A Flight Attendant on What Not to Wear Through Airport Security

No one ever wants to be that person—the one in the airport security line who just can’t get it together and then holds everyone up. Maybe your missing hustle is due to a lack of airport experience, nervous energy, or the fact that you simply have too many things on your mind to focus on. Whatever the reason, there’s no need to be the one person fellow travelers huff and puff over.

We tapped flight attendant Tara Stilley (she’s traveled more times than she can count, so she clearly knows what she’s talking about) to spill on the items that slow you down most at the airport.

Keep scrolling to check what not to wear through the security line, along with alternative travel clothing options as showcased on celebs. Plus, go a bit further to shop perfect pieces for travel.

“Bulky jackets or oversize, loose clothing requires extra screening by TSA when worn through security. Also, fumbling with jackets being carried while trying to place shoes through the scanners and pulling liquids and laptops out definitely holds up the line.” — Tara Stilley. Go for: A moto/denim jacket or a lightweight trench like Victoria Beckham is showcasing here.

“Shoes should be easy to take on and off. Boots with tons of laces or straps that require extra attention to take on or off slow things down on both sides of the security line. I usually wear sandals, anything you can slip on or off without requiring the use of both hands. Sometimes passengers qualify for Pre-Check, which allows them to leave their shoes on while going through security. Be careful with these—many high heels have nails in them that can set off the body scanners and will have to be taken off and put through the X-ray scanner, thus slowing down the line.” — Tara Stilley. Go for: Slip-on sneakers or flats—similar to what Jasmine Tookes opted for in this travel look.

“Jewelry is kind of a no-brainer. Every passenger goes through a body scanner that is detecting certain metals, but it’s hard to say what exactly it is they are looking for. Typically, I’ve seen metal bangles (bracelets) pose a problem.” — Tara Stilley. Go for: Gold, silver, or other precious metals—simple jewelry like Cindy Crawford is wearing in this outfit.

“As for hair accessories, I’ve been told by a couple of co-workers that sometimes bobby pins have set off the scanners. Wouldn’t hurt to just avoid metal hair accessories altogether.” — Tara Stilley. Go for: Non-metal extras or no hair accessories at all à la Elsa Hosk with this travel ensemble.

“Luggage is always problematic. Passengers bringing too many bags through security make the lines longer. There is more opportunity to forget about liquids or other things that are supposed to be removed. Also, it helps to stay organized and keep laptops and liquids near the surface and easily accessible. Avoid bringing plastic or paper bags through too. I’ve seen passengers trying to put bags through the X-ray scanners that don’t zip or securely close and having to mess with it to make sure it stays upright and doesn’t fall over and spill out while going through. It also makes it easier to overfill the bags, making it more likely to get knocked over at some point during the security checkpoint process. My advice is to be able to zip it and forget it.” — Tara Stilley. Go for: Just the absolute essentials like Gigi Hadid is toting around here.

Comfy for any long flight.

And just look at the coordinating sweatpants.

The oversize fit makes this knit ideal for travel.

A+ carry-on.

Great for sliding on and off.

A shacket is a wonderful layering option.

Loose jeans for the win.

Can’t go wrong here.

A moto jacket is warm but not super heavy.

Yep, easy.

A lovely graphic sweatshirt.

And don’t forget about the matching tank and pants.

Store the essentials.

Cute and comfy.

You can easily slide this bag on the handles of your carry-on.

Another shacket option.

The name says it all. Cozy.

If you want something sleek and not too bulky.

So fun.

The color mixing is lovely.

Next, check out the basics models wear at the airport.

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.