Today’s edition of Ask Classy Career Girl is written in association with Hotels.com. If you need a hotel for business travel, Hotels.com is a great resource for easy booking and hotel deals.

Hi Classy Career Girl! 

I graduated from college over the summer, and I just landed my dream job with a consulting firm!  I have a 2 day business trip coming up and I’m wondering your advice on what to wear while flying?  

Our office dress code is business casual. I’ll be traveling on a Sunday (and then a Tuesday), and feel that even though I’m traveling on a weekend day, it’s still important for me to dress well and represent my company. I’ll be flying to a very COLD city and will need to think about how to stay warm! Any advice on how to stay warm and classy? 

Thank you so much!  I enjoy your blog very much and appreciate your efforts to help women of all ages put our best foot forward.  

You’re doing a great thing! 

The New Girl (and not the intern anymore!) 

What to Wear on a Plane for a Business Trip

Hi, New Girl!

Congratulations on landing your dream job!  That is awesome!

I definitely agree that you need to dress well to represent the company because you never know where you might see someone that you work with or that you know.  You also never know when you might have an amazing networking opportunity with someone you happened to sit next to on a plane.

But, it is very important to be comfortable on the plane and my answer depends a lot on how far you are traveling.  I usually have entire days of traveling across the country for work so dressing professionally on the plane sounds horrid to me. I would rather be comfortable than wear something that is not comfortable. I usually wear something that I feel comfortable seeing my clients and co-workers in because I occasionally will see them at the airport.

Here are a few tips:

Sweatpants and PJ’s are a major no!

I would also rather pack my nice, professional clothes to wear clean and fresh the next day than sit in them for five hours on the plane.  There is something about planes that just makes you feel so gross when you get off that those clothes I don’t want to put on the rest of my trip.  So it doesn’t make sense for me to wear nice professional clothes on the plane.

There are three items you need to carry or wear on a plane when traveling for work:

1. Jacket or sweater

2. Jeans that are comfy!

3. Boots or Flats (Make sure they are comfy!)  You can even find slippers for women that will work!

Here are some styles I want for my next work trip

Notice how they are comfortable AND functional. Plus, they can be mixed and matched with other pieces to make multiple outfits. I am all for packing light!

Readers – What is your advice for New Girl?  What do you wear on the plane when you are traveling for work? Leave a comment below!