6 Style Tips for Cute & Comfortable Road Trip Outfits

What to Wear on a Road Trip

When traveling for long distances in a car it can be a little difficult to decide what would be the best outfit to wear on a road trip. You want to look cute but still be comfortable, and of course, depending the time of year, and how long you will be in the car will determine the type of clothes you end of wearing. Or you might need multiple road trip outfits because you trip will span across multiple days! Did someone say cross-country road trip?

If you have a road trip approaching and are wondering what to wear on a road trip to not only look stylish but be comfortable as well this post is for you! I have taken many road trips over the years and these are six quick style tips that I always follow when putting together road trip outfits!

6 Style Tips for Road Trip Outfits

Wear Comfortable Shoes

I love high heels and wedges as much as the next gal but when most of your time will be in a car you need shoes that you can easily take on and off and be comfortable walking in to quickly explore an area.

When Peter and I go on road trips we usually research locations we want to stop along the way to our destination. We quickly pull over and explore the area, take a few photos and continue on our way. Usually, we run across the road for the photo or go on a little hike so comfortable shoes are key.

In addition to exploring beautiful areas, opting for flats, slip ons, or sneakers makes it easy to slip your shoes on and off and you’re also not super worried if they get thrown around in the car. As road trips go, you usually have a bag full of snacks on the floor and if you take off your shoes they will usually get thrown to the trunk or pushed under the seat.

In summer road trips wear flats or sneakers. My favorite style of flats to wear are Tieks. I love this brand for several reasons but the reason I like wearing these flats on road trips is because they fold and come in a little pouch that you can throw in your travel tote or large handbag. When you need them just pull them out and slip them on for a cute road trip outfit.

If you prefer sneakers, personally I don’t prefer running or athletic sneakers. I like more casual and everyday sneakers as they make for nicer road trip outfits. For example, these New Balance ‘574’ Sneaker, Naturalizer Morrison Sneaker, or Cole Hann Wingtip Sneaker are great options. Each sneaker is stylish yet comfortable.

If you need some ideas on what to wear in the summer take a look at look at this summer outfits guide.

Wear Layers

Depending on the time of year you are traveling you might need to wear warmer clothes but one thing to always keep-in-mind is layers. If you get too warm remove a layer, if it gets chilly; add on your long sleeve, sweater, or jacket.

In this road trip outfit, I am wearing a thin boyfriend tee and a button-down long sleeve shirt. This was a road trip I took in March along the California coast, so pretty much pretty weather but a little fresh so I love having the option to freely add or remove a layer.

For warmer weather, you could also layer, a tank top with a denim jacket.

If the temperature is very cold during your road trip consider wearing a warm vest as a layer. This is a winter road trip outfit I wore while exploring Colorado National Monument. I will layer a cute vest over a sweater and if it snows I would add a large coat over, as I did in this winter road trip outfit. I love vests as an option because they keep you warm without being too bulky.

Leggings Over Denim (Or Shorts for Summer)

I want to be comfortable while sitting in the car for hours so I opt for leggings instead of jeans or trousers. This way I can cross my legs and blog on my laptop if I want to. Black is better for leggings than any other color. Not only do they look slimming but they hide the occasional stain caused by road trip snacks.

Leggings work great for winter, fall, and spring road trips. If you’re on a summer road trip wear comfortable shorts. Again, nothing too tight or denim. Instead, opt for drawstring shorts, these Drawstring Waist Chambray Shorts are the perfect example or these Pull-On Shorts by Madewell are another great option for a comfortable road trip outfit.

These style of shorts are also great if you’re wearing a bathing suit underneath. Maybe you’re doing a California beach road trip and you want to jump into the ocean as soon as you arrive, well these shorts are easy to take on and off.

If you want to know what you can and can’t wear with leggings and how to create a variety of outfits with the same black leggings read: What to Wear with Leggings & 20 Style Tips on How to Wear Them.

Bring a Travel Tote or Large Handbag

A little clutch for a road trip just won’t do. A large handbag is what you need to bring with you on a road trip to hold all of your necessities. Makeup for touch-ups or extra hair ties, hand sanitizer and of course mints and snacks.

In my handbag, I carry with me a few essentials: phone, face powder, Chapstick, Kleenex, notebook, pen, iPad mini, wallet, sunglasses, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, gum, hair ties, and bobby pins. These are the items I need in to have within arm’s reach and not in a suitcase in the trunk.

Sunglasses!

Again, long hours in a car can be hard on you, at times it is hard one me, so I bring a handy pair of sunglasses to cover my tired eyes. As with long flights, sunglasses are an item you don’t want to forget.

Sunglasses can hide your tiredness immediately and if you’re spending hours under the glaring sun make sure to protect those eyes! Sunglasses don’t only make you look cooler, sunglasses prevent wrinkles.

Wear Your Hair Up

There is no way to keep my hair full of life after three-plus hours in a car, windows rolled down or not. To not be bothered by my hairs lack of bounce I always wear it up.

Wear your hair in a bun or in a ponytail, whichever looks cutest with your road trip outfit. This will keep you looking cute even with the seven-plus hours you’ve spent road-trippin’ it and singing Californication at the top of your lungs.

Comfortable Stylish Clothes for Road Trips

There you have it, quick and easy style tips for stylish road trip outfits. I hope this post has helped you determine what to wear on a road trip so you can enjoy the ride and still look cute in photos.

If you need help on specific outfits or have other questions on how to look stylish while traveling, make sure to leave me a comment below!

Stay Stylish,
-V