Buzz
When it comes to packing dresses, you can opt for garment bags, carry-ons, or suitcases. To keep wrinkles at bay, slip your dresses into plastic dry cleaning bags before packing them. If you're using a carry-on, place your dresses on top of the other items for easy access. When packing in a suitcase, fold your cocktail dresses neatly and roll up your casual dresses. Pack your dresses, zip up your bag, and you're all set for your trip, whether it's a cruise, flight, or road trip!
Steps
Using Garment Bags
Hang your dress on a hanger. Choose a velvet hanger or one with slits or hooks to prevent your dress from slipping off during travel.
- If your dress has additional hanging ribbons near the straps, place them on the hanger to help keep your dress in place.
Stuff your wedding dress with acid-free tissue paper for protection. To preserve the shape of your gown, crumble some acid-free tissue paper and stuff it inside the bust and body of the dress. For added security, place the tissue paper in large plastic ziplock bags before inserting it into the gown.
- This ensures your dress retains its shape during travel, preventing it from being crushed or compacted.
- This method is also great for formal gowns.
- All wedding dresses should be treated this way. If your formal dress doesn't feature a structured bodice, a garment bag might not be necessary.
Protect your dresses by placing them in plastic dry cleaning bags to prevent wrinkles. To avoid creases, lay each dress flat and slide it into a separate dry cleaning bag. Hang the dress by the hanger, smooth out the bag, and let it rest flat. If there’s extra plastic at the bottom, tie it off to secure it.
- This method will keep your dresses in perfect condition throughout your travels.
Store the dry cleaning bags inside a garment bag. Open up your garment bag and slip the dresses inside. Place the hanger through the center slot and adjust the bag’s sides to cover the dress's shoulders. When you're ready, zip it up.
- You can fit multiple dresses in a single bag, depending on how thick they are, but avoid overstuffing, as it can lead to wrinkles.
- For wedding or formal gowns, it's best to pack them individually.
Hang your garment bag in your car or store it on the plane. When driving, hang your garment bag from the hook above your rear seat window. If flying, contact your airline in advance to inquire about their garment bag policy. Many airlines have a designated space for garment bags as a carry-on.
- If there’s no special storage, gently fold your garment bag in half and place it in the overhead bin.
Packing Dresses in Carry-Ons
Place your dress flat and secure it in a dry cleaning bag. To avoid heavy creases, start by laying your dress on a flat surface such as a bed or table. Use your fingers to separate the sides of the plastic bag, and carefully place your dress inside. Ensure each dress is packed in its own dry cleaning bag.
- This extra layer helps protect your dress when placed in your carry-on.
- If the bottom of the bag has too much extra plastic, tie it in a knot to make it easier to pack into your carry-on.
Fold the dress in half, following its natural shape. To keep your dress as flat as possible when packing it in a carry-on, find the midpoint of the dress, whether at the waist or chest, and fold it in half either vertically or horizontally.
- For example, if your dress has a defined waist, fold it horizontally.
- If your dress has a plunging neckline, opt for a vertical fold.
For a maxi dress, make an additional horizontal fold. If your dress is quite long, fold it again across its length to make it more compact and easier to fit into your carry-on bag.
Pack your dresses last to prevent wrinkles and compression. Place your shoes, clothing, and toiletries into the bag before packing your dresses. If the dry cleaning bag extends out, tuck it neatly around the bottom of your dress.
- Packing your dresses first can cause them to be squished under the weight of the other items, leading to wrinkles and creases.
Packing Dresses in Suitcases
Place each dress in a separate dry cleaning bag to keep wrinkles at bay. To prevent your dresses from wrinkling, pack each one in an individual dry cleaning bag. This will help keep them as smooth as possible.
- If there's extra plastic at the bottom, simply tie it off to secure the bag and keep everything neatly packed.
Roll up your casual dresses and pack them on top of other clothes. Lay your dress face-down on a flat surface. If it has sleeves, fold them over the body of the dress. Then, fold the bottom hem and start rolling the dress from the bottom to the neckline. Rolling your casual dresses is a great way to save space.
- This works best for cotton or linen dresses, as they tend to wrinkle less than synthetic fabrics or silk. These materials also compress easily when rolled.
Fold cocktail dresses in half and pack them at the top. After placing your dresses in dry cleaning bags, fold each one in half, either horizontally or vertically, following the natural shape of the dress. Position your folded dresses at the top of your suitcase.
- Cocktail dresses will wrinkle minimally when folded once or twice.
- If your dress has a defined waist, fold it horizontally at the waistline.
- For dresses with a focus on the neckline, fold them vertically.
Insert a dry cleaning bag between each layer of clothing. As you pack your suitcase, place a dry cleaning bag between each layer of clothing. Start by packing your other clothes at the bottom and place a dry cleaning bag on top. Follow this by adding your rolled dresses and another dry cleaning bag on top of them. Finish by placing your folded cocktail dresses on top.
- This helps keep everything in place and adds extra protection to your clothes.
Wrap all your items in a single dry cleaning bag to secure everything in place. Once your clothes are packed, wrap a dry cleaning bag around all of them and tuck the edges around the sides of the suitcase.
- This final layer prevents your clothes from shifting during travel.
- If your suitcase has interior straps, secure them after wrapping the dry cleaning bag for additional protection for your dresses.
What You'll Need
- Dresses
- Hangers
- Garment bag, carry-on, or suitcase
- Plastic dry cleaning bags (one for each dress)
- Acid-free tissue paper and bags (for formal/wedding dresses)
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Hang your dress in a steamy bathroom for 1-5 minutes to smooth out any minor wrinkles.
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If you're traveling and need to iron, first test the iron on a hand towel to check its heat level. This helps avoid overheating the iron, especially if it's new!
Precautions
- Avoid overpacking! If your dresses are crammed into your suitcase or bag, they may wrinkle.
