Packing a suitcase for a business trip is a science in itself: a man wants to be prepared for every occasion, whether it is the formal meeting with a new potential client or the rather relaxed dinner with colleagues — nothing should be missing. Especially when it cannot be precisely estimated in advance whether the framework of the business trip will be more formal or more casual, you should pay particular attention to the selection of your garments. At the same time, flights have a limited weight allowance for your chosen piece of luggage, which must be taken into account and prevents you from simply squeezing your entire wardrobe into a suitcase for a business trip. So that you do not despair when packing your suitcase, below are a few tips for selecting the right wardrobe for your business trip, so that despite limited space you are equipped with your garments for every eventuality.
Choose easily combinable garments
For a standard business trip over an extended weekend, one or two suits should not be missing from your luggage. Grey is best suited here as an easily combinable colour, since the suit trousers, for example, can additionally be worn with a blue blazer — and a man has two suitable business outfits for the business trip at once. For the more casual gatherings, an additional pair of trousers, such as chinos, is also recommended. Choose these ideally in a colour that contrasts with the blue blazer you have brought along. Even a seemingly similar shade of blue is a no-go, because even a minimal difference in colour would immediately catch the eye negatively in the combination.
A simpler colour choice is also suitable for the shirts you pack in the suitcase for a business trip. White is considered — as with the business look in general — particularly practical, because it is easy to combine and signals cleanliness. A light blue can be an equally good choice. A lightly patterned shirt can also be packed in the suitcase if needed, which can be worn without a tie for the less formal occasions on the business trip. Of course, a second pair of shoes — ideally suitable for both the casual and the business outfit — as well as accessories chosen according to taste, such as ties and a pocket square for a colour accent, should not be missing.
Wrinkle-free packing
Once the garments for the business trip have been selected, a man faces a further challenge: how to pack all of this into the suitcase as wrinkle-free as possible? The garments brought along should of course be presentable on arrival, especially if the first meeting is scheduled straight away and there is no time to iron the business outfit in the hotel. For the right arrangement of garments in the suitcase, there is a simple rule of thumb with which greater wrinkle catastrophes can be prevented on business trips: heavy items and smaller items first — that is, shoes, belts, and underwear at the bottom, while suits and shirts lie folded on top. Generally, empty spaces should be avoided so that particularly crease-prone pieces can lie as flat as possible. Some of the underwear and socks can also be stuffed into the shoes — this fills empty spaces and the shoes remain presentable, as they cannot be pressed in too much from above.
Finally, bear in mind when folding shirts that the method determines which creases can subsequently be visible in the shirt. So take enough time when packing before your business trip to avoid unpleasant surprises on arrival. With less crease-prone shirts, it can also be practical to roll them up as smoothly as possible: this saves space, packing time and creases. Suits on a business trip remain undamaged if they lie on top in the suitcase and, if necessary, are weighed down only with slight items such as ties or pocket squares.
Further reading
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