There are other major perks. The dress is long enough that I don't have to worry about mooning fellow passengers as I climb the steps up to the plane from the tarmac. The modest cut works when I have an arrival or layover in more conservative countries. And, once I land again in Berlin at the end of my travels, the minimalist ~ aesthetic ~ means I can step off the plane and take the subway home without screaming "I'VE BEEN IN MALLORCA." Plus, because it's a proper dress—versus the oversize-sweatshirt-and-legging ensemble I used to wear to travel—it goes a long way toward making me feel like less of a schlub when I fly, and more of a person when I finally land again.
The genre of "travel clothes" gets a bad rap, some of which is deserved: There are plenty of pieces made out of questionably shiny, clingy material (why?) whose only talent is not wrinkling; capsule collections designed for the jet set tend to offer a range of bland, expensive clothing that makes someone look like they're traveling—i.e., the one thing tourists don't want. Plus, shopping for purpose-built "travel clothes" just adds an extra step to the already daunting prospect of travel (You mean to tell me I have to buy special clothes just to fly 10 hours?), something that right now is more important than it's ever been. Instead, I seek out normal clothing—clothing that looks like something I'd wear to a normal social engagement, that I feel good in. Clothing like my Monki dress.
I'm on my second one now. The spring 2017 update features more of a crewneck and a hemline that swoops up like a nightshirt on the sides of my legs. It's just as breezy and effortless—and I'm actually wearing it as I type this at Abu Dhabi's airport en route to Sydney. (Did I mention it's $35?)
There's a catch, though: There aren't any Monki stores in the U.S., nor does the retailer currently ship there. However, ASOS does carry some of their pieces, so you can still shop the brand. (At $56, this midi dress is a little more expensive than my magical Monki one, but it shares most of its best qualities.)
Ten hours of flight time more until I'm in Oz, but cocooned in this Rick Astley of dresses, I know it's never gonna give me up, and it's never gonna let me down.
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