Best way to pack a suit?

[vwrestler171]

I finally broke down and bought a suit for my upcoming Liberty cruise. What is the best way to pack it so it doesn't wrinkle? I know the Liberty has irons available for the shirt, but I would rather avoid having to use them if possible.

[Almost Packed]

you can leave your suit on hangers, cover it in it's garment bag from the store or the thin plastic from the cleaners. after i pack our clothes, our formals are the last thing to go in, the morning we leave.

 

i pack them on the hangers, and i lay them right on top of everything, "digging" the hangers down in to the top portion of the suitcase so more of the suit is in the suitcase, not hanging out the bottom. i then use my luggage straps and fasten them, keeping everything in place so they don't shift around so much and then fold the bottom portion of the clothes/plastic bag that's hanging out the bottom over that and zip it up and go. first thing we do when we get onboard is remove them and hang them up.

 

hope that helps. works everytime for us. i just use the largest suitcase for this, but pack it all tightly. it's the shifting/settling of items inside that end up messing things up.

[Eyez56]

I was told if you cover your garments in the plastic wrap that comes from the dry cleaners then roll them up before packing and hang as soon as you arrive they will be wrinkle free. Never tried this so I don't know if it works. I am going to try on this trip.

[kona_wahine]

That's pretty much what we do too. We have an extra large duffel bag type bag. I pack it and last thing to go is the suit in the garment bag from the store, hangers still on. I fold it I half and lay it in drapes over everything else. It seems to work, and the suit wasn't wrinkled. But I wouldn't pack early, and take it right out and hang p.

[2wheelin]

Lay suit coat on bed. Place shirt flat on top of jacket. Hold pants by hem, crease in each hand and place hem at collar of shirt. This is lots easier than it is to explain. :) place a couple of folded t shirts or other soft item on shirt. Then start folding. Fold pants in half over t shirts. Fold dress shirt sleeves over pants and wrap around t shirts. Fold jacket sleeves over the bundle. Fold in half top to bottom. Slide this bundle into a ziplock bag or special vacuum packing bag and lay it on the floor. Lay on top of it to force out all the air and seal. Saves tons of space and believe it or not will not wrinkle if you have folded carefully. I once packed all our cruise wear this way and left them in suitcases for 10 days before boarding the ship ( land portion first) and not one wrinkle.

[ferfoodle]

As stated above in all posts - plastic is the key. Wrinkles are caused by friction and plastic reduces friction. If you aren't concerned about checking bags at the airport or are driving to the port - I recommend a garment bag. I pack all of DH's slacks and his suit with all of my dresses - each in their own plastic bag and on hangers in a garment bag. I am also able to put quite a few other items in the bag with them and we have yet to get one single wrinkle.

[vwrestler171]

I will be checking a bag at the airport, hopefully only the 1, but DW likes to pack A LOT. I still have the plastic that my suit came in and infact it is still in the bag in the closet. So if I leave it in the plastic and put it on top of the luggage, I should be ok?

[ferfoodle]

I will be checking a bag at the airport, hopefully only the 1, but DW likes to pack A LOT. I still have the plastic that my suit came in and infact it is still in the bag in the closet. So if I leave it in the plastic and put it on top of the luggage, I should be ok?

 

Yes you should be okay - as long as the bag is neither too crammed nor too loosely packed. You want "snug" to reduce shifting - but not too tight that the zipper threatens splitting apart.

[RMLincoln]

I pack DH's suit pants in the suitcase but similar to what others have suggested, by lay one end in the suitcase and add ing other clothes and then folding the pant legs on top... sttapping down to keep from sliding around.

 

The suit coat he more or less wears, but has on a hanger in the car to the airport, wears it through security and then takes it off on the plane and gently folds it up to place it in the overhead bin on top of our carryon. Have a great cruise! m--

[sjcruiser]

I have a suitcase that has a built-in suited/garment section just for suits, or items on hangers. If I don't take that bag with me, I use dry cleaning bags, and ensure the pants are hung on a wooden hanger, with the pants centered on the spindle, then the jacket hung on the hanger with the sleeves crossed in the center. The suit would be the last item on top in the suitcase. For smaller bags, such as carryon without the suiter, I fold the pants following the natural, or pressed creases or seams, then fold the pants in half, the fold them in half again, and maybe again if necessary. The jacket is folded in half, inside out like stores fold shirts, with the sleeves following their natural drop, then the jacket is folded in half, then folded in half again. with the last version, assuming you don't have to wear it upon arrival, you can lightly press the pants, and the jacket can be steamed or sent out to be steamed/pressed to removed creases or wrinkles, if any. With any version of the folds for packing, you can still place the articles in dry cleaning bags to minimize wrinkles. If you look on YouTube, there's a lot of videos on folding/packing mens suits for travel.

 

Here's a version I recently stumbled upon, I haven't used it yet, but a friend swears by it.

 

[ccruisequeen]

I finally broke down and bought a suit for my upcoming Liberty cruise. What is the best way to pack it so it doesn't wrinkle? I know the Liberty has irons available for the shirt, but I would rather avoid having to use them if possible.

 

Wear it on board (looks great in your boarding photos)! Hang it up as soon as you get to your cabin.

[RWolver672]

Buy a travel size Downey Wrinkle Release spray. As soon as you unpack, check for wrinkles. Spray the wrinkle and pull on either side of it. The wrinkle will disappear. Do it as soon as you unpack though because it makes the fabric wet.

[rolaur]

I always fold my suit coat inside out and roll the pants. Has seemed to work well for years.

[Brenna's Mom1]

If you take steamy showers just find a way to hang your suit in the bathroom while doing so....also, if the evening is warm and steamy secure your suit on the balcony and just let nature do its thing. Or, just forego the suit and wear a shirt and tie for elegant night like a lot of folks are doing....but then the suit is new and bought for the cruise, right, so forget that idea.

[StillPooh]

Buy a travel size Downey Wrinkle Release spray. As soon as you unpack, check for wrinkles. Spray the wrinkle and pull on either side of it. The wrinkle will disappear. Do it as soon as you unpack though because it makes the fabric wet.

I 2nd this suggestion. DH travels a LOT on business and always brings along a travel size bottle of Wrinkle Releaser. He swears by the stuff.