Are you planning a trip around a special occassion? Whether it be a wedding, fundraising gala or a black tie event, they all require a sepcific set of clothes that don’t travel well. Even if the event is within two days of your arrival, a lot can go wrong with your clothes within that time. Don’t leave everything up to your airline.
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Although packing your formal wear in a carry on seems like an absurd feat, it’s actually very much possible with our seven tips below.
Do The Crunch Test
For a formal event, you probably have a tuxedo or you are renting one. However, for girls, you will need a dress that can travel well. Test the fabric by grabbing it in your hand, making a fist and crushing the material. The less wrinkles you see, the better the dress can travel.
Tip: Jacquards, velvets, crepe satins, silks and tulle travel well. Taffeta, cotton sateen and embellishments do not. We especially like silks and tulles because they generally don’t take up a lot of weight.
Plan Your Outfits
If you’re dealing with very limited space, like a carry-on bag, you will want to only pack what you need. Take the time to figure this out and take into account the duration of your trip, what you want to wear, and when it will take place. Try them on before you go to make sure you are happy with them.
Tip: Pack the clothes that you normally wear all the time. Chances are, you’ll gravitate towards these staple outfits on your trip as well.
Limit The Liquids
Yes, you need to stay below TSA’s liquid limit, but you want to shoot for even lower than that. Make sure two or three items don’t max out your liquid allowance. If you’re going on a short trip, you won’t need two-ounces worth of any product. Instead, use small sample-size liquid containers, spare contact cases or pill organizers and dole out a small amount of each product that you need to pack.
Tip: Pack a foundation stick and solid perfume instead of the liquid form.
Wear Big & Heavy Items To The Airport
Don’t put your biggest and heaviest items, like jackets and boots, in your carry-on. Wear them instead! Except, of course, if your biggest pair of shoes are 5-inch stilettos. In that case, we recommend going for a more comfortable pair of shoes.
Pack Strategically
Whether you’re a folder, a roller or a combination of both, you’ll want to pack strategically. Put your formal clothes in a garment bag and fold it down flat to maximize space in your carry-on. Then gently place it in the center of your carry on as the last item before you close your bag.
Tip: Use a hard-sided rolling carry-on to protect your formal wear from being crushed.
Bring A Big Personal Bag
Carriers tend to be more forgiving when it comes to personal bags. As long as it meets size requirements and fits under the seat in front of you, you’re good to go. Pack anything you can’t fit in your carry-on, oddly-shaped items and things you’ll need during the flight in your personal bag.
Use The Airplane Closet
Protect your formal wear from wrinkles and other overhead-bin issues by hanging it in the plane closet. Keep in mind, not all aircrafts have closets, and you’ll need to ask the flight crew to hang it for you. They don’t have any obligation to accommodate you, so make sure to be courteous and ask nicely.
Bonus: Pack a Travel Credit Card
When traveling, it is crucial to carry the right credit card in your wallet. You don’t want to miss out on the perks and rewards you can earn. Here are a few we recommend you carry from our guide to The Best Travel Credit Cards.
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM • 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries • 2x on all other travel purchases • 1x on all other purchases • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase TravelSM This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
 The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. You're able to earn: • 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. • 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection This card does come with a $95 annual fee. Enjoy no foreign transaction fees and receive up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®. |
 The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. You'll earn: • 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. • 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card(R). The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required. • The American Express Global Lounge Collection can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023. • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month. • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card. • $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. • $199 CLEAR Plus Credit: CLEAR Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues. • Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost. • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required. This card comes with a $695 annual fee.¤ (See Rates & Fees), but you cardholders can enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only. Terms Apply. Terms Apply. |
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Bottom Line
Now that you’re armed with our seven tips for packing formal wear in a carry-on, go travel to your event, wrinkle-free, with just a little suitcase. We’ve also included some smaller tips to make sure you’re ahead of the game. If you’re considering traveling, be sure to check out our post on The Best Travel Credit Cards to get the most out of your travels.
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