Does anyone have any recommendations on packing bespoke clothing while travelling for someone who likes to travel light? When I travel I want to be as light as possible. I'm not talking a backpack, but one piece of check luggage and a carryon. Are there any special considerations you should take when packing for extended travel? I understand the basics but if you've purchased your dream suit from Henry Poole you don't roll it up to maximize space and stuff it in your luggage!
I appreciate any suggestions.
Cheers
Miles
Travel considerations
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Simon A
I travel a lot for business and usually have to keep checked luggage lightweight.
The design of your suitcase can help; if it has a separate compartment for the suit, that can be useful in avoiding crushing and creasing. If it has webbing straps to hold the suits in position, that can avoid the suits shifting about and bunching up, but don't overcinch them.
Folding coats and trousers in tissue paper results in nice smooth clothes at the end of a journey. I have used the plastic sleeves from the dry cleaners to the same effect when I could not get tissue, and it seems to help. Try to avoid folding lines in the shoulders or chest; the fewer folds, the better. A larger case means fewer folds needed in the coat.
While nylon garment bags look ideal as the coat can be hung on a hanger, with only one fold, they take quite a hammering at baggage handling, the zips often break and can allow rain or dirt in. I once had an incident when rain entering a garment bag on the tarmac caused the dye to run out of my business suit lining and it irreparably stained four good business shirts and a linen suit. A lightweight hardsides case is safer.
Pack ties in a cardboard tie box( many vendors provide them for free), with tissue if fastidious, and put shoes or boots inside lightweight cotton bags, one for each shoe.
I have tried packing suits in carry-ons (thankfully not my good suits), they always ended up looking like a dog's breakfast afterwards, regardless of the high-tech "suiter" technology employed by the manufacturer. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had a different experience.
The design of your suitcase can help; if it has a separate compartment for the suit, that can be useful in avoiding crushing and creasing. If it has webbing straps to hold the suits in position, that can avoid the suits shifting about and bunching up, but don't overcinch them.
Folding coats and trousers in tissue paper results in nice smooth clothes at the end of a journey. I have used the plastic sleeves from the dry cleaners to the same effect when I could not get tissue, and it seems to help. Try to avoid folding lines in the shoulders or chest; the fewer folds, the better. A larger case means fewer folds needed in the coat.
While nylon garment bags look ideal as the coat can be hung on a hanger, with only one fold, they take quite a hammering at baggage handling, the zips often break and can allow rain or dirt in. I once had an incident when rain entering a garment bag on the tarmac caused the dye to run out of my business suit lining and it irreparably stained four good business shirts and a linen suit. A lightweight hardsides case is safer.
Pack ties in a cardboard tie box( many vendors provide them for free), with tissue if fastidious, and put shoes or boots inside lightweight cotton bags, one for each shoe.
I have tried packing suits in carry-ons (thankfully not my good suits), they always ended up looking like a dog's breakfast afterwards, regardless of the high-tech "suiter" technology employed by the manufacturer. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had a different experience.
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Miles Barnes
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Simon,
Thank you for your helpful suggestions. I'm scheduled to travel this week to DC and will try and apply your advise as best I can. I believe that this is a subject which should be examined more fully.
Cheers
Miles
Thank you for your helpful suggestions. I'm scheduled to travel this week to DC and will try and apply your advise as best I can. I believe that this is a subject which should be examined more fully.
Cheers
Miles
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koolhistorian1
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Frankly it depends if you check your luggage or not!
For check luggage I have a big suit case (called the coffin) that has a separate compartment which allows to hang 3 suits (you can put four) and another which will take shirts, shoes, underwear, etc. It is on wheels, so you can manage to carry it. I really lived for 3 weeks in former Soviet Union, in the middle of summer (translate: no decent laundry and no air conditioning) nearly without having to buy clean shirts.
If you do not want to check your luggage - that is a different story. Airlines have the bad habit (at least here in Europe) to limit the size of the cabin approved luggage (20 or 21 inches) so you have to be very frugal. The best solution is M. Anton s idea of the ”blazer suit” i.e. a suit that can function also as a blazer. It depends much on the level of formality that your trip implies - if you need to transport a black tie suit with all the paraphernalia, forget about unchecked luggage! - but now I can manage with a navy blazer, 2 additional pairs of pants, 4 shirts, 4 ties and 2 pairs of shoes (1 on my feet, 1 in the case) for 3 or 4 days.
The first step is to do a good analysis of your schedule - do you have a formal dinner of not?, do you have to go in a meeting right off the plane? and how formal is this meeting?, how about the final day (schedule you most comfortable pair of shoes if you have to stay 20 hrs in that pair, and build the rest of the days wardrobe around), etc.
There are a lot of videos on the net on how to pack a carry-on, but, for me the ”bunch” method is the best !
Good luck and Godspeed!
For check luggage I have a big suit case (called the coffin) that has a separate compartment which allows to hang 3 suits (you can put four) and another which will take shirts, shoes, underwear, etc. It is on wheels, so you can manage to carry it. I really lived for 3 weeks in former Soviet Union, in the middle of summer (translate: no decent laundry and no air conditioning) nearly without having to buy clean shirts.
If you do not want to check your luggage - that is a different story. Airlines have the bad habit (at least here in Europe) to limit the size of the cabin approved luggage (20 or 21 inches) so you have to be very frugal. The best solution is M. Anton s idea of the ”blazer suit” i.e. a suit that can function also as a blazer. It depends much on the level of formality that your trip implies - if you need to transport a black tie suit with all the paraphernalia, forget about unchecked luggage! - but now I can manage with a navy blazer, 2 additional pairs of pants, 4 shirts, 4 ties and 2 pairs of shoes (1 on my feet, 1 in the case) for 3 or 4 days.
The first step is to do a good analysis of your schedule - do you have a formal dinner of not?, do you have to go in a meeting right off the plane? and how formal is this meeting?, how about the final day (schedule you most comfortable pair of shoes if you have to stay 20 hrs in that pair, and build the rest of the days wardrobe around), etc.
There are a lot of videos on the net on how to pack a carry-on, but, for me the ”bunch” method is the best !
Good luck and Godspeed!
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whyescalar
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http://www.thelondonlounge.net/forum/vi ... f=4&t=6870
Discussed before. As for rolling-up bespoke suits, that is precisely why I started getting stuff made. All the construction holds up, and travels much better than what is usually available retail. Find roller that meets the IATA guidelines for overhead compartments (Rimowa has them; I use the polycarbonate).
Discussed before. As for rolling-up bespoke suits, that is precisely why I started getting stuff made. All the construction holds up, and travels much better than what is usually available retail. Find roller that meets the IATA guidelines for overhead compartments (Rimowa has them; I use the polycarbonate).
Glaser Designs has some interesting packing systems:
http://glaserdesigns.com/Pages/Insiders ... OrgPD.html
http://glaserdesigns.com/Pages/Insiders ... OrgPD.html
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