Suits On the Go: Keeping Your Suit Looking Fresh While Traveling
If you have to fly or travel a long distance for an important business meeting or a job interview, keeping your suit clean and wrinkle-free is an absolute must. So, how do you do that while traveling? We’ve got a few tricks of the trade to keep you looking fresh from the jetway to the boardroom.The most important way to keep your suit wrinkle-free is to first pick the right suit for traveling. Choose fabrics that are less prone to wrinkling. For example, wool will relax naturally when you hang it up at night, while a linen suit will crease if you even think about wearing it. Darker colors are also great for hiding any small wrinkles that may have been left over. But, no matter which suit you choose to take with you, the second most important rule is to hang it up as soon as you reach your destination. Just like you do after a long travel day, your suit needs to breathe and settle.
While a great leather weekender bag is super stylish, it’s not the best for traveling with a suit. If you are going to be traveling often with a suit, select a wheeled hard-case suit that has enough room for two suits, two shirts, one pair of shoes, one belt, and a toiletries case. A hard-cased suit will be more water-resistant, and won’t smash down under the weight of other suitcases, leaving less of a chance for accidental damage and leaks.
And while your suit is packed, make sure you leave little room for error by wrapping your shoes and your toiletries in waterproof bags to avoid any stains from an accidental spill. If you also have a fresh dry cleaner bag, or waterproof clothing bag, putting your suit in that gives you double assurance it will arrive clean.
Quick Tip: If you’re only going for a couple of days, stick with just one suit and change it up with a great dress shirt with a coordinating pocket square.
Folding your suit the right way will not only keep your wrinkles at bay, it will actually prolong the life of a well-traveled suit. Best of all, it’s not as hard as it seems. Just follow these few steps.
- Make sure your suit in laying face down on a flat and even surface
- Fold the left shoulder back, making sure the sleeve is laying straight, with no creases.
- Turn the right shoulder inside out and then tuck the left shoulder into the right. (Remember to keep the sleeve straight!)
- Fold it once lengthwise, making sure the lapels stay flat, then fold once horizontally.
- Lay your suit pants flat across your flat surface and place the suit jacket in the middle. Fold the bottom of your pants over the jacket and then fold the top of the pants over the other direction.
Once your suit is properly folded, lay it down on the flattest surface of your suitcase. Pack any shirts and undergarments on top and then pack your shoes and toiletries.
Even the most diligent of travelers know that sometimes there’s no way around a stubborn wrinkle. What do you do if that’s the case?
- Buy A Handheld Steamer: If you’re a frequent traveler, buying a handheld steamer is the fastest and most cost-effective way to get your suit wrinkle-free in a hurry.
- Hang Your Suit In The Bathroom: Hang your suit properly on a hanger and let the steam from your shower give your suit a little refresh. It’s not a quick as a handheld steamer, but it will speed up the wrinkle-reducing time. (Make sure to hang your suit in a dry place after you’ve finished your shower.)
- Call the Concierge: If you still can’t get the wrinkles out, and you have a little time, ask if your hotel has laundry service and use it. Many places will have an overnight turnaround so you can rest easy and know you’ll look good in the morning.
Need a great travel suit for an upcoming business trip? Karako Suits has the styles, and colors to keep you looking fresh and stylish, whether you’re already the boss or just want to look like one.