Pack Light For Business Travel

If there’s one thing that I have learned through the last few years as I traveled for business, it’s to pack light!

Do you wear a suit? Some people may feel more comfortable in casual attire. I love a suit. A good black suit can be worn day after day with different shirts, accessories, or ties and look fresh and new each day.

Pack several ties that are completely different from each other. Ladies, bring a few bold necklaces. A black suit with a white top looks great with chunky red or silver jewelry.

When I travel for a week of work, I wear my suit to the airport. When I get to my hotel, I take it off and hang it up. I carry a small spray bottle of fabric refresher and spray the suit as needed.

There are also disposable pads that you can purchase. They stick inside the arms or your suit to keep sweat from getting on it. These work quite well and are easier to pack than another suit! Of course, you can also purchase them when you arrive at your destination or a few days into your week.

You also might want to try a suit that has a little stretch to it. That way, it will not ever wrinkle. I have a nice expensive suit jacket but I pair it with a cheaper, machine washable pair of pants from Target with a little bit of stretch to them. It’s hard to tell that they didn’t come together, but the pants never wrinkle.

I love the way a nice, cotton button-down shirt looks with a suit, but these shirts don’t pack well and have to be ironed usually. I don’t have time for that. Instead, I choose stretchy, sleeveless tops that travel well.

Ladies, you may have noticed that when you put on a suit, you are all but almost covered. I love a suit that you barely have to wear a top with at all. If you have a suit like this, perfect! You can wear a small tube top. After all, you only have a small triangle on your chest that you need to cover.

I pack several different colored tubes. They keep me from getting too hot. I also have a few neutral colored, longer tube tops that can double as pencil skirts – just in case I spill something on my pants!

And as far as dress shoes, simply pick one pair that you can stand and walk in for extended periods of time. Pack or purchase some in-soles for when they start to become uncomfortable. You don’t have room for more than one pair, but you do want to have a pair of flat sandals or flip-flops for lounging.

Experiment. Anything you don’t wear must be forbidden to go out with you again. And remember, if you really need something that you didn’t bring, you can probably purchase it when you get there!