Airport Fashion: “Everyday is a Fashion Show & the World is the Runway”

“Everyday is a Fashion Show and the world is the Runway” is probably one of the most famous fashion quotes from the fashion icon Coco Chanel.

AIRPORT FASHION TIPS

I am headed to Italy today for our 3 year anniversary trip! I am so excited! This is a quote I have always lived by ESPECIALLY when traveling! When traveling domestically or overseas, I prefer to dress “camera ready”! It always surprises me on flights to Europe to see so many people dress way too casual -pajamas, sweat pants, velour pants and Ugg boots. Really?! Come on now – IT’S EUROPE PEOPLE!!! When traveling, you never know who you will meet or when dressing nice may play into your advantage! 🙂

In 2011, I had an unbelievable experience when an airline in Italy held the plane for me on the runway because they thought the “poor signora was lost!” I still can’t believe this happened to me but it all goes to show that dressing nice could be a major plus when traveling! The photos below are photos of what I am wearing at the airport currently.

In June 2011, I did a trip to Europe! I made a pit stop at the Grand Canary Islands for a wedding and visited my friends that live in different parts of Italy including visiting my now husband’s family for the first time in Calabria. After spending a few days there, I headed to Rome which had a connecting flight in Verona. My ticket from Verona to Rome showed at the top in big, bold font 4:30PM. When I landed in Verona around 3pm, I had to check in my bag and I saw that I had about a hour left to chill and get a bite to eat.

So I found a little cafe and ate an italian sandwich and about 15 minutes had already gone by since I had checked in my bag. Then suddenly the lady that checked in my bag found me somehow and said ” Aren’t you on the flight to Rome? They are calling you!”. I was confused for 1. how did she know it was me that they were paging? 2. How did she find me? And 3. I remembered that the flight wasn’t going to depart until 4:30pm in about 45 minutes. She said “No, no the flight departs at 3:30pm and arrives in Rome at 4:30pm! Look at your ticket!”. So I looked at the ticket and sure enough she was right! For whatever reason, this airlines prints in big bold letters the arrival time in the destination instead of the departure time. Why would I care when I arrive! I need to know when the flight departs! I look at my watch and it is 6 minutes before take off!

Purse from Versona Accessories

In a panic, I ran to security and the line in VERY long! I manage to cut my way to the front and spoke with the security guy and explained how they paged me and how i really need to rush through security. He looks at my ticket and said no that plane already left!  I said no, they just told me that they paged me. Then suddenly this little italian woman comes over yelling at my me in italian “Where have you been? We are have been paging you!” I was so embarassed and kept apologizing trying to explain what had happened but at the same time wondering again – How did this woman know that I was the person that they have been paging?

So she then goes “hurry follow me, the plane is waiting for you”. So we ran to the gate and when I get there, the gate is completely empty and there is NO PLANE! I look at her and said “Dov’e l’aereo?” “Where is the plane??”. She tells me “It already left but it’s waiting for you! Go down the ramp and through the door. There is a car waiting for you!” So I go down the ramp and sure enough a guy in shuttle car was waiting for me and i got in and he began driving.

Top from H&M

Now if you ever flown in Italy sometimes planes are not right by the gate but parked away from the gate. However this car ride was definitely different. He drove past those parked planes and off by itself was a plane near the runway! As we got closer, reality sunk in. I literally saw everything in slow motion as we approached this plane. The plane door slowly opened. The ground crew slowly pushed the stairs to the front door of the plane. The captain and two flight attendents came outside waiting for me and I thought in my head “YOU GOT TO ME KIDDING ME!” I was shocked and embarrassed. The only thing that made sense was that someone must have thought I was someone important to hold an entire plane for 1 PASSENGER AND depart 10 minutes late! Due to my height and size, everyone in Italy automatically thinks I am a model so I figure this was the case too. So I put on so my big earrings and my oversize glasses and took off my sweater to look extra fierce! I did not want anyone to think, we waited all this time for THAT!? LOL 🙂

So now the moment arrives. My walk of shame. I get out of the car and the captain with a smile on his face does the tug of war motion to get on the plane! He was laughing and happy! I was not expecting that. I was expecting to be scolded! I walk up the stairs and apologize in italian and he responds cheerfully by saying in italian” You poor thing! I’m sorry that you got lost!” LOST?! – I thought to myself, but didn’t try to correct him by saying ummm…well… actually I looked at my boarding pass wrong was not actually lost! LOL He then adds “Come in and sit wherever you want on the plane!”

Me and hubby on our flight delay

I was so beside myself! I didn’t know what to think so i just walked to the back of the plane.  It was a long walk and i just kept thinking “please don’t start clapping! Please don’t start clapping!” And noone did. Noone said. word. I got to a random seat and after the take off the flight attendant “oh you were lost! Can i offer you something to drink?!” I’m was just so surprised that everyone was so nice and giving me star treatment! But i am forever grateful to the airline for not leaving me and saving alot of $$$ on catching another flight!

So moral of the story…

STAY FRESH + FIERCELY YOU even at the airport!  You never know how you could make an impression on someone!

P.S. Let’s meet up on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter

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