Women's Travel Clothes for Business
Clothing with Stretch is a Traveling Boomer Chick's Best Friend
Aug 4, 2009
Business travel can be tiring and trying, so the last thing a woman needs is clothing which is uncomfortable, too tight, too warm, too anything. Travel clothes are supposed to be just right. There is no reason that women who travel for business can’t have a little tenderness from their wardrobe.
Every woman is representing her company when she travels for her job, so she should look professional on the plane and in the car. And, most of the time the core of her authority starts with a good jacket.
Knit Jacket or Sweater Jacket for Business Trips
One way to look businesslike and still be able to move, while climbing over a fellow passenger’s tray table, is to wear a knit jacket (also called a sweater jacket). If a woman's suit is not custom made or fabulously tailored, a gal is going to need a lot of stretch. And, most jackets made from knit fabric stretch quite a bit. Plus, they don’t wrinkle.
Jones New York is one brand that often has knit jackets. At this time, they show a “Must Have Crew Neck Knit Jacket” which looks appropriate for travel. And, because it’s black, it will go with other pieces and won’t be difficult to pair up with black pants or black skirts.
This Jones New York jacket is a crew neck, so it’s a bit harder for some gals to wear than the standard blazer style, but if it works, it’s very cute. Women who want color could go French with this and tuck a beautiful, gauzy scarf into the neckline.
Sizes:
- S, M, L, XL
- 1X, 2x, 3X
Or try the Jones New York Classic Knit Suited Jacket
- S, M, L, XL
Jonesing (craving) a pull-on knit travel skirt? Check around the internet to find Jones New York skirts at a good price.
Websites that often have sweater jackets
- BarryPace.com (Search: knit jackets)
- Talbots.com
- MyShape.com (Look here for the cute colorblock, preppy, and classic-style jackets shown in the photos.)
Brands to look for on various websites
- Exclusively Misook
- St. John Knits (Priced for lottery winners, but it's nice to copy the St. John look.)
- Boden or other European-style knits
Jackets with Stretch
Every now and then, a woman can see that people who design ladies’s suits are bored to death. What other reason could there be to explain cropped jackets? There is something strange about having a jacket stop right above the crotch of a woman’s pants. And these tiny blazers don’t cover a boomer chick’s booty.
Well, the new cropped jackets look fine over dresses, pencil skirts, and longer skirts. (Click on drawing below.) Cropped jackets can also work with jeans.
Good Brands to Try, Especially if On Sale
- Elie Tahari – Beautiful lightweight stretch wool
- Theory – With Spandex
- Ann Klein - One Button Fitted Jacket (with stretch)
- Eileen Fisher (Aubergine is gorgeous. It’s not as obvious that a gal has paired some cheap pants with an expensive jacket if the pants are black and the jacket is aubergine. Two blacks together, of different fabrics, can sometimes look a bit off.)
Search online for sales when considering higher-end garments.
Good Websites to Try for Travel Wear
- BlueSuitsOnline.com
- TheLimited.com (Stretchy pants)
- Spiegel.com (Lots of stretchy polyester here, but sometimes good, practical pull-on pants and skirts work well together with fabulous, expensive jackets.)
- MyShape.com
- Nordstrom.com
While black is usually a good bet, many darker colors, some brights, and most grays look good when paired with black pants or a black skirt. And, when buying a high-priced big-ticket jacket, sometimes a gal has to save up to buy the matching skirt or slacks later on, hopefully on sale. Many times, the best thing to do is to buy the jacket right away and make sure to have some reliable black stretchy pieces in the closet to complete the ensemble.
Pull On Pants and Skirts
There are lots of great websites with travel clothing, and here are some good ones:
- Jones New York
- Travelsmith.com (tailor if necessary)
- Spiegel.com
Smart women send clothes back when the clothes look too shiny or don't fit. It's worth the few extra bucks for shipping.
Click here to find good travel makeup.
Boomer Blouses and Tees
For hiding Baby Boomer fat, the best bet is to get a top or tee that doesn’t contrast too much with the jacket and pants (or skirt) so everything blends when the jacket is open. Buttoned blouses are often less comfortable than light-weight knit tees. If getting a blouse, be sure that it has good stretch and check all the angles to determine that there’s no gapping between the buttons.
Read about the perfect fall colors.
There really are a lot of great pieces online for business travel. However, it might take a while to locate the right jacket with the great fit. So, expect to return or exchange a fair number of blazers. It’s just part of internet shopping and it’s almost expected.
Women who keep trying can end up with a lot of really cute things being, magically, delivered to their doorsteps.
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