Travelling With a Suit - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

fredr123 · 02-23-2006, 08:52 AM

I am attending my brother's wedding in Niagra Falls in two weeks. We are leaving Calgary Friday morning, flying into Hamilton and then driving to the Falls. The ceremony is Saturday afternoon and then we repeat the process in reverse order on Sunday for the return trip.

As I'll be standing up for my brother, I need to bring one of my suits with me to wear. The question for you guys is how should I pack it? Since we're only gone for two nights I'd like to travel light, probably with just carry on. Does that mean I need to find some fancy suit bag that fits the carry on requirements for WestJet? Should I wear the suit onto the plane and hope I don't slop all over it? Would it be best to pack it (somehow) in a checked bag and hope upon hope it doesn't get lost or damaged?

Surely there must be some among us who are experienced in business travel and have encountered these kinds of issues before...

Ace · 02-23-2006, 08:59 AM

There are countless options to transport a suit. I found when I went looking that they we're all "pricey" options. I ended up going with a full size suitcast that had a built in suit holder. The suit holder basically is just a fold-up bag that has padding on the fold lines so it doesn't crease. you could probably mimick this yourself by using your socks or something to fold the suit along. Of course the cheapest way would be to wear it on the plane...but that sounds rather uncomfortable to me.

Tron_fdc · 02-23-2006, 09:28 AM

There is a jacket rack in business class (on most airlines) that if you beg and plead they might let you use. That way you can use an ordinary suit bag and take it as a carry on.

My suggestion: buy a pair of Dockers. They look just like suit pants, and when they come out of the dryer they look as if they've just come back from the dry cleaners. If you get a matching coat, you can usually fold it up (carefully) in your luggage bag, and either take it to a dry cleaners when you get to where you are going to be pressed, or do it yourself with a hotel iron (low heat!!).

Calgary Flames · 02-23-2006, 09:35 AM

Westjet doesn't have a business class... or do they?

Agamemnon · 02-23-2006, 09:43 AM

Wear the suit. Unless you've got a 'suit-carrier', its the easiest way to keep it presentable...

You can always pack the pants and just wear the jacket. Suit pants shouldn't get TOO rinkled up if you fold them nicely.

fredr123 · 02-23-2006, 09:50 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I already own a few nice suits and don't have the cash to buy a new wrinkle free option. I also have a new suitcase but it doesn't have a cool suit folding pocket. Wearing one on the plane wouldn't be all that comfortable in my opinion. Guess I might just take my wife's advice and pack it in the suitcase and deal with the wrinkles when I get there. I have all evening Friday and all morning Saturday to work out the wrinkles or get it dry cleaned.

FurnaceFace · 02-23-2006, 09:51 AM

If you have the bag the suit came in from whoever you bought it from just toss it in there and carry it on. If you can't get WestJet to hang it up for you (just mention it's your brothers wedding and they'll do what they can) you can fold once and pop it in the overhead and it'll be fine.

If you don't have the suit bag still you can probably get one from the store you bought it at. Playing up the wedding angle usually works and most places will accomodate you.

I travelled to Japan for a wedding and had my suit in a Samsonite luggage suitbag which got kicked around a few airports on the way there and it was fine. Brother of the groom had his in a bag similar to what I described above, carried it on, and it was fine.

Don't sweat it. If you really need to all hotels have an iron.

ken0042 · 02-23-2006, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

If you have the bag the suit came in from whoever you bought it from just toss it in there and carry it on. If you can't get WestJet to hang it up for you (just mention it's your brothers wedding and they'll do what they can) you can fold once and pop it in the overhead and it'll be fine.

That's what I would do. How soon before the wedding do you get there? Where are you flying into? (What city)

The reason I ask, does your brother have a local cleaners that he could get to press the suit for you? Might cost you ~$10, but to look sharp for your brother's wedding would be worth it for me.

fredr123 · 02-23-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

If you have the bag the suit came in from whoever you bought it from just toss it in there and carry it on. If you can't get WestJet to hang it up for you (just mention it's your brothers wedding and they'll do what they can) you can fold once and pop it in the overhead and it'll be fine.

This is the kind of thing I was hoping to do but would the suitbag count as my piece of carry on?

fredr123 · 02-23-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

That's what I would do. How soon before the wedding do you get there? Where are you flying into? (What city)

The reason I ask, does your brother have a local cleaners that he could get to press the suit for you? Might cost you ~$10, but to look sharp for your brother's wedding would be worth it for me.

We're leaving Calgary on Friday morning, arriving in Hamilton. Wedding is in Niagra on the Saturday. I imagine the hotel we're staying at (or somewhere in Niagra) has a cleaners. Looking sharp for my brother's wedding isn't a top priority as there's only going to be our parents, bride's parents and the engaged couple. Going to a wedding at Niagra Falls in a quicky civil ceremeny in early March isn't something I'm looking forward to...

ken0042 · 02-23-2006, 10:21 AM

Ah, now I see.

The thing to keep in mind, is that you will be in those wedding pictures for as long as the marriage lasts. If it does last a lifetime, you don't want to be regretting not looking good.

I still say go with the suit in the overhead. Wearing it while sitting on a plane for 4 hours might make it more wrinkled than putting it overhead.

shoestring · 02-23-2006, 10:43 AM

Roll up the pants, loosely, maybe put your extra socks in the middle. Then fold your sleeves beside the coat and roll it around your slacks.
When you get to your hotel hang them on a couple of hangers ,hang them up in the shower. Turn the hot water on and create some steam,shut the door .
After about ten minutes any wrinkles will have disappeared.
Roll up your ties too!

HelloHockeyFans · 02-23-2006, 11:16 AM

Whenever I need to pack a suit, I use a "Pack-It" folder which comes with a solid board and instructions on how to fold various items. When you're finished folding, you pack everything with the board into the "folder" and I've found that the clothes come out after the flight in very good condition.

Also when packing, I put solid objects like shoes and what not, into bags and line them around the perimeter of my suitcase while keeping the folder and other soft items in the centre. I also try to keep the suitcase tightly packed so that things don't shift around too much during the flight.

fredr123 · 02-23-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Whenever I need to pack a suit, I use a "Pack-It" folder which comes with a solid board and instructions on how to fold various items. When you're finished folding, you pack everything with the board into the "folder" and I've found that the clothes come out after the flight in very good condition.

Where does one get a "Pack-It" folder?

@theCBE · 02-23-2006, 02:38 PM

I was going to post basically what shoestring said...

Another thing you might want to check is if the hotel you are staying at has a steamer you can borrow. They might have one to lend out to guests upon request. If they do it will literally take you about 2 mintues to get all the wrinkles out, if not the hot shower method is a good alternative

RougeUnderoos · 02-23-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @theCBE

I was going to post basically what shoestring said...

So was I so I would have something to contribute other than saying this:

I think I have a mild and happy version of dyslexia because everytime I see this thread I read it as "Travelling with a Slut"

Incinerator · 02-23-2006, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

Where does one get a "Pack-It" folder?

I'm guessing he's talking about this:

http://www.eaglecreek.com/40130.html

Where you can buy:

http://www.eaglecreek.com/store_locator.html

shoestring · 02-23-2006, 04:38 PM

When "Travelling with a Slut" I am not sure the wrinkles disappear so quickly. Better to only go to dark places.

When I was travelling with a SUIT a lot I bought this little plastic steamer,looks like an iron,five bucks and I still have it twenty years later.