The Evolution of Airport Fashion: From Glamour to Comfort
In the lead-up to Thanksgiving, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made headlines with his plea for Americans to “dress a little bit better” and “behave a little bit better” while traveling during the holiday season. This call for more formal attire comes at a time when casual dress has become the norm in airports across the country. The trend of treating airports and planes like extensions of our living rooms has been building for years, with its roots traceable back to the early 2000s when celebrities like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie shocked fashion observers by wearing Juicy Couture velour tracksuits and sneakers while traveling between “Simple Life” press appearances. Now, a quarter-century later and in the aftermath of a global pandemic, casual attire has become the standard, with celebrities continuing to influence how we dress when we travel.
The evolution of airport fashion among celebrities offers a fascinating glimpse into changing social norms around travel attire. Some stars from previous eras have maintained their commitment to polished appearances even when catching flights. Victoria Beckham, formerly known as Posh Spice, stays true to her name with impeccable style whether she’s on the red carpet or striding through JFK Airport terminals. Similarly, Catherine Zeta-Jones represents old-school glamour, typically seen in chic black coats over well-fitted pants, accessorized thoughtfully with silk scarves, dark sunglasses, and coordinated hats. These celebrities from an earlier generation seem to uphold the idea that traveling is an occasion worthy of putting one’s best foot forward, maintaining the tradition that travel should be treated with a certain degree of formality and respect.
Male celebrities of yesteryear also demonstrated that comfort and style could coexist harmoniously while traveling. George Clooney’s 1995 LAX appearance in a simple white t-shirt and navy blue trousers exemplified how one could look put-together without sacrificing comfort – a balanced approach that many of today’s younger celebrities seem to have abandoned. Kevin Bacon similarly mastered the art of airport fashion thirty years ago with his ensemble of a dark blazer over a white tee, paired with jeans, aviator sunglasses, and a baseball hat – a look that was simultaneously relaxed and refined. These outfits suggest that previous generations of celebrities understood how to strike a balance between comfort and presentability, creating looks that were appropriate for public appearances while still allowing for the realities of travel.
By contrast, today’s younger celebrities often opt for maximum comfort with minimal attention to style, embracing the casual trend that has come to dominate airport fashion. Dua Lipa exemplifies this shift, frequently appearing at airports in all-black, baggy outfits that prioritize comfort over all else, sometimes making her nearly unrecognizable. Dakota Fanning has been spotted at Heathrow Airport wearing sweat outfits under trench coats, with colorful accessories like orange sunglasses offering the only real nod to fashion consciousness. Kaley Cuoco similarly keeps her travel attire relaxed and casual, often seen in baggy t-shirts, Nike sweatpants, and baseball caps while navigating LAX. Even Channing Tatum has embraced the ultra-casual approach, appearing at airports in hoodie and sweatpants combinations that wouldn’t be out of place in a college dorm room. These outfits reflect a broader cultural shift toward prioritizing personal comfort over public presentation.
Perhaps most telling is how even traditionally glamorous celebrities have begun to embrace more casual travel attire. Cate Blanchett, known for her elegant red carpet appearances, has recently been photographed at Athens International Airport wearing a leather jacket over a white t-shirt, black track pants, and dark grey sneakers – an outfit that would have been unthinkable for a star of her caliber in previous decades. This shift among even the most style-conscious celebrities indicates just how pervasive the casualization of travel attire has become. When icons like Blanchett adopt more relaxed approaches to airport fashion, it signals a fundamental change in our collective understanding of what constitutes appropriate attire for public travel. The pandemic likely accelerated this trend, as people grew accustomed to prioritizing comfort during a time of heightened stress and uncertainty.
As we navigate the busy Thanksgiving travel season with Transportation Secretary Duffy’s words in mind, it’s worth considering what our airport attire says about our culture’s evolving values. The shift from the formal travel dress of previous generations to today’s comfort-first approach represents more than just changing fashion preferences – it reflects broader social changes in how we view public spaces, personal comfort, and the balance between individual preferences and collective standards. While there’s certainly something to be said for being comfortable during long flights and layovers, perhaps there’s also wisdom in maintaining some distinction between how we dress in our private spaces and how we present ourselves in shared public environments like airports. As we pack our bags for holiday travel, we might consider finding our own personal balance between the polished formality of a Victoria Beckham and the ultra-casual comfort of today’s younger stars – creating travel outfits that honor both our desire for comfort and the communal nature of the journey.
