Is There A Dress Code For Airplanes?

No. Yes. Well, sort of. There have been several reports of some airlines asking passengers to cover-up and/or change shirts with lewd or provocative sayings printed on them. There was also a report of a woman being asked to adjust her skirt length and tube top to be less revealing. Apparently the fine print on your ticket gives them the right to ask and/or refuse you passage on the plane.

So what should you wear to make your plane trip comfortable and stress free?

Start with clothes that are not tight and restrictive especially if you are flying a long distance. You don't need to don a set of sweat pants and shirt. Just wear something a little less tight around the waist and your legs. You're less likely to invite deep vein thrombosis to end your vacation early or even your life.

Leave the high heels in your bag--your carry on if you need to put them on to greet someone in the airport looking glamorous. Wear your sneakers or other more comfortable shoes. Besides, the high heels weigh less than your sneakers and therefore lighten the load and give more room in the checked luggage. Guys, just wear the comfortable shoes, okay?

Dress in layers. Now this takes a little planning. If you're going from a warm climate to a cooler one, you are going to have to layer on. Traveling south from the cooler north? Just the opposite. (I know those of you in the southern hemisphere are scratching your heads now but you know what I mean.) The plane is always a little warmer or cooler than we like so layers work no matter where you're going. Suggestion: outer layers should go into a backpack or tote so you can carry them through TSA check rather than having to undress and dress again through security.

Accessorize with a backpack that fits under the seat in front of you. That way you have essentials you may want during the flight without having to get up when the seat belt sign is on and have the steward yell at you. If you must carry a purse, go a little smaller than usual and tuck it inside the backpack. A zippered tote works well too. Just don't tuck anything under the seat that you can't close tightly. You may find your valuables have rolled three rows down and to the other side.

For the sake of others and your own comfort don't wear perfume or other heavy scented body lotions/fragrances. Smell can be intensified sometimes in the atmosphere of a plane. Your scent just may make another more prone to airsickness more apt to--well, you know. They don't have those little bags in the backs of the seats for nothing. 'Nuf said.

While my husband loves his over the ear noise canceling Bose headphones, I don't like them pressing against my earrings and don't find them comfortable on a flight where I need to get some sleep and they do a job on my hair that's worse than wearing a ball cap all day. I see Bose has now produced in-ear noise canceling ear buds. Time to look into those. For long flights when you want to watch a movie or listen to your own music, it pays to have your own ear phones/buds.

Just one more suggestion. Put an extra shirt in the outside pocket of your luggage in case you arrive at your destination wearing your complimentary drink on the front of your shirt. Air pockets are sneaky--just sayin'.