15 Plus-size Mix-and-match Travel Outfits for Spring

Comfortable clothes that help you look and feel your best are one surefire way to start a new trip on the right foot. When the weather begins to warm up, I start packing differently to make sure my favorite spring looks come on the road with me. As a plus-size travel writer, I want to be prepared for anything that might come up on my travels. However, I can only take so much with me in my carry-on, so I choose travel-ready clothes that I can mix and match to create many looks from just a few essentials.

To help you build your own mix-and-match travel wardrobe, I rounded up 15 of my favorite plus-size clothing essentials that I bring along on every trip and often pair together in a variety of ways. For example, I like to wear this timeless jean jacket with this floral T-shirt dress for a comfy outfit that can transition from a day of sightseeing straight to dinner.

If you’re preparing for spring trips and need a wardrobe boost, consider these tops, pants, shorts, and more to mix and match so you can make the most of your closet—and the precious room in your suitcase.

Ritera Plus-size Wide-leg Pants 

Wide-leg pants are always in style. Even more importantly, these Ritera trousers are comfortable, breathable, and durable, making them great for travel. I have them in black because they match everything. Plus, I have a lot of colorful shirts to liven up the look when mixing and matching on vacation. However, they’re also available in a variety of fun colors and patterns.

Lane Bryant Swing Flutter-sleeve Boatneck Top

With flutter sleeves that provide a fun, feminine touch, this loose-fitting top from Lane Bryant is even more comfortable than a T-shirt. The Twilight Purple colorway is soft but eye-catching and matches so many different things. I usually dress it down with black capri pants, but sometimes I dress it up with a skirt, too. I love how this shirt’s short sleeves and breezy material make it ideal for warm-weather travel days.

Lane Bryant Linen Pull-on Shorts

These neutral-hued shorts are versatile, making them ideal for mixing and matching. They’re super soft, and the relaxed fit from hip through thigh makes them comfortable to wear all day long. They’re easy to pull on, with a custom-cinch drawstring for the perfect fit, as well as two front and back pockets.

Maurices Plus-size Embroidered Puff-sleeve Top

This lightweight top is my go-to for warm spring days. It always seems to help me stay cool even when I’m out in the heat for a long period of time. I feel good when I wear this stylish top, too, with its flattering fit and puffed sleeves. It has cute details like the white embroidery, and of course, it’s easy to match with nearly anything black, white, or denim in my wardrobe. 

Neer Plus-size Linen Capris 

I love wearing these linen capri pants on travel days, and they go with most things in my suitcase, so it’s easy to find shirts, socks, and accessories that go great with them. I appreciate the high waist and wide-leg fit, and the way the pants flow adds a touch of elegance to the look.

The side pockets come in handy during my travels. Be sure to choose black or other dark colors because the lighter options can be see-through. I’ve had no problems with the darker colors, though, and they’re among my favorite pants.

Poseshe Plus-size Empire-waist Swing Dress

Botanical prints scream spring and summer, so I feel in the mood of the season when I wear this joy-inspiring dress. It’s soft, stretchy, and fits loosely, so it’s a great option when I feel like wearing a dress for a flight or a long day of sightseeing. One of my favorite things about this dress is its deep pockets that can quickly hold my essentials when I’m on the go. Plus, I love having floral prints in my travel wardrobe, as they’re fun to mix up with complementary solid colors.

Lane Bryant Smocked V-neck Popover Blouse

This popover blouse is effortlessly pretty because you can pull it out of your suitcase and be ready to go. It has a soft-smocked, V-shaped neckline and puffed sleeves with button cuffs. This lightweight, frilly shirt is my go-to during the spring and summer. If you like loose shirts, I recommend sizing up because it’s a bit more figure-hugging than you might think, yet very comfortable with a soft-textured dobby fabric. It’s perfect for mixing and matching because you can wear it from a business meeting straight to a casual lunch with friends.

Lane Bryant Classic Denim Jacket

Jean jackets are a timeless wardrobe staple that can transition seamlessly from season to season. In a medium denim wash, the jacket looks great with light or dark clothes and is perfect for layering when the weather takes a cold dip. I love the classic collar and button cuffs on the sleeves. And fellow pocket lovers, rejoice: It has two chest and two side pockets to hold your must-haves.

Tahari Asl Wide-leg Pants

Available in classic black and white, which are always easy colors for mixing and matching, these stylish wide-leg pants are also available in bright, spring-perfect colors, like cobalt and raspberry. They’re form-fitting and flattering, and they have pockets to boot. Although they look ready to wear to the office or a business lunch, they’re comfortable enough to wear all day, and I reach for them when a day of sightseeing includes museum visits and other places where I like to feel just a little more polished.

Evaless Matching Lounge Set

Travel can be unpredictable, so I like having clothes in my suitcase for any weather change. This two-piece set from Amazon is a comfortable, casual outfit perfect for hot weather. The half-sleeve top fits loosely and helps me stay cool, and the skirt is soft, with an elastic drawstring at the waist. The set matches, but the individual pieces also pair well with most things in my travel wardrobe, too.

Amazon Essentials Plus-size V-neck T-shirt

A comfortable T-shirt is an essential part of any travel wardrobe. This durable option from Amazon Essentials holds up well and doesn’t fade. (I once packed a black shirt with a separate black pair of pants that didn’t match since one was completely faded—oops!) Now, I take care to choose pieces that don’t fade easily. This shirt is available in many colors, but I always pack the black and burgundy ones.

Maurices Plus-size Ribbed Knit Hoodie

This is the ideal spring hoodie. It’s lightweight, soft, and stretchy, and I appreciate that it didn’t shrink despite multiple washes. It’s nice to wear when the temperature drops at night, and it never feels too heavy. It’s also a great option for chilly flights: I recently wore this hoodie on a flight from Atlanta to Greece, and it kept me warm but never hot or uncomfortable.

If you’re looking for neutral colors to build your mix-and-match wardrobe, you can get this hoodie in heather gray or brown, but it also comes in more spring-centric colors like coral and blue.

Just My Size Plus-size Capri Sweatpants

These sweatpants fit me as regular pants since I am only five feet tall, but most people wear them as capris. They’re more comfortable than my pajama pants, so I love wearing them on long-haul flights. The pants come in three colors that are perfect for pairing with a variety of shirts and shoes: black, light steel, and navy blue. I love the wide-ribbed waistband with its adjustable drawstring to ensure they always fit well, and I never have to worry about them sliding down even if my weight fluctuates.

Torrid Retro Chic Flutter Swing Dress

There’s something about polka dots that gives a fun, nostalgic, and youthful vibe to any ensemble. This swing dress is easy to dress up or down, with its casual V-neck design and short flutter sleeves. It has princess seams, a flattering basque waist, and the right amount of stretch to feel comfortable. The side pockets are convenient, too. The black-and-white polka dot pattern means I never have to bring specific shoes or accessories to match because the dress goes with most things I have—but I usually wear it with black flats or sneakers.

Riiqiichy Shawl Wrap

Wraps never go out of style, and this one is ideal for matching with hundreds of different outfits. It looks good as a wrap over a formal dress or as a cute shawl paired with a casual top and jeans. Plus, during warmer months when the temperatures are rising at your destination, it might still be cold on a flight, so it’s great to wrap this warm shawl around you on the plane.

The black option is best if you want it to match most things, but it’s available in well over two dozen colors, so you can choose the ones that will best fit with your travel wardrobe.

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