How to pack for a business trip

It's been a while since I did one, but packing for a business trip is a skill I have honed over many trips over many years. Here are my top tips! I wrote this for my sister in law, Sam Cousins in case she might be able to use some of it for her new website, www.chevali.com.au, she is selling new and vintage clothes. Check it out!

Packing for a business trip is a skill which can be learnt with a bit of practise and some imagination. When travelling for work there are some key questions that should guide your preparation of what clothes to pack:

Where am I travelling to?

Think about the climate, terrain, city/country

What activities will I be involved in? Meetings, fancy dinners, conference, leisure time

When I pack for a short business trip (eg. 2-5 days) I always take a carry-on suitcase only. If you're travelling with colleagues and you're the only one with checked luggage you will hold up the whole group waiting at the luggage carousel! But most importantly losing your luggage when going on holidays is a hassle, on a business trip it can be disastrous. You often hit the ground running and go straight into work mode and doing this in your jeans that you were flying in is just not a good look. If you are going on a long trip and need a bigger suitcase always take an emergency outfit and underwear in your carry on, or travel in clothes you can get away with for your first day.

With only a carry on case to fill, you have to be smart. My number one tip is to choose a base colour palette and stick to it. For me its always black, but you might choose brown instead. For me black becomes my base colour and I only wear items that will coordinate with it. This allows you maximum flexibility to mix and match pieces to create new outfits. I will always pack a pair of black pants and a black skirt, black boots and/or heels, a black cardigan or jacket and a belt. You might have a great day-to-night black dress which travels well (more on that in a moment) which would be a great addition.

Shoes take up a lot of space and are heavy so try to take as few pairs as you can get away with. This is one of the greatest advantages for me in sticking with one colour (eg. black) you don't need multiple pairs of shoes to coordinate with different coloured outfits. I often wear my biggest/heaviest shoes on the plane (eg. Boots).

My work attire is almost always 'smart' but not 'suit', so obviously that guides my selections. Once you have
your basic black items you would add pieces to fill out your selection. I would choose tops in black, grey, navy, beige/camel. This might sound boring but you can add brighter colours with a scarf or jewellery which take up less space in your case. Darker tops are easier for me when travelling, especially when flying, there's
something about plane food – I always manage to spill it on myself! Dark colours are more forgiving. Black leggings or opaque tights can be very handy if it's a little cool, it allows you to layer your outfit but still be warm. If I'm travelling in winter I will always carry with me a smart warm jacket (eg. A trench or woollen jacket). Always pack an umbrella just in case. 

Regarding clothes that travel well, I never pack items that crumple or need ironing. You never know if you will have an iron in your hotel room so I just avoid the issue altogether. I love to travel with items in wool, wool mix, jersey, and other comfortable, high quality synthetic fabrics that will look fresh straight from the suitcase. Natural fabrics like wool are more forgiving if you need to wear something twice and will dry quickly if you need to hand wash it.

Another good idea is to leave a little space in your suitcase (or buy an expandable case) in case you have time to fit in some shopping. Checking in your luggage on the way home is much easier as consequences of loosing your luggage are not so drastic once you are home.

So to summarise my top tips are:

• Take carry on luggage only (ideally expandable)
• Choose a base colour (eg. Black) and only select items that coordinate to mix and match
• Take as few pairs of shoes as you can get away with, wear your biggest/heaviest pair on the plane
• Add colour and flair with scarves and jewellery
• Choose fabrics that travel well and won't crumple