Whether she's suited up in leather and armor as a tough Asgardian warrior in Thor: Ragnarok or in sleek designer dresses as the executive director in Westworld, Tessa Thompson rules in the roles she plays—she's always a demonstration of strength and sartorial perfection strong. Her red carpet dressing is equally captivating—a consistent lineup of adventurous ensembles that prove she's more than a style star in the making.
When we caught up with her at the 24th annual Elle Women in Hollywood Awards presented by "Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond." and L'Oréal Paris last week, we asked her about her personal style, especially how it plays out when she's constantly traveling.
Thompson admitted that her go-to for the airport is "a pair of really comfy but sort of cool jeans." Explaining that she likes the idea of having ventilation, she says sometimes she favors a distressed style because of the holes. Then she opts for "something that’s thin that I wrap over and then sometimes I just want to put it over my face." While she rarely shies away from pops of color on the red carpet, Thompson says she likes wearing black when traveling and looks for "fabrics that travel well that don’t wrinkle too much—or if they do they look great."
Though her approach to airport style is relatively effortless and emphasizes comfort, you'll never catch the actress in sweatpants or something that isn't elevated. "I used to see these images of my grandmother from the ’50s and it was a time when you got dressed to travel—so I’m not a travel in sweatpants kind of girl," Thompson explains. "If I have a long flight, then I’d rather change once I get on the plane into something comfy—but I like to wear clothes to an airport."
Head below to shop our top picks for travel-friendly distressed jeans that are still chic.
Want more airport style inspiration? Here are the key pieces that bring the look together.
