With the travel industry slowly starting to re-emerge in the post-Covid era, opportunities to travel, and to do so in style, are beginning to present themselves for us big men. Therefore, we present to you these big man travel style tips.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the golden age of travel, men would actually get dressed to the nines to travel. They would show up to the airport or train station looking killer in their suits and hats. Sadly, those days are now gone and most men choose to travel in whatever they feel comfortable in. Tracksuit pants and hoodies are now the typical choice of today’s big man traveller.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Big Men can look smart and stylish whilst also feeling comfortable if they follow the rules of travelling in style as a big man.
The golden age of travel: notice the men are all in suits.
Rule #1 – Choose a dark shirt
A really nice dark polo or business shirt not only helps to slim down your silhouette, it is also great at hiding a bit of untidiness. Being on the go all day usually means eating your meals (and snacks) in a hurry. Ergo, you are more likely to make a mess. A black shirt will hide most of the spills and slips involved with all day travel.
We big men know that dark colours can help to conceal problem areas. But stray away from the all-over monochromatic look by also mixing it up a bit. The eye is attracted to lighter hues so try choosing pants in neutral colours like olive, grey and stone to play with proportion by offsetting a large torso.
Rule #2 – Be bold
As big men, we are already a significance to reckon with size-wise. Putting our best foot forward as a fashionable big man when we travel will really help set us apart from the crowd. Who knows? It may even help us charm our way to getting an upgrade.
Harken back to the golden age of travel by setting your ensemble off with a statement piece such as a scarf or hat. Just trust your instincts on this one. If scarves are your thing, go for it. Not to get too technical but there are many different ways to tie a scarf, let alone the myriad options in colours, lengths and fabrics to choose from. Alternatively, a great looking hat could add that extra dimensionality to your look.
Rule #3 – Shoes maketh the man
It is said that you can tell a lot about a big man by the shoes he wears. In the 15th and 16th Centuries, men wore elaborate shoes with buckles on them. These men were immediately identifiable as nobility. However, buckles on men’s shoes is not as fashionable as it once was. Therefore, we big men need to explore other options. Yes, we probably think slipping on our good old sneakers or boat shoes will do. But what about we choose to shod ourselves in something a bit more stylish? Wearing a nice pair of dress shoes or desert boots will help to complete our overall look and mark us out as big men of style.
Rule #4 – Leave (most) of your baggage behind
To check-in or not to check-in your bags. That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of lost luggage or… ok, I’ll stop now! A handy piece of advice for us big men travellers is to simply pack smart for our trip and take carry-on luggage only. There is nothing quite as freeing as travelling light and cruising past all of your fellow passengers as they dutifully await their checked baggage at the carousel. However, if you’re going for an extended stay or you just happen to be a big man who likes to take all their bits and bobs along with them on holiday, then a larger suitcase might be your only option. A sage bit of wisdom here is to ensure you do have a change of clothes and your toiletries in your carry-on. That way if your checked-in luggage goes MIA, you’ll have your necessities and a fresh set of clothes at the ready.
Look large and in charge when you’re on the go.
At the end of the day, it's important that we big blokes are comfortable when we're hoofing it. Being comfortable, feeling great and looking stylish will help us be our best and take a bit of the sting out of the tail when it comes to travel. No one wants to end up with a starring role in the next air rage YouTube viral video.
So, there you have it. Travel does not have to be a chore. We big men can tackle the travails of travel in style by adhering to the rules set out above. At the end of the day, we travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Bon voyage!
By Anthony Cheadle
