If you're planning to travel in the near future, you might be wondering how to pack a suit jacket. Whether you're traveling for business or leisure, you may need to bring a formal outfit. While you can stuff t-shirts and other casual garments in your luggage, suit jackets require a little extra care. Stuffing a suit jacket inside your luggage will typically result in wrinkles that are stubborn and hard to remove. You can still pack a suit jacket, but you'll need to take a different approach so that it doesn't develop wrinkles.
Choose a Wrinkle-Resistant Suit Jacket
For starters, you should consider choosing a wrinkle-resistant suit jacket. Wrinkle-resistant suit jackets live up to their namesake by offering a high level of protection against wrinkles. They aren't necessarily immune to wrinkles; all suits and other garments can develop wrinkles. Nonetheless, wrinkle-resistant suit jackets are made of a material that naturally resists wrinkles.
Suit jackets made of synthetic blends are wrinkle resistant. Synthetic blends, of course, are materials consisting of a synthetic fabric that's mixed with an organic fabric. It's not uncommon for suit jackets to feature a small amount of nylon, polyester or lycra, for example. These are synthetic fabrics. Assuming they are mixed with an organic fabric, they will create a synthetic blend that protects the suit jacket from wrinkles.
Clean Beforehand
Regardless of what it's made of, you should clean your suit jacket before packing it. Packing a dirty suit jacket is never a good idea. Even if it only has superficial dirt, it may develop stains during transit. Superficial dirt can work its way deeper into your suit jacket. Upon arriving at your destination, you may check your suit jacket to discover unsightly stains on it.
Different suit jackets have different cleaning requirements. You may be able to wash your suit jacket at home by placing it in the washing machine with the cold water setting, followed by air drying it. Alternatively, you may need to get your suit jacket dry cleaned. Refer to the care tag on your suit jacket to determine the safest way to clean it. By cleaning your suit jacket beforehand, you can rest assured knowing that it will develop stains during transit.
Rub With a Dryer Sheet
In addition to cleaning your suit jacket before packing it, you should rub a dryer sheet on it. Why is this important exactly? Rubbing a dryer sheet on your suit jacket will leave it smelling nice and fresh. More importantly, perhaps, it will neutralize static electricity.
Suit jackets can develop static electricity. Static electricity is particularly common when suit jackets are packed in luggage or bags. As your suit jacket rubs against the sides of a luggage or bag, it may develop static electricity. A simple way to protect your suit jacket from this phenomenon is to use a dryer sheet. Rubbing a dryer sheet on your suit jacket will coat it with an antistatic compound that neutralizes and prevents the buildup of static electricity.
Use a Garment Bag
The safest way to transport a suit jacket is to use a garment bag. Avoid placing your suit jacket in a suitcase or similar piece of luggage. Instead, place it in a garment bag. A garment bag will preserve the shape of your suit jacket while simultaneously protecting it from damage.
Garment bags are large, heavy-duty bags that are designed for garments. You can use them for just about any type of garment, including suit jackets. Most garment bags even support the use of a clothes hanger. Rather than just placing your suit jacket inside of a garment bag, you can use a clothes hanger. The clothes hanger will help to retain the shape of your suit jacket.
Fold When Storing in Luggage
If you're going to transport your suit jacket in a piece of luggage rather than a garment bag, you'll need to fold it correctly. There's a wrong way and a right way to fold a suit jacket when packing it. Unfortunately, most people use the wrong method. How do you fold a suit jacket when packing it in luggage?
Start by lying your suit jacket on a flat surface, such as a table or ironing board. Next, fold it in vertically in half by bringing the arms together. You can then fold your suit jacket horizontally in half so that it turns into a small square-shaped package. When finished, place your folded suit jacket in the luggage. Using this folding method will protect your suit jacket from wrinkles. A garment bag is still a better solution, but you can fold your suit jacket by following these simple steps.
Bring a Lint Roller
When traveling with your suit jacket, you may want to bring a lint roller. It's an otherwise simple tool that can make a big difference in the appearance of your suit jacket. Your suit jacket may develop lint during transit. Whether you store it in a piece of luggage or a garment bag, there's always the chance of lint accumulating on it. Fortunately, you can clean your suit jacket in just a few minutes by running a lint roller over it.
Lint rollers consist of handheld rolls of one-sided tape. As you press and roll it on your suit jacket, the adhesive side will pick up any lingering lint. Once you've arrived at your destination, go over your suit jacket with a lint roller. It's a quick and easy way to clean any lint off your suit jacket.
In Conclusion
When traveling out of town, you may want to bring a suit jacket. It will allow you to create a formal outfit that looks professional and clean. Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn't just stuff your suit jacket in a piece of luggage. You should either place it in a garment bag, or if you're going to use a piece of luggage, fold your suit jacket.
