Traveling for work can be stressful with short turnovers, cramped flights, long train rides, and monotonous hotel rooms, but just because you may be tired and a little disheveled doesn’t mean anyone else has to know that. Which is why we’ve compiled not only our top 10 work midis to dazzle while looking professional, but we also put together our top tips for keeping your clothes looking and smelling fresh throughout the entirety of your business trip.
This midi dress is ideal for a casual business meeting set in a warm environment; think “art gallery in Miami.” It is partially lined and has an elastic waist for a simple, comfortable, professional appearance. Not to mention the soft pink is complementary to almost any shoe and accessory.
Image courtesy of Revolve
This soft, sateen french blue midi is unlined with a pull-on style that can be worn to a lunch meeting to discuss marketing materials over a steaming cup of green tea.
Image courtesy of Revolve
This easy, elegant, drapey dress is made from a silky weave recognized for its crinkled texture. This is important because it means that this dress travels incredibly well, as you won’t have to worry about hunting down an iron at your hotel and can just head straight to your event.
Image courtesy of Eileen Fisher
Made from sustainable material, Tencel™ Lyocell, this jersey knit dress is versatile, simple, and stretchy, ideal for anyone who doesn’t have time to change from the plane (train or automobile) to their meeting. Simply pair it with a blazer and your favorite shoes, and you’re ready to dazzle.
Image courtesy of Eileen Fisher
For anyone trying to embody their inner Goop empire, this lightweight, flouncy dress may be what you’re looking for. Made from a silky fabric with a collared neck and ¾ sleeves, it will guarantee you feel comfortable while naming (somewhat questionable) candles.
Image courtesy of Chico's
Denim is the most versatile fabric, and this dress just proves that. Made from stretchy denim and featuring an exaggerated silhouette, this dress manages to be feminine yet edgy. Dress it up with some pumps or down with some boots. The good news is you could take it from day to night, and thus don’t need to waste luggage space with another outfit.
Image courtesy of Elie Tahari
Where to start with this dress? Its ruched, fitted style is paired with a midi cut and long sleeves for a truly modest yet sexy flare. Pair with a blazer and some sneakers for the day, and a trenchcoat and heels for the night. The material and texture also guarantee it won’t wrinkle easily, so you won’t have to stress about looking good.
Image courtesy of Neiman Marcus/A.L.C.
Black is the ultimate color for any occasion but especially for trips because of its versatility. This midi has a new take on the traditional collared shirt, pairing it with an elegant twist waist and yoked back to turn it into a dress. Pair with your favorite heel, and an elongated blazer.
Image courtesy of Neiman Marcus
For anyone who’s business meetings extend into the evening and occur in the casual setting of a bar or cocktail hour, this midi upgrades the traditional stylings of a turtleneck. With its shirred sleeves, back keyhole, ruching midweight mesh, look no further than this stunning piece.
Image courtesy of Revolve
This midi will look good in any circumstance, with its lightweight matte satin fabric and layered button front. Its exaggerated arms and simple collar mean it can go from breakfast meetings over a muffin and a coffee, to lunch-time speaking panels, to a dinner meeting over drinks and a meal.
Image courtesy of Revolve
Tips for Packing for a Work Trip
Tip #1: Pack With a Garment Bag
You’re probably already familiar with garment bags, from the complementary ones you receive when purchasing formalwear, but those tend to be cheap and flimsy. A good garment bag is a piece of luggage (most often carry-on) with a compartment to keep your attire clean and wrinkle-free.
Tip #2: Use a Scented Ribbon
This is the crème de la crème of the traveling experience; opening your luggage and being enveloped in a gentle aroma that keeps your clothes smelling fresh. Our scented ribbons are powerful enough to delicately fragrance your favorite things– so all you have to do is relax.
Tip #3: Invest in a Long Garment Hanger
What is a garment hanger?
Our Long Garment Hanger is ideal for travel, cutting down the size of your outfit in half with its innovative two-part components. It provides a beautiful yet functional way to hang your outfits without unnecessary creases or snags. The best part? You can take it right out of the garment bag when you arrive at your destination and hang it in the closet, stress-free.
Tip #4: Air out your clothes
When you arrive at your destination, and you’ve done your laps around your conference or panel, it’s important to air your clothes out. Doing so will keep them fresh and clean rather than allowing them to soak in your body odor and moisture. Doing this will keep the clothes clean longer and means you won’t have to wash them as frequently.
Tip #5: Be Cautious of Wool
Once the colder months hit, you may pair outfits with wool jackets or sweaters (for more casual outings). While wool is ideal for keeping warm, it can be tricky to care for.
For one, ensure you always dry wool by laying it flat; this allows it to keep its shape– otherwise, the wool can shrink and be misshaped.
When washing wool, you should never use hot or even warm water as that shrinks the fibers. You should also never use bleach when washing wool, making the clothes dull and lackluster. In general, always follow the instructions on the tags. Some wool clothes and coats are labeled as dry clean only and should be treated so that the fabric is easily damaged.
Tip #6: Avoid Wrinkles
To avoid wrinkling your garments when traveling, you can do three things. First, when using your garment bag, ensure everything is packed neatly, and components of the garments do not overlap in a way that will create a deep wrinkle. Next, layer your items when packing, creating pockets of space for things to remain flat. It may help to place sheets of tissue paper between garments. Finally, when you fold your shirts (if you’re not hanging them), fold them crossways instead of lengthwise.
Tip #7: Invest in a Handheld Steamer
Some wrinkles are unavoidable, so if you have the space, it can be extremely helpful to have a handheld steamer, such as the Nori Press, to ensure that you and your clothes look fresh and not wrinkled. It only weighs 1.4 lbs and is 14 inches in length because, let’s be honest, no matter what you do, your garment will be compressed in a small space for a few hours, and that always has the potential of leaving them looking rumpled. The hotel iron rarely does the trick; more often than not, damaging the clothes with excess water leakage and the like.
Tip #8: How to Remove Stains & Odors
The likelihood of damaging, staining, or sweating in your clothes is pretty high when traveling. How do you get rid of them, though? That is the true question.
STAINS
- Ink Stains. It should be removed immediately. Using an absorbent material to gently blot at the fabric until you clean up as much ink as possible, then wash the garment immediately.
- Oil-Based Stains. These are trickier and require a special oil-based stain remover. Once you’ve obtained that, rub or spray it onto your clothes (allowing it to sit for a few minutes) before washing the garment as usual.
- Tough Stains. Try using rubbing alcohol to remove stains as well as odors, and use vinegar to remove mildew odors.
- General Stains. If you spill something on yourself and you cannot wash the garment right there, it is always good to be prepared and invest in a Tide Instant Stain Remover.
ODORS
- On Lightweight Clothes. Remove odors by mixing 1tsp liquid dishwashing detergent with 8 oz warm water and then soaking your garment in the mixture.
- Stubborn Odors. Eliminate these odors by mixing ¼ cup rubbing alcohol and 1 cup water and rubbing it onto a damp garment. If the odor is very persistent, you can soak the entire garment in the mixture.
- General Sweaty Odors. Eliminate these odors by mixing ¼ cup baking soda, 4 tbsp liquid dish detergent, and about ½ cup water. Rub onto the odored garment and allow to sit for 30 minutes before washing.
- To Smell Good. Consider adding a Scented Ribbon to your luggage to ensure that your clothes smell good before they can smell bad.
