Pack for Style
Maintaining a high standard of fashion while on the road isn’t the easiest thing to do. You have to contend with both the varying dress codes between places and occasions, as well as the limited carrying space imposed by your bag and the airline. The right approach – and the right pieces – for men’s fashion on the go, however, could be the answer for you.
High-Rolling Fashion
The overnight bag is commonly used – and overused – by guys on the road. On paper, it sounds convenient: a bag that’s larger than usual, with most of its space in single primary storage area. In practice, though, it’s more a style challenge than just mere luggage.
You have to learn to take the overnight bag at its name’s worth and start using it only for overnight jaunts and day trips. Anything lengthier will require full on wheeled luggage, and for good reason. Not only does a wheeled carry-on bag give you more space, but it also provides structured protection for your clothes. A duffel or overnight bag leaves all your shirts and ties vulnerable to impacts and weight from anything that might pile on it.
Leather and fancy fabric might seem very luxe and indulgent because they are. When on the road, function should always trump form (although having both wouldn’t hurt). Look for wheeled luggage with a nylon or similarly durable, road-ready exterior.
High-Flying Style
It’s only natural for you to want to look your best when going abroad, especially when you have to impress a whole meeting room of necktie-wearing investors or clients. This does not, however, call for you to bring your very best suit and shoes on the plane. In fact, doing so is a very bad idea in most cases.
Non-delicate shirts – typically featuring cotton blends – that you can wash and then wear are an absolute must for traveling. They’re not so fine that you lose out on versatility, at the same time reducing the things you need to worry about (read: laundry). This, along with a wool blend or linen suit and a couple of good neckties, should get you through almost any occasion you could encounter on your trip.
Few formal and semiformal events draw an actual distinction between different styles of leather shoes. As long as you’re wearing the right material, you should get through the door in most cases. It’s an excellent case for forgoing lace-ups in favor of loafers on the trip; they’re lighter, more checkpoint-friendly and aren’t as finicky about getting packed.
Defend Your Delicates
If you don’t already know what can be considered ‘delicate’ in men’s fashion, you have to familiarize yourself with the concept prior to packing. Some pieces and materials are simply not suited for the standard stresses of travel, and thus will not hold up well.
Do you plan to bring delicate materials like silk or leather? Be sure that you also have the appropriate items for protecting and cleaning them. Silk neckties and leather shoes can easily suffer permanent damage when they’re haphazardly stuffed into a duffel bag. You either find the right structured containers for your stuff, or you leave them at home.
Neckties can be rolled up and stored in some hard case or canister to avoid creases, which can be very tricky to remove from silk ties. A plastic bag will suffice for leather shoes as long as there’s something stuffed in them (in place of shoe horns) to maintain the shape. That’s the tradeoff right there: you either opt for simpler and less finicky pieces, or you invest a little extra in your style.
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