maxi dress. If you’re headed to the beach, you may want a resort-style maxi dress that’s colorful, light, and airy.
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If you’re headed to a beach wedding, this is one of my favorite daytime wedding guest dresses.A maxi dress can be dressed up for a beach wedding.
An outer layer
For cool mornings and evenings or rainy days, it’s always a good idea to have a light piece of outerwear with you.
A denim, cotton, or leather jacket or cardigan. A denim jacket gives a casual vibe while a leather jacket can be worn over a dress to create an edgy vibe for a night out. A cardigan is cozy and perfect to layer over a light dress down at the beach.
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Shoes
The right footwear is everything when you’re traveling. Again, consider your itinerary and pack accordingly.
White sneakers. White sneakers are versatile, classic shoes perfect for long days of walking when you want more foot support.
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Flat sandals. Depending on your itinerary, you may want sandals built for comfort that are perfect for your days of walking, like Birkenstocks. If you plan to hike, bike, or whitewater raft, take a sporty waterproof sandal like a Teva. If you are at the beach, choose leather flip-flops.
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Leather slide sandals or heels. This is the shoe you’ll wear out to dinner with your dress or a skirt. If you’re heading to a wedding or have a dressier event, you may want to pack a heel.
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Packing tip: Pack sandals, a bag, and a belt that match so you can easily pair them together. Matching accessories add visual interest to outfits that are more minimalistic and made with neutral colors, as you’ll see below in my outfit formulas.
Bags
Bags are everything when you’re traveling. In addition to a suitcase, have a belt bag and a tote bag that holds all the junk that you need when you’re in transit.
A belt bag. A belt bag looks like a fanny pack from back in the day but with a modern silhouette. Wear it across the body sort of like a crossbody bag. It’s completely hands free, and sits safely and securely on the front of your body. It’s one of the best ways to carry just the essentials that you want quickly at hand when you’re in the airport. It holds your cell phone, passport or ID, a small wallet for your credit card, your sunglasses, AirPods, and lip balm. Once you arrive at your destination, you’ll use it for your phone, room key, and wallet.
Belt bag
A shoulder tote bag or backpack. A tote bag or backpack is an easy way to carry all the junk you don’t put in your suitcase but need while you travel. A book, your iPad, your phone charger, travel snacks, and your water bottle.
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A bathing suit
A bathing suit. In the summertime, packing a bathing suit is always a good idea even if you’re not heading to a beach destination. After a long day of walking and sightseeing, you may want to dip into the hotel hot tub at the end of the night.If you’re heading to the beach and want a swimsuit alternative, read my post, 7 Comfy Swimsuit Alternatives That Are Better Than Swimsuits.
A beach coverup. If you’re going to the beach, you may want a coverup for your swimsuit.
A straw hat
Protection from the sun is always something I appreciate. If I’m heading to a sporting event and don’t want to squint the whole time or am out sightseeing, I always appreciate the chance to make my own shade. Certainly, you can choose a baseball hat, but a straw hat adds style to anything you wear it with.
Straw hat | Wider brim straw hat
Now that we’ve talked about what to pack, let’s look at some of the best travel outfits!
12 Summer travel outfit formulas
Let’s look at 12 outfit formulas that you can replicate.
T-shirt dress + button-up shirt + slide sandals + belt bag
A t-shirt dress is easy to throw on when you’re running to the hotel coffee shop or out to get breakfast. But it also can be a staple of your summer travel wardrobe.
Similar Shirt | Slides | Similar Dress | Similar Belt Bag
Wear it with slide sandals, a button-up shirt, and a crossbody bag for lunch or site seeing. If your dress is more flowy like mine is, pair it with a more fitted button-up shirt.
T-shirt dress + denim jacket + white sneakers
You’ll find a t-shirt dress with tiers everywhere right now. Here I chose a bright red dress for a pop of color.
Jacket | Dress | Sneakers
Wear it with your denim jacket and white sneakers for sightseeing. Then peel off that jacket as the day gets warmer.
Matching set
A matching set reduces your outfit decisions by half. So if you struggle to figure out what to pair together, a set is perfect for you. This gauze matching set is the perfect thing if you want a special shorts outfit.
Top | Shorts | Sandals | Similar Belt Bag
There’s something about wearing a column of the same color that’s so elevated. But the funny thing is, gauze is the most comfortable fabric ever. So you can wear it in a beach chair by the pool and any wrinkles fall right out. I’ve worn mine to a casual family dinner exactly like this. You can also style the pieces separately as you’ll see in the next outfit.
Tank top + gauze shorts from matching set + slide sandals
Here’s an outfit pairing those gauze shorts with a simple tank top and slide sandals. Wear this to sit under the cabana at the pool.
Top | Shorts | Slides | Straw Bag
Leather slide sandals can be worn so many ways, with shorts, dresses, and to the pool or out to lunch or dinner.
T-shirt + gauze shorts from matching set + slide sandals
A graphic tee is perfect with those gauze shorts and slide sandals.
Straw Hat | Tee (sold out) | Gauze Shorts | Bag | Slides
Add a straw hat and you’re ready for the pool or a casual stroll.
Button-up shirt + white denim shorts + sandals
Here’s another outfit that’s a column of one color. Take your white button-up shirt and tuck it into your denim shorts. Choose white denim shorts for a more elevated look than blue denim. Roll up the sleeves to help draw attention to your waistline.
Similar Shirt | Shorts | Sandals | Bag
Add a belt and sandals and you have a look that has a cool enough vibe that you can wear it to a rooftop deck bar.
Button-up shirt + tank top + white denim shorts + slide sandals
Take your denim shorts and pair them with your white tank top and a button-up shirt. In this look, I’m wearing a blue and white striped button-up shirt. Love some stripes.
Shirt | Tank | Denim Shorts | Slides
Slide sandals finish the look.
T-shirt + white jeans + sandals
Here’s another all-white look. Pair your white t-shirt with your white jeans. Then add a matching brown belt, sandals, and bag to ground the look and make it intentional.
T-shirt | Jeans | Sandals | Bag
Tank top + denim jacket + linen pants + slides
Pair your fitted tank top with your wide-leg linen pants for a laid-back and comfortable look. Grab your denim jacket for cool evenings.
Jacket | Tank Top | Similar Linen Pants | Slides | Hat | Similar Belt Bag
Shirtdress + sandals
Pair your super comfortable shirtdress with sandals and a matching belt bag for an easy but elevated look you can wear out to dinner.
Dress | Similar Sandals | Similar Belt Bag | Hat
Tank top + linen pants + slides
This is about the easiest outfit you can put together and wear. Pair your tank top and linen pants for one column of color. With wide-leg pants, keep your top slim-fitting to keep from looking frumpy. The belt bag helps to create waist definition.
Tank Top | Similar Linen Pants| Slides | Hat | Similar Belt Bag
The slides are easy to walk in and more elevated than sneakers.
Shirtdress + denim jacket + white sneakers
You can totally pair your shirtdress with a denim jacket and sneakers.
Jacket | Dress | Sneakers | Similar Belt Bag
This shirtdress is a bit more casual thanks to knit fabric. But it still looks great with sandals or slides.
Where are you traveling? Leave a comment below, I want to know! XO, Marya
