I don’t think travel-wear used to ever be a “thing,” until it became a prime opportunity for members of the paparazzi to photograph celebrities landing or taking off at various airports around the world. Snaps taken at the airport give a raw, unfiltered view of these celebrities, and for the most part, are void of sequinned stage-wear; rare occasions where celebrities are somewhat humanised.
Seeing them in their casuals, sweats and tracksuits also somehow makes them seem more relatable. We may not be able to afford, let alone track down, the latex gown Beyoncé recently wore at the Met Gala, but when she dons jeans and a white T-shirt or a loose white jumpsuit and printed kimono while travelling, it’s suddenly easier to imitate her style.
Because celebrity fashion is so sensationalised, it has provided a different outlet for us to get inspired by. Today, travel-wear is a topic in its own right. A recent newsletter sent out by online retail giant Net-a-Porter was titled “Miranda Kerr’s travel checklist”, and sent subscribers to a web page full of travel looks seemingly curated, or at least inspired by, the Australian model. Ribbed jersey pyjama sets by brands such as Eberjey and Calvin Klein underwear topped the list, which was given the fitting title “the travel uniform”.
I’m quite happy to say that comfortable loungewear and athleisure-style attire is now the norm for in-flight fashion. Perhaps it always was. But previously, there was a certain stigma to showing up to the airport in, essentially, your pyjamas. But celebrities and fashion icons alike have put their stamp of approval on the style, and it has now shed its taboo, hobo-fashion stigmas.
It's important to remember, however, that appearances can be deceiving. No matter how many images you see of stiletto-heeled singers and actresses exiting LAX airport, please don't follow in their sore footsteps. Often, they just pack a pair of heels for show for the paparazzi as they enter or exit the crowd-laden airport, then a set of trainers for the rest of the journey. Selena Gomez proved this to be true in March when she styled her red Vetements trackies with white-heeled sandals in Los Angeles, only to arrive in Paris having traded her heels for relaxed white trainers.
Current airport street style consists largely of solid shades – blacks, greys, whites and the occasional reds, such as in the cases of Gomez and Kendall Jenner. Regardless of the colours you choose, comfort should take priority when determining what to wear while travelling – especially if you’re in for a long-haul flight. If you’re going to be tottering around the airport in Louboutins, you have either had numbing procedures or surgery on your feet, or are simply out of your mind. If you’re dressed in comfortable clothing and footwear, I assure you, your journey will be more enjoyable. Envision this: your overnight flight is practically empty, and you have a row of four seats to yourself. It’s far easier to stretch out and curl up into a comfortable position when wearing jersey joggers, rather than, say, a skirt or tight leather trousers.
I jumped on the athleisure bandwagon a long time ago, and am over the moon that the trend translates so well into travel-wear. Tracksuits, sweatpants, joggers, hoodies – especially in matching sets – make up my ideal travel outfit. A pair of trainers and a big leather tote completes the practical-but-stylish look. By all means, channel your favourite celebrity while passing through duty free, but don’t take it too far. That means leave the dark glasses packed up in your suitcase.
hlodi@thenational.ae
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
WITHIN%20SAND
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
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