Why You’ll Love These Athleta Travel Pants

It was burning a hole in my pocket: a coveted $50 gift card to Athleta that I had won at a random drawing at my local mall. What on earth was I going to buy when there were so many great choices? As I always do, I started at the back of the store, in the sale section. I absent-mindedly picked up three discounted tops, only to realize that I had already tried them on a few months ago. So I figured it was time for a change in my shopping strategy. I decided to look only at the newest arrivals, and think about what I needed (more pants) rather than what was under $50 and “easy” to buy. That’s when I found the Tribeca Utility Crop pants; the perfect travel pants. Here’s why I think you’ll love them too…

1. Comfort

The ideal style for travel pants is a relaxed pant with stretch (and in warmer climates, a lightweight fabric.) I know some women swear by worn-in, ripped skinny jeans on the plane, but for some trips, you may want a more polished look. I also find that anything tight or heavy can feel uncomfortable after hours on a plane or in the car.

How about leggings, you ask? Sure they’re comfortable too, they don’t have some of the other features that are really useful for travel. (Keep reading!)

2. Versatility

The flat waistband of the Tribeca Utility Crop allows me to wear it with a longer, untucked looser t-shirt as well as a tucked fitted one. I tried on the paper bag waist with tie-belt Skyline Pant which only worked with my t-shirt tucked in, and bunched up around my belly when I sat down. If you are taller and prefer fitted tops, a higher waist would work for you.

I also liked the hidden button at the side, which allows me to roll up the pants for a more casual look or keep them long for a slightly more dressy look.

3. Easy Care

I tend to avoid ironing when I’m home so I certainly don’t want to do it while traveling! So while I’m usually a huge fan of linen and cotton, I opt for synthetic fabric when I’m traveling. These Athleta Utility Crop pants are made in Athleta’s Recycled Featherweight Stretch™ fabric which is wrinkle-resistant. This fabric is also machine washable and dryer friendly.

4. A Friendly Color

If, like me, you tend to travel light, make sure your travel clothes can be mixed and matched. This style come in Black, Laurel Olive and Birch Grey all of which pretty neutral. I picked the Birch Grey which works with all of the other colors in my closet, including this bright blue cardigan that I always seem to have a hard time coordinating.

If you have a hectic travel schedule or are traveling with your family, you may want a darker color to hide spills and stains. I have the luxury of a few solo trips coming up, so I opted for a color that I don’t normally wear.

4. Pockets And Other Features

While I always carry a handbag when I travel, I like to have a few pockets for items I need to access quickly; some cash, ticket stubs, a hair tie, etc.

For warm weather travel, pants made in fabric with a sun-blocking UPF rating (these are UPF 50+) are a bonus.

Other Travel Pant Options

I did look at and try on a couple of other travel-friendly pants while I was at the Athleta store.

I mentioned the Skyline Pant which has a fun paper-bag waist and comes in 6 colors.

The Sutton Jogger has a super comfortable stretchy waist and is a more casual look. I thought it was so cute, but it just didn’t work for my body type. (For reference, I’m just under 5’4″, somewhere between petite and regular, with a pear-shaped (bottom heavy) figure.)

For a wider-leg pant, try the Tribeca Crop which comes in a warm, deep cinnamon color.

The Checklist For Travel Pants

To summarize, this is what I look for when I’m shopping for travel-friendly pants:

Feel free to pin this checklist to your Pinterest board (and take a look here for more shopping options!)

What are your must-haves for travel clothing? Let me know in the comments section below…

Other posts that you may enjoy:

3 Slimming 3 High Waist Pants

Spring 2019 Colors And Print