I am often travelling on a plane or in a train or car, and the pants I wear—particularly in flight—are crucial to my overall journey and comfort. And by the way, I despise athleisure! You can keep all that nylon, microfiber, and stretchy, pull-on crap for the gym (at best). This should not be a part of your daily travel kit in the company of other passengers. Yes, I own a pair of Lululemon track pants, but they are for the gym only! Or maybe for the street on the way to the gym, and that is it.
I like comfort with style and yes, a bit of stretch is helpful on overnight flights and long train rides. But that does not mean sacrificing style. My favorite denim (including white) to travel in is the Ralph Lauren Sullivan. There is 2% elastane for stretch in this jean that just makes it comfortable and easy to move in and even sleep in. My days of breaking in selvedge are over. I have also purchased over the years—and still own—khakis from J. Crew (with a bit of stretch); they are like pajamas, and I will typically choose them for overnight flights. They wear very well and even look good after an 8-hour overnight long-haul. Sid Mashburn has a similar one in 100% cotton, modeled after an OG golf pant that wears very well. And Duckhead’s Classic Gold School Khaki adds 3% stretch for ease and comfort.
These really are the secret weapons for well-styled and comfortable long-haul travel. When I was in Scotland recently at my favorite shop, Dick’s, I picked up a pair of 100% merino wool pull-on trousers with a drawstring in navy (yes, pull-on!) from an old-school Italian brand called Albeni 1905. Leave it to the masterful editors/buyers at Dick’s to find the best version of this type of pant. It is the one thing in my wardrobe that will ever get remotely close to athleisure. This pant is perfect to wear to the gym, or back at the hotel for breakfast, with a blazer or something you can quickly throw on to run out or answer the door for room service. They are naturally forgiving in terms of stretch based on the weave of the wool, and they are also naturally antibacterial, so they stay fresher longer because of this god-given material—while after a couple weeks of being on the road, I can’t say the same about my Lululemons!
Above, left to right:
Sid Mashburn Text Sport Trouser
J. Crew 1040 Athletic Tapered-fit Stretch Chino Pant
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