Travelling with a Suit

Question

How do you guys bring your suit with you when you fly? I have my Tuck interview on 10/6 and just started thinking about this. I guess you could put it in a garment bag and carry it on. Or you could get one of those massive suitcases that are suppose to hold suits pretty well (although they do still fold the suits in the middle). Do those suitcases work? Or does your suit still get wrinkled? Are there other options?

Raabend · Answer

I have to bring a suit on business trips. What I do is, I pack it in my suitcase. There is a special way to pack a suit so it doesnt wrinkle. Never once have I opened my luggage to find a wrinkled suit.

https://www.ehow.com/how_2252747_pack-suit-suitcase.html

Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy.

ryguy904 · Answer

Hang it in the shower (where it won't get wet) and turn the water on hot. Close the door to the bathroom and give it 10-15 minutes. Works like a charm.

pguard · Answer

All good tips.

Or, get a garment bag. https://www.tumi.com/alpha/garment-cover/

A lot of companies make them. You do not have to pay Tumi prices to get a good one. You'll find you can pack a lot of other items in the side pouches too.

Rubashov1 · Answer

I travel with a suit folded in a normal suitcase quite frequently and almost never have a problem. There might be a slight wrinkle or two at first but mine have always gone away just after being on a hanger for a little while. Garment backs are much less convenient in my opinion.

IHateTheGMAT · Answer

I am sooooo confused by this :shock:

Haha. I need pictures! I guess I'll pack it in the big suitcase I have, since that seems to work for most people and I'll try to use raabenb's magic folding technique if I can figure out how to do it. :lol:

Then, I'll steam it in the shower as soon as I get to the hotel. It's a long trip - 6 hour flight, 3 hours on the dartmouth coach - so I hope it doesn't wrinkle to much (and the little wrinkling that does happen gets knocked out by steaming it). Thanks guys.

Raabend · Answer

LOL! It def take practice!

I have always packed my suits in my small roller suitcase for carry-on. The more snug the clothes, the less shifting....hence, no wrinkles!

refurb · Answer

I use a garment bag then use the hotel provided iron to touch up my shirts (usually the pants and jacket come out fine).

RF

Tarmac · Answer

If you want to make sure, there is only one way:

Pack the pants, flat in the suitcase. this part is easy.

Now, wear the jacket onto the plane. Ask them to hang it in the garment closet. Retrieve when leaving. Hang up immediately when you get to your hotel.

End of story.

filmcity · Answer

This part is also not very easy if one is flying long haul ( say 15-16 hrs ) in economy class. Flight attendents in US airlines usually refuse saying that they dont have garment closet.

This thread is a very pertinent one. Thanks everyone.

I tried to comprehend the first link provided but failed to understand. The hot water one is good but risky ( esp. when you have your interview on the very same day)..

Nerdboy · Answer

I never have troubles with packing the suit in the suitcase, but with the shirts it's a different story altogether. It seems there is no way to pack a a shirt without gettting it all wrinkled. Usually hotels provide ironing service, ironing rooms, etc so I rely on those.

This month however I ran into a hotel that does not allow you to iron the shirt yourself ("for your safety..."). And the laundry service people were very helpful, they'd iron all my shirts.. for tomorrow. :shock:

maverick2011 · Answer

Solution = Jos A. Bank Traveler's Collection https://www.josbank.com/IWCatSectionView ... on_Id=1434 Voted "Best Overall" Wrinke-Resistant Dress Shirt by the Wall Street Journal. I buy them when they are on sale. The premium price is paid for pretty quickly by not having to dry clean/starch. Just wash and dry it like a normal shirt. It's the only dress shirt I wear.

rhyme · Answer

How do these compare to the brooks brothers wrinkle free?

I was going to go pick some of those up, because frankly, I am still !(@#(@! shocked when I see someone at 5pm and it looks like their shirt literally just came from the dry cleaners.

maverick2011 · Answer

I do not have any personal experience with the Brooks Brothers' wrinkle-free shirts; however, a friend of mine at work wears them. He said he may try the Jos A. Bank ones next since they can be a little cheaper if you get them on sale. As far as the quality, I actually asked him if his were Jos A. Bank too since they look just like mine. As a side note, I just had my first interview this week and DIDN'T EVEN IRON my Jos A. bank shirt! :shock:

Tarmac · Answer

True. But if you don't have a garment bag, I would still prefer to wear it onto the plane. You can wait about 30 minutes, then get up and put it on top of bags in the luggage compartment.

If you absolutely must pack it, here is a good way to avoid as much creasing as possible:

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7725/sportcoatfoldingelegancoq1.jpg

Most of the wrinkle-free shirts these days all work well. If you are on a budget I would highly recommend Lands' End over Brooks Brothers. Pack 2 shirts, your best one, and your best wrinkle-free just in case.

I would not recommend a "wrinkle-free" suit. They are bad quality and look cheap.

filmcity · Answer

Very helpful post Tarmac. +1

IHateTheGMAT · Answer

That's a great idea. Got to remember to do that.

rhyme · Answer

As it happens Jos A Bank is having a sale today and tomorrow. I might just go buy one or two wrinkle frees. They aren't as nice as my regular shirts, but for irritatingly short events where I just have to pop my head in, they'd be perfect.

edit, looks like the dress shirts arent part of their sale, but at least they are 25% off.

https://www.josbank.com/IWCatSectionView ... n_Id=17489

maverick2011 · Answer

I've never tried the Signature wrinkle-free shirts. I buy the Travelers tailored fit shirts like this one: https://www.josbank.com/IWCatProductPage ... _Id=417461 So what are your "regular" shirts?

agold · Answer

I've never been big on Traveler's stuff, but maybe I should look into it. I am partial to Thomas Pink and Charles Tyrwhitt shirts and as long as I fold them properly, they end up looking great. It's hard for me to go back to Jos A Bank or Brooks Brothers after I started wearing Jermyn Street shirts - the fit and finish on them is a league apart.

As for suits, I tend to wear the jacket onto the plane and pack the pants inside my suitcase. Probably not the best way to go about things, but it's worked out for me so far.

As for suits, I tend to wear the jacket onto the plane and pack the pants inside my suitcase. Probably not the best way to go about things, but it's worked out for me so far.

Travelling with a Suit

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