Everyone needs a pair of really good travel trousers. The kind you throw on without thinking and somehow still look put together. That earn their keep in transit with comfort, and low-key elegance built in.
And though, over the years, I've learnt that the best travel trousers should feel as comfortable as loungewear they must never, ever look like pajamas.
Rapbin Rapbin Ladies Casual Linen Trousers Wide Leg Summer Pants Apricot
The ingredients of the ultimate travel trousers
The secret lies to finding this balance between comfort and chic lies in the fabric and the fit. Look for a relaxed cut with room through the leg, a soft waistband that won't dig in after hours of sitting, breathable, crease-resistant fabric (this usually involves a synthetic fibre, though not always) and, most importantly, pockets. If they don't require a belt to stay up, even better – airport security will thank you.
halara Halara Flex™ High Waisted Body Sculpt Waist-Slimming Pocket Wide Leg Micro Waffle Work Trousers
halara Halara Flex™ High Waisted Body Sculpt Waist-Slimming Pocket Wide Leg Micro Waffle Work Trousers
The good news is you might not even need to buy a pair, because the perfect travel trousers are often the forgotten heroes lurking at the back of your wardrobe.
You know, the basic-but-brilliant pair with a soft waistband, a relaxed leg, cuffed ankles and pockets. They don't shout for attention day to day, but the moment you're packing a suitcase, they become the one thing you want above everything else.
I used to travel in shorts or, more optimistically, jeans, preppy shirt and sunglasses as though I was about to be photographed by a paparazzo. Reality soon intervened. Shorts left me with bruised legs after long journeys, while denim simply doesn't forgive even the slightest bit of in-flight bloat.
Today I rely on just two pairs. My cotton-modal harem trousers from Hush have accompanied me on countless holidays, long-haul flights and ferry journeys over the past three years, while a smarter cuffed ankle-grazers pair from Vuori (perfect so I can wear snug sports socks with them, in-flight) has become my work-travel staple, and pairing just as well with ballet flats and a shirt as with trainers and a sweatshirt.
I've also discovered some excellent alternatives. Halara's pleated wide-leg trousers offer polish with surprising comfort, Lululemon's Scuba joggers and Softstreme flared trousers are wonderfully soft and ideal for longer journeys, (and their versions in chocolate brown are 50% off in the sale) while Amazon's Rapbin trousers prove you don't have to spend a fortune to travel well, and come in more than a dozen colours.
Scuba Mid-Rise Oversized Jogger Regular
Because the best travel trousers aren't just comfortable—they're the pair you'll happily wear from airport lounge to arrival without a second thought, or a annoying wrinkle.
