Weather you are a frequent business traveler, or are going on business trip that requires you to bring a suit and tie for the first time, below are some helpful tips that will help you protect your expensive suits and ties.
1. The right way to pack:
Packing your business clothes the right way isn't an easy task. How can you prevent wrinkles in your suit, dress shirts, and ties, and still manage to pack everything in a tiny carry-on bag? Be realistic with what you need on your trip. If you are going on a business trip abroad for a two-week time period, you might want to think about checking your bag instead. The key to prevent wrinkles in your suit and dress shirts is by not overstuffing your suitcase. Also, create a cushion for your most delicate clothes such as suit, dress shirts, and ties. This will help you prevent wrinkles. Especially tricky are dress shoes. Keep them as far away from your garment as possible. Some carry-on bags have a second pocket especially designed to store your shoes.
2. Garment Bags
The best way to prevent wrinkles in suits and dress shirts is by hanging them straight in a garment bag, that you are carrying with you separately. This is especially recommended if you are going straight from the airplane to the event. If you do have time before wearing your suit and tie, and if you are staying in a hotel, it is less critical. Chances are the hotel offers a dry-cleaning service. Before leaving your clothes at the Hotel's drycleaner, make sure to check on their turn-around time. If there isn't enough time, try the following trick: Hang your suit and shirt in the bathroom while taking a hot shower. The steam of the shower will help straighten out the fabric. If this still doesn't work, look for an iron. Most hotels have irons and ironing board in each room. Keep in mind that suits should not be ironed. Dress pants can be ironed, but depending on the fabric, it is recommended to use a lower heat setting. Most dress shirts are made from cotton or linen. They can be ironed with no problem -even at high heat. When ironing your dress shirts, sprinkle some water on the fabric. The heat of the iron will steam-off the water causing even the toughest wrinkles to disappear.
3. Traveling with Neckties
Neckties are your most delicate pieces of clothes. They are usually made from finest silk, and cannot be ironed and should never be dry-cleaned. This means that preventing any wrinkles in first place is a must. To do this, fold your ties in half and store them between some soft clothes. Keep any sharp edges away from your ties as this can damage the fabric and can cause wrinkles. Rolling up your ties is another option. Start by rolling up the tie at the skinny end. Once rolled up, store the tie in one of your dress shoes.
4. Unpacking
Keep the time your clothes are in your suitcase to the minimum. No matter how tired you are from your travel, unpack your suit, dress shirts and ties as soon as you arrive. Hang them onto a hanger in a well-ventilated room. Chances are the clothes will look perfectly straight when you wake up in the morning.
About the Author
H Pohl is a passionate writer about men's fashion. Especially dress code tips and formal men's attire are his expertise. He is also founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/, a retailer specializing in handmade neckties, bow ties, and cufflinks.
Taken from : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1214841
