STYLISH GENTLEMAN
Shoes should be polished and placed inside shoe bags before being packed . It is also useful to pack the inside of the shoe with small soft items like underwear or carefully rolled ties . This will make the best use of space , and help protect from damage . I normally fold my ties inside tissue or newspaper to protect them from any residual polish on the the shoes . These then go in the bottom of the suitcase . If using a holdall instead of a wheeled bag then make sure to balance them between the two sides of the bag . If all the weight is in one end it can make for an uncomfortable carry .
I normally put my shoes in the suitcase first , along with the wash bag . Shirts come next , in their packing envelope and then jackets . Ties , underwear , t-shirts and gym kit goes next , being carefully rolled before being placed around other items . Finally I pack suit jackets and any coats .
Suits can be hard to pack , and good jackets need to be protected from being crushed . The best way to pack a suit jacket is to turn it inside out , leaving the sleeves as they are . Then fold it gently in half length wise , fitting one shoulder into another . The suit should be left unbuttoned to prevent pulling , and then folded gently in half , bringing the bottom of the suit to the shoulders . If you haven ' t packed the trousers at this point then you can do so by folding them and storing them inside the suit . Ideally you want the suit cloth all held inside the folded suit , with the more easily repaired or replaced lining on the outside .
Whilst travelling you can maximise your comfort and style by dressing carefully . Ideally you ’ ll be smart , but comfortable . Smart helps enormously with getting upgrades , and being well received as well showing respect for your fellow travellers and those looking after you . I like to wear cotton trousers , a relaxed shirt and a thin sport coat or blazer . I always keep a sweater or cardigan in my carry-on as planes and trains can get chilly and stepping off the airplane onto a cold runway can be brutal . Layers are the key to travelling comfortably . Slip-on shoes and a belt that can be easily removed is useful if you ’ re going to be going through security . Having a bag with a suitable pocket will allow you to dump the contents of your pockets when needed and it makes it much easier than hoping nothing falls out when your jacket goes through the scanner .
I avoid alcohol when travelling and am very mindful of staying hydrated . Eating meals and sleeping in line with the time zone you ’ re going to makes a big difference with jet lag , and it can be worth abstaining from food for a few hours on the plane if you know you ’ ll be landing around a meal time .
Finally , the goal of any journey is to get you somewhere in as relaxed and pleasant a manner as possible . Rushing around airports or stations can be hard , as can fighting with traffic to get somewhere on time . Leave yourself enough time to enjoy the journey , to spark up conversations with your fellow travellers and to stop and enjoy the sights en route . You ’ ll enjoy yourself so much more if you remind yourself to go slow , choose to be gracious to your fellow passengers and focus on getting to the other end calmly .
Happy Travels
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