I do not think erin meant dress like a movie star when she asked the question. I like to wear comfortable clothes while traveling and slip on/off shoes, but I am pretty sure that does not exclude me from looking good enough to impress someone. Now my non-make-upped face or crazy un-done hair might.

In my twenties, when I spent a lot of time traveling to see my friends around the country, I always made sure I dressed snazzy because when I got off the plane I wanted to make that favorable first impression again, of "Wow, you look great!"

Which may just be vanity but it always seemed to get the visit off to a better start than, "Jesus, you look like a bag of farts."

But I do think there's a kind of mental audit that friends/family make when they see you again after long time apart. New hairstyle, weight gain or loss, cool new leather jacket, National Health glasses etc.

It's not always a judgmental impulse, but just reconciling the image they had of you with what you look like now.

I wear jeans to fly, but nice non-ratty ones, and an equally nice and non-ratty shirt. Because I don't want to look like a slob, but I'm going to be schlepping my carryons all over creation, crowded into narrow seats, etc., so I want clothes I can move easily and comfortably in, and for me that's just not a skirt. A tight skirt isn't comfortable enough, and a long, loose, flowy one gets caught in things, drags the ground when I stoop to pick up my luggage, etc. I guess I could fly business casual, but if I'm going to a conference, I'd rather save my conference clothes to wear there and not feel like I've gotten a perfectly good conference outfit grungey and wrinkly from a day on a plane. And if I'm on vacation or visiting family, all I'm taking is jeans or shorts and maybe one dressy outfit for church or a nice dinner.

They usually smile at me and say things like "Nice hat"

I do wish that those days of ladies' milliners would return. My DVR is set to record GSN's late night reruns of What's My Line?, and they're showing ones from 1954 right now. The women contestants' hats are mostly very cool, and I've wanted to buy more than a few of them if I had some place to wear them.

I don't wear make-up because I slather my face with moisturizer before the flight--which has done wonders for my post travel complexion, I must say. I make-up once I land. I do wear comfy clothes, but have to admit I look askance that folks who seem to equate comfy with "like a bum." Really, dude, a stained tank top, cut-off sweatpants and flip-flops--really?

I do wear comfy clothes, but have to admit I look askance that folks who seem to equate comfy with "like a bum." Really, dude, a stained tank top, cut-off sweatpants and flip-flops--really?

On the other side, I am perplexed by the women who wear micro-minis, tank tops, 4" heels, and three pounds of jewelry to fly. I mean, yeah, I'm over here in petticoats and a top hat, but I'm also wearing flats and can wrangle my own luggage.

If possible I usually wear jeans on the plane. Can I impress someone who would change my life, in jeans?

I think so. I interpret the "dress to impress" more as "Would I be embarassed to be in this if I met a cute guy someone I wanted to impress?" than wearing anything fancy. You can look fine in jeans and a t-shirt, it just depends on the jeans (or yoga pants) and the t-shirt. And, more importantly, the shoes. You can be comfortable and still not look like you rolled out of bed.

You can be comfortable and still not look like you rolled out of bed.

Yep.

You can look fine in jeans and a t-shirt, it just depends on the jeans (or yoga pants) and the t-shirt. And, more importantly, the shoes. You can be comfortable and still not look like you rolled out of bed.

Yeah, absolutely. And going back to the theater thing, sure I'd wear jeans to a $15 Off-Off-Broadway show, but only with a nice top and good shoes!

I have to say that I looked pretty freaking cute in the outfit I wore on the plane going from SF to Chicago last weekend.