The art of effortless elegance: packing for stylish business lunches and events

Business trips often only last a few days and therefore do not require large items of luggage. In addition to a laptop and briefcase, a small trolley or a weekender is usually sufficient for clothing. However, if a business dinner or official event is taking place during the trip, formal clothing or evening wear must also be included in the luggage. With a few tricks, you can pack elegantly so that your tuxedo or evening dress will survive transportation without creasing, even in small luggage.

Well prepared for business trips: choose clothes that are suitable for traveling

Many clothing manufacturers offer elegant cocktail wear, suits and evening dresses made from crease-resistant or crease-resistant fabrics. These are ideal for business trips.

• Suits, suits and tuxedos made of wool or with a high wool content have little tendency to crease.

• Some exclusive menswear brands offer suits, pants, jackets and tuxedos made from a modern synthetic blend with properties such as crease resistance and breathability.

• Many cocktail and evening dresses are made from non-iron synthetics so that they can withstand time in your luggage.

• Velvet is less prone to creasing than other cotton fabrics.

• Cellulose fibers made from wood, such as Tencel, Lyocell or Ecovero viscose, are a relatively new material for producing wrinkle-free and breathable evening wear for women.

Cotton, silk, viscose or linen, on the other hand, crease when worn and in luggage. One exception is cotton shirts and blouses with a special finish that protects them from creasing.

How to keep elegant clothing well protected when traveling

Regardless of the type of luggage, aids such as garment bags, plastic covers and tissue paper are helpful. Always make sure that your jacket and trouser pockets are empty.

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Stow your jacket and suit in the garment bag

If the suitcase is large enough, you should use a lightweight garment bag. Hang the suit trousers over the bar of a sturdy clothes hanger, then hang the buttoned-up shirt over the hanger and then the jacket over the shirt. Now pull the sleeves of the shirt into the sleeves of the jacket. Pack the garments hung up in this way in the garment bag and fold it in half once. Fold the garment bag in half and place it in the suitcase. The garment bag prevents the garments from rubbing against other items of clothing and thus protects the suit from creasing.

Transporting a suit, pants and jacket in the suitcase without a garment bag

If you want to pack without a garment bag, place the suit trousers in the suitcase so that the waistband touches one of the inside long sides of the suitcase. Place a layer of tissue paper or plastic film on top of the trousers and then place the next pair of trousers in the suitcase in the opposite direction. Another layer of tissue paper or plastic film also protects these trousers from creasing. First let the trouser legs hang out of the case. Other items of clothing such as T-shirts, sweaters or underwear can be placed on top of the unfolded pants. You can also place blouses, short skirts and shirts between the trouser legs. Then fold the bottoms of the trouser legs over the items of clothing with the tissue paper in between. By inserting other items of clothing between the folded trouser legs, you avoid creases in the pants. Jackets are placed on top of this package.

Fold the jacket by stuffing the sleeves with a small roll of paper to protect them from sharp creases and placing them crossed over the front. Then fold the jacket in half once along the button placket.

Packing a travel bag or weekender

The following solution can be used to transport a suit in a small bag without creasing it:

• Fold the pants lengthwise so that the trouser legs are on top of each other

• Cross the sleeves of the jacket at the front

• Fold the jacket in half along the button placket and fold it loosely in half lengthwise

• Lay the jacket in the middle of the trousers and fold the trouser legs over the jacket from both sides

Here too, tissue paper between the garments prevents creases from forming when different fabrics rub against each other during transportation. If there is enough space in the bag, thin rolls of paper in the sleeves help to maintain the shape. The package folded in this way is placed in the widest possible part of the travel bag.

Stowing shirts, dresses, blouses and skirts

Stow long skirts in your suitcase or travel bag in the same way as long pants. Place other items of clothing between the folded skirt in the travel bag to prevent cross creases. Short skirts have enough space in a suitcase that is large enough to simply lay them flat. In a small suitcase or travel bag, fold the skirt once to half its width. If the travel bag is not long enough, pack the skirt in the same way as trousers or a long skirt.

The following folding technique is ideal for shirts and blouses:

• lay the buttoned-up shirt on a table or bed with the back facing upwards

• smooth out any creases

• Fold the right side of the shirt about a third of the way towards the middle

• place the sleeves on the folded side of the shirt so that the cuff is facing downwards

• do the same with the left side of the shirt

• Fold the shirt in half so that the hem edge is at the shoulder

Place the folded shirts next to each other in the suitcase, on top of each other in the travel bag or between the folded pants and skirts. Make sure you change direction so that the collars do not lie on top of each other and place side paper between them again. Special shirt bags are practical and helpful and often even contain a folding board to protect the shirts from creasing.

Fold dresses once to half their width and then once or twice lengthwise.

Observe the correct order when packing

The bottom layer in a suitcase and in a travel bag is always heavy items such as shoes and toiletry bags. Stow small items such as socks rolled up in the shoes. Pack each shoe individually in a plastic bag. The next layer is made up of insensitive items of clothing such as underwear, pullovers, jeans or T-shirts, provided they are not between the trouser legs. Place the suit on top with the garments in between. As the top layer, place delicate items of clothing such as shirts, blouses and dresses loosely in the suitcase or bag.

The bag or suitcase should be large enough so that you don't have to squeeze the garments together when closing it.

After arriving at the hotel

Unpack your suitcase or bag as soon as you arrive at the hotel and hang your delicate clothes on hangers. If creases have formed despite all precautions, hang the clothes in the bathroom. The damp air in the shower will smooth out the textiles and make the creases disappear.