Being a successful executive is all fun and games until it comes to business travel, isn’t it? The long-haul flights, the seemingly endless hours at the airport, the complex web of airport security details to take care of, and the pressure to do everything while looking your best – few things seem as tiresome from the get-go as travelling for business. You got to do what you got to do, right? The good news is, travelling in comfort and style is not that difficult.
Here’s all the help you will need to do the same:
- Deciding what to Wear for Business Travel
Your clothes should be stylish and yet comfortable for travel. Choose soft, cease-free fabrics in appropriate colours (no prints please!). Dark jeans, slim chinos and tailored trousers make for good choices. You can pair them with polo shirts, plain T-shirts or tailored dress shirts. A lightweight, colour-coordinated blazer will finish the look to perfection.
A blazer is incredibly functional when flying as well. You can use it to store essentials such as your phone, passport, and other travel documents if any. No body likes to fish into their bag multiple times for these essentials anyway.
Speaking of blazers, one good idea is to actually wear the blazer or coat you plan on taking with you for the trip, to the airport. This has two benefits – 1) it keeps the clothes in question from developing any folds, wrinkles and crease lines that are so common in packed luggage, and 2) it makes you look sharp, respectable and well, worthy of any travel upgrades or related flying benefits. After the check-in, you can always stow the coat or blazer on the deck above you and relax.
Let’s discuss the shoes and accessories next. For the airport, you’ll need footwear that can be easily removed. You don’t want to meddle with laces and tricky footwear during customs, do you? In addition, you want to ensure the footwear looks every bit stylish. Two words – penny loafers. Choose a slick, high-end pair, which can be worn on the actual trip as well.
When it comes to your belt, roll it neatly and leave it in your carry-on luggage so that you don’t have to put them on and off while navigating airport security.
- Deciding what (and how) to Pack for Business Travel
What you pack will depend largely upon your business travel agenda. If it’s a really short business trip where you’ll be able to full fill your business obligation within a day, and can return the next day itself, packing is a breeze. Choose your business attire, preferably suit in navy blue, grey or black colour and pack it neatly. For longer trips and weekend stays, you’ll need at least one pair of comfortable trousers (tailored chinos in neutral colours such as grey or beige are ideal).
Choose the most versatile of your dress shirts, some plain T-shirts or polo shirts, and a pair of jeans to pack as well. Pick out a couple of good-looking ties, one cardigan (shawl neck will work best) and a jumper (V-neck design, neutral colour) as well, if your trip is to last longer than a week.
The fabrics you choose should match with the season or the climate at the destination. Cotton and linen are ideal for trips taken in the summertime, or trips taken to warmer destinations. Heavy wool, tweed and cashmere are ideal for winter trips and colder climates.
For longer trips, do pack in an additional pair of footwear as well. Oxfords and double monk straps are your best bets. Otherwise, the loafer you wear to the airport will suffice. As always, you want to ensure you have enough socks and underwear packed with you.
Finally, let’s see how to pack all this. If you don’t have a lot of luggage, consider packing it in the good old attaché case. They pack that old world charm, are stylish, and look sophisticated, especially when you’re dressed so well for your flight. A high-end leather holdall is another great option for carrying smaller luggage. They’re large enough to fit everything inside of them, and small enough to fit inside the overhead cabin themselves. You won’t have to wait in line for checking in your luggage and can look dapper at the airport as well. For trips longer than one week, you’ll need a suitcase. Wheeled cases work best because they are convenient to carry and keep.
In the end, travelling like a gentleman is all about being well-organized, dressing neat and looking sharp. Following the tips above will help you deliver this usually-hated aspect of being a professional with utmost style and panache.
