Here's Why You Should Think Twice Before You Wear Leggings On A Plane

Let's get straight to the point: Leggings are amazing. You can easily turn them into business-casual attire with heels or pretty flats and a button-down, or you can dress them down by pairing them with that sweatshirt you've had since you were 18.

However, as much as leggings may be a breakthrough in comfort, there's one place where you should never wear them: on a plane. Now, before you flip your desk and shake your fist at the sky, screaming out, "how can something so fantastic be the worst thing to wear to the airport?" you should know that, as far as etiquette goes, they're totally fine. "Nowadays women do it (wear leggings on flights) all the time and of course it's appropriate," etiquette expert Lizzie Post tells USA Today Life. "But what's appropriate is so incredibly subjective."

But where things get shady is when it comes to safety issues because, believe or not, your leggings could actually be deadly. In other words, before you reach for your go-to soft pants on that long flight, consider the risks. 

Two words: artificial fibers. Leggings get that oh-so comfy stretch we all love because they're made with elastane. The synthetic material is often marketed under the brand names Lycra or Spandex, both of which you probably very easily recognize. Some leggings also come in nylon and/or polyester too, both of which are also man-made materials. Synthetics are the perfect recipe for flammable clothing.

Although no one thinks they'll end up in plane crash, erring on the side of caution is never a bad idea. "You might have to escape through a cabin fire or there could be a separate fire on the ground once you leave the aircraft," travel writer Christine Negroni tells The Sun, adding that as the pants burn and melt, they can stick to your body. Granted, 2015 research by The Economist found that the odds of being in a plane crash are one in 5.4 million, but there's still always that teeny, tiny chance. Plus, if there's a fire in the cabin for any reason, such as a battery or anything else, the last thing you want is to be near with flammable clothes.

According to Negroni, natural fibers, like cotton, are the way to go. She also advises keeping your shoes on during the flight in case the plane does go down and you end up in a "cornfield — you won't want to be barefoot," Negroni tells The Sun.

Basically, what it comes down to when flying is being smart about what you wear. Planes can get chilly, so make sure you have a cardigan or light jacket in your carry-on bag. On the flip side, when planes get stuck on the tarmac, they can become hot and sticky saunas, so make sure you can get down to a t-shirt if you have to. When packing essentials for your vacation wardrobe weigh all possible situations and choose your plane outfit accordingly. Hopefully, you'll never have to worry about your leggings going up in smoke, but it's better to dress appropriately so you never have find it out what a mess that will entail.