Formalwear - how to pack to avoid wrinkles?

[leftwheel]

Does anyone have any tips on how to best pack formalwear? My daughter and I are taking sequin/bead-type dresses. They'll be stored in our luggage for more than 24 hours by the time we unpack and I hate for them to get smashed or wrinkled.

Anyone have any tips on what works best?

 

[4crusinransiers]

I also have a beaded dress, we are doing Disneyworld and the space coast from Washington State, so my dress and the boys Tuxes will be in our luggage for 11 days!!!!!! I expect wrinkles!

 

[stormkrow]

It's tough to avoid wrinkles.

Based on a tip from this board, we packed our suits/formal dresses in the plastic coverings you get from the dry cleaners. It wasn't perfect, but the outfits did seem less wrinkled than we expected.

When you get onboard, send the formal wear ou to be pressed. It's not that expensive.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

The cleaners and garment bags are a great start but there is one other trick you might try. Cushion the areas that are actually folded with tissue paper. If you've ever noticed how the upscale clothing stores prepare garments for the trip home the will actually put tissue inside the fold areas.

Again nothing is perfect especially for 11 days, but this can help - the not overpacking is a biggy too!

 

[Chattyaholic]

My husband took his suit and two shirts/two ties, I took a long dress and a dressy pants outfit. We put drycleaner bags over each one individually and put them in our garment bag. The first thing I did when we got to our room on the ship was take them out of the garment bag and hang them up. They had very few wrinkles in them, but just before we got dressed on formal nights I steamed them with my travel steamer...worked great! This time though, I'm only taking the dressy pants outfit. Nobody cares if you wear the same outfit twice, you're only in your formal clothes for a couple of hours for dinner anyway.

 

[disny4ever]

If you don't need your formal wear 1st night, send it out to the laundry services on board and ask to remove any wrinkles from traveling. It costs a little extra but you'll look your best.

 

[goin2dzny]

is there room in the bathroom to hang formal wear during showers??? I find that the steam helps to remove a lot of the wrinkles!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Probably on the back of the door if nothing else is already there. I seem to remember a hook.

 

[DBCS]

Here is one that has worked great for me....... ask your drycleaner for some extra bags.... When you get home put one bag on the empty hanger and then the dress, and then the other bag on top. This adds the extra cushion like the fancy stores and the plastic keeps wrinkles to a minimum. I have always been told it was the fabric rubbing against itself that caused the worst wrinkles. You can also fold clothes over each other in the case to pad clothes with other clothes. Just lay the garments half in the case with half hanging out, go all the way around 4 sides till it is about half full. Then start folding the other halfs of the garments into the case in reverse direction. I had a bag packed for 7 days this way and everything came out great!

 

[tlt]

We always roll, not fold, our clothes and they do look much better. Also, we take that Downey Wrinkle Remover spray with us and it works good too.

 

[mcnuss]

This may be heresy, but you could take the outfits to your local dry cleaner and ask them to pack them for you. I've done similar in the past and for the nominal fee, oh so worth it.

 

[Laura24]

On the same subject, any pros or cons to using the space bags I've seen in numerous places? Just curious to know if the vac seal reduces wrinkles as well as conserving packing space in luggage. Thanks.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Laura24
On the same subject, any pros or cons to using the space bags I've seen in numerous places? Just curious to know if the vac seal reduces wrinkles as well as conserving packing space in luggage. Thanks.

Remember the episode of Home Improvement where Tim bought the "Suit in a bag" to wear to Jill's college reunion? When he put it on, it was so wrinkled that it looked ike it had been trampled by a herd of rhino's.

I never gave much credence to those vaccu-suck bags. I'll also admit I haven't tried them. But I'm not going to take the chance. Dry cleaner bags and tissue work for me every time.

Anne

 

[Laura24]

Originally posted by ducklite


Remember the episode of Home Improvement where Tim bought the "Suit in a bag" to wear to Jill's college reunion? When he put it on, it was so wrinkled that it looked ike it had been trampled by a herd of rhino's.

I never gave much credence to those vaccu-suck bags. I'll also admit I haven't tried them. But I'm not going to take the chance. Dry cleaner bags and tissue work for me every time.

Anne

Oh my gosh, yes I remember. You just brought a chuckle to my morning. I am opting for the bags and tissue also. I learned one thing from our last cruise...do not over pack. Deciding on shoes was such a challenge.I probably brought 5 pairs last time around. This time I am keeping it simple, black dress shoes, sandals and sneakers. I solemnly do swear!!