How to Pack a Business Suit for Travel

Do it Right!

If you are packing a suit into your luggage for your business trip, it’s for a good reason: You want to go prepared with an outfit that will impress your colleagues, associates, and clients and communicate your unrelenting professionalism.

This message is detrimentally undermined, however, if you show up in a messy, wrinkled suit that’s worse for the wear after hours of travel. You’re almost better off not wearing a suit at all.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to mitigate this common dilemma. If you plan to pack and wear a performance suit at some point during your travels, take the time to pack it properly to minimize wrinkles and keep it ready to put on when and where you need it.

How to Pack a Suit

If you are traveling by train or airplane, chances are, you need to pack your suit to be able to fit into your carry-on luggage for ease and convenience of transportation. The way you fold your pants and suit jacket for travel can significantly impact how it holds up while saving space in your luggage, as well.

Here are some helpful tips for how to fold a suit jacket and pants for travel:

1. Turn your suit jacket over on a flat surface, so the front of it is down and the backside is facing you.
2. Fold the left side of the suit coat backward so the arm slightly overlaps the center of the suit. The lapel should be facing up. Smooth out any wrinkles. Then do the same to the other side and line up the lapels so they’re running parallel with one another.
3. Fold the top and bottom parts of the jacket so it makes a flat, compact cube that can be easily placed into your carry-on luggage. Another way of minimizing your jacket is to wrap it up over a rolled-up T-shirt or rag into a cylinder.
4. Fold your suit pants along the natural creases. You can wrap up your folded-up suit jacket with your pants to save on space.

Selecting the Right Men’s Travel Suit

Even with all your conscientious and meticulous folding and packing, you may arrive at your destination, unpack your carry-on and still find wrinkles in your suit jacket and pants. The only way to ensure your power suit stays crisp and clean while being transported is to choose the right type of suit from the start.