A Flight Attendant on What Not to Wear Through Airport Security

We never want to be that person—the one in the airport security line who just can't get it together and then holds everyone up—especially with the recent record-breaking long lines. This may be due to a lack of airport experience, nervous energy, or the fact that you simply have too many things on your mind to focus. Whatever the reason, there's no need to be the one fellow travellers huff and puff over. We tapped flight attendant Tara Stilley (she's travelled a zillion times, so she clearly knows what she's talking about) to spill on the items that slow you down most at the airport.

Keep scrolling to check what not to wear through the security line. Plus, go a bit further to shop perfect pieces for travel. 

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"Bulky jackets or oversize, loose clothing requires extra screening by TSA when worn through security. Also, fumbling with jackets being carried while trying to place shoes though the scanners and pulling liquids and laptops out definitely holds up the line." — Tara Stilley

Shop a non-bulky jacket:

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"Shoes should be easy to take on and off. Boots with tons of laces or straps that require extra attention to take on or off slows things down on both sides of the security line. I usually wear sandals, anything you can slip on or off without requiring the use of both hands. Sometimes passengers qualify for pre-check, which allows them to leave their shoes on while going through security. Be careful with these—many high heels have nails in them that can set off the body scanners and will have to be taken off and put through the X-ray scanner, thus slowing down the line." — Tara Stilley

Shop perfect travel sneakers:

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"Jewellery is kind of a no-brainer. Every passenger goes through a body scanner that is detecting certain metals, but it's hard to say what exactly it is they are looking for. Typically, I've seen metal bangles (bracelets) can pose a problem. Gold, silver, or other precious metals don't seem to be much of a problem." —Tara Stilley

Shop a necklace you won't need to take off:

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"As for hair accessories, I've been told by a couple of co-workers that sometimes kirby grips have set off the scanners. Wouldn't hurt to just avoid metal hair accessories altogether." — Tara Stilley

Shop a headband to replace metal hair accessories:

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"Luggage is always problematic. Passengers bringing too many bags through security make the lines longer. There is more opportunity to forget about liquids or other things that are supposed to be removed. Also, it helps to stay organised and keep laptops and liquids near the surface and easily accessible. Avoid bringing plastic or paper bags through, too. I've seen passengers trying to put bags through the X-ray scanners that don't zipper or securely close and having to mess with it to make sure it stays upright and doesn't fall over and spill out while going through. It also makes it easier to overfill the bags, making it more likely to get knocked over at some point during the security checkpoint process. My advice is to be able to zip it and forget it." — Tara Stilley

Shop a perfect travel tote:

Shop more items perfect for traveling:

Related: Kim Kardashian's £48 Dress Is the Ultimate Holiday Throw-On Piece

Related: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Just Wore the Most Chic Airport Outfit Ever

What items slow you down most at the airport? Let us know in the comments below.

Opening Image: Splash News

Market Director

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers likeReplica Store, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront ofBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.