Packing "Formal" wear

[FinallyCruisinIn2014]

How do you all pack your dressier clothes? I was thinking about a valet bag but wasn't sure if I could use one as they aren't the easiest things to pile up with the other luggage from a porters point of view.

[YubaSutter]

We use a garment bag for suits and dresses

[Shmoo here]

How do you all pack your dressier clothes? I was thinking about a valet bag but wasn't sure if I could use one as they aren't the easiest things to pile up with the other luggage from a porters point of view.

 

Purely by accident ,the first dress I bought for our first cruise for formal night (cocktail dress, mid length) can pack down into a zip-loc bag with no wrinkles.

 

Later purchased a full length formal gown that actually has a sort of wrinkled look to the skirt part, so we can also pack that in our suitcase with no problems.

 

My husband puts his suit in a lightweight travel bag and packs it flat in the bottom of the suitcase before we put anything else in. So far, no wrinkle problem there, either. But, if there were, we'd just send it out for pressing once onboard.

[FinallyCruisinIn2014]

We use a garment bag for suits and dresses

 

The porters don't mind carrying those?

[Kartgv]

Many garment bags, including ours, fold in half - down to just about the size of most regular bags. Porters will just stack them with everything else. Ours has pockets for shoes, a zippered compartment for neckties, plus lots of corner spaces that work for underwear, t-shirts, etc. Don't put anything crushable/breakable in a garment bag, as the fabric sides don't offer much protection. Clothes come out surprisingly unwrinkled, probably due to being on hangers and held in place by straps. Another advantage is that your formal outfits are already on hangers, so just lift them out and hang them up.

 

One more bit of advice - cross pack - in this case it means putting one of your dressy outfits in another bag, and one or two casual outfits in the garment bag. That way if one of your bags doesn't show up for some reason, you at least have a few options.

[Capt_BJ]

pressing is always available and IME does not cost much

 

first night is NEVER formal

 

so just send out to be pressed . . .

[AKman2495]

A few years ago I found a rolling garment bag by Samsonite. It is a great bad. It holds up to four hangers of clothes with zippered compartments and a cover sheet that also has pockets. I can my "nice clothes" and shoes in it. I also carry a small roll away for the causal stuff. It works out fine.

[OCruisers]

Many garment bags, including ours, fold in half - down to just about the size of most regular bags. Porters will just stack them with everything else. Ours has pockets for shoes, a zippered compartment for neckties, plus lots of corner spaces that work for underwear, t-shirts, etc. Don't put anything crushable/breakable in a garment bag, as the fabric sides don't offer much protection. Clothes come out surprisingly unwrinkled, probably due to being on hangers and held in place by straps. Another advantage is that your formal outfits are already on hangers, so just lift them out and hang them up.

 

We use one like that too. It actually looks like a regular suitcase ... stands upright on its own ... even has the rolling handle thing. Works great! :)

 

LuLu

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[cb at sea]

Our suitcase has a top section with a garment bag.....makes it quite easy! Everything stays on hangers, in dry cleaning bags, folded as many times as needed to fit...and the top section is zip closed! No separate bags to worry with!

[Uzdcaddy]

Also consider this. We have cruised many times. I find it easier to go online and rent a Tux. It is very reasonable. You pick it up on the ship, and return it before you leave. Looks classy and you don't have to carry it from home.

[Ellusionz]

Our suitcase has a top section with a garment bag.....makes it quite easy! Everything stays on hangers, in dry cleaning bags, folded as many times as needed to fit...and the top section is zip closed! No separate bags to worry with!

 

I have a set (carry on and large suitcase) with this, both rolling. I've gotten all my suitcases at Ross so you can get them real cheap.

[mom says]

We haven't used our garment bags for vacations for years. I use the bundling method for my formal wear, and I select my clothing with packing in mind, Anything that wrinkles easily doesn't make the cut. I will occasionally put items inside a dry cleaner bag before packing it.

 

DH packs his suit and tux jackets inside dry cleaner bags, and uses a modified bundling method. Any small wrinkles will either fall out after a day or when hung in the bathroom while we shower.

[Daisyloo]

Try googling "how to pack a suit". There are several youtube videos that show good ways to pack a suit. We followed the instructions and it worked really well.

[lifes-a-beach]

i usually pack a healthy supply of i don't care. i hang my shirt in the bathroom with the steam and my suit is perfectly fine. i am meticulous about my appearance in the boardroom. much less so in the dining room of a cruise vacation. i take comfort in the fact that i will look infinitely better than those that wear pressed blue jeans and a golf shirt on formal night.

[ehfl]

We use a garment bag with wheels. It works well, and is easy to transport.

[mom says]

i usually pack a healthy supply of i don't care. i hang my shirt in the bathroom with the steam and my suit is perfectly fine. i am meticulous about my appearance in the boardroom. much less so in the dining room of a cruise vacation. i take comfort in the fact that i will look infinitely better than those that wear pressed blue jeans and a golf shirt on formal night.

This made me smile, and may I say that I like your attitude. :D