one week work trip ... need help packing light and dressing appropriately
 

I will be the sole woman traveling to Europe in a month on a work trip. We will be moving almost daily to a new location throughout Germany, France and the Netherlands. How can I pack light, have appropriate attire, and take care of my hair while I represent my company? Since we are moving around a lot, this will be a real exercise in packing only the essentials. I'm thinking two neutral knee-length skirts, two pairs of loose linen pants, solid colored tops that can go with any skirt or pant, a lightweight jacket. How can I cut back on shoes and not wear my feet out in one pair? Also, do I still need to worry about blowing up hotel circuits with a blow dryer? My hair is an absolute mess without drying/styling and since this is for work, I hate to just pull it back in a too short, untidy ponytail.

My suggestion would be to browse the Travel Smith catalog online. Even if you don't buy anything, you'll get the picture of what kind of simple outfits travel well. (And I think they are such good quality for such a good price, you might want to buy.)

As for your hair, go to beauty parlors! Your hotels and colleagues can direct you. Do whatever you would do where you live.

PS: Your hotel will provide you with the hair dryer.

You will likely find that European business wear is about the same as here. In fact, Europeans tend to have fewer different outfits than Americans so they won't care if you do too. Pants or skirts are fine. I would not bring linen though. In those countries it is not likely to be too hot. And light weight wool or polyester travels better without wrinkling. For a week I would have 3 bottoms (skirt or pant) and twice that many tops and one or 2 jackets or cardigans. That counts what is on me on the plane. Two pairs of shoes, one on you, one in the suitcase are plenty. Err for flatter heel as if you do any sightseeing, even going out with colleagues for dinner, you may walk more than you are used to at home and on cobbled or uneven sidewalks. Even modest business type hotels will have a hairdryer or you can ask for one to be provided. Enjoy your trip!

Laurie_ann has given you a good start on your packing list. You'll naturally do some tweaking based on your personal style - but her list is about what I'd take. I might stick in one additional pair of shoes. One pair on your feet on the flight and two in the carry-on sized bag.

All should easily fit in a 21 inch rollaboard.

Assuming you are staying in business class hotels - I'd not even consider taking a hair dryer. The European dryers provided by the hotels will work better than your dual voltage one from home.

Hello mommatac, the Europeans I know (most in business) do not have the extensive wardrobe that a lot of Americans seem to have. Quality over quantity is usually what I have seen. A couple of silk pretty scarves could add some interest to your business wardrobe and they really take up no room in your luggage. Good comfortable and well maintained leather shoes will work for you. With a one week trip I agree with three bottoms (two skirts and one pair of slacks), one jacket and if you have room in your luggage a second jacket would be good but not necessary. I love linen but for business I would opt for a very light summer weight wool. Business like tops, I wouldn't take any "bright" colors personally. And yes, all that would go with the bottom skirts and pants and the jackets(s).

Agree with the above especially the part about using scarves/accessories with the basics -- for basics, when I go on business or for a conference I take a 21-22 inch bag, good leather walking/work shoes (low heel pumps, usually Paul Green or equivalent brand), a pantsuit (grey or black) and second pr slacks to go with the jacket; I tend to skip skirts but depends on your industry; I can see they could be useful if they work with the jacket.

I use neutrals for the tops (adding one with color) and tend to use accessories for color/accent. I avoid linen (which I love) for the region in question due to the wrinkle problem and the lower likelihood of extreme heat. My mainstay has been a soft grey pantsuit from Chico's that is actually machine washable (does not look it!) but the most helpful strategy is to hang everything up to dry between wearings and overnight.

Also I bring or wear one more casual pair of pants and top and possibly a very light windbreaker and travel umbrella if indicated. and one more pair of shoes, probably a tad more casual and good for walking, as well. If space allows I bring a second pair of shoes to wear on the job such as flats.

Shoes are more important than extra clothes. No one's going to notice if you wear a top an extra time, but if you have only a single pair of shoes and something goes wrong it can almost ruin a trip.

As janisj says, one pair on your feet, two pair in the suitcase, for three pair total.

Most hotels that people use for business would have hair dryers in the rooms.

I like your clothing list. I love linen and travel with it often. I would not buy new TravelSmith stuff especially for the trip (although I do like the catelog and it's good for ideas). I think it's better to travel with clothes you already have worn and "know".

>Most hotels that people use for business would have hair dryers in the rooms.
And even in case they don't, you can always ask for one at the reception.

Bring tops that don't need ironing, dry quickly and can be washed by hand. Either carry a tube of washing detergent or use shampoo and wash them in the sink of your hotel bathroom. Two jackets (one worn, one in the luggage). 3 or 4 crinkle(!) scarves and bandanas (no ironing, look best after cramming them into a suitcase) in different colours/patterns that match the jackets and tops to add some variety.
Avoid linen, there is nothing wrinklier.

I'd also vote for 3 pairs of shoes in total - one pair closed and suitable for rainy days, one comfy warm weather pair, one elegant/evening pair.

First - before deciding on a wardrobe I would check with colleagues on what will be expected. Generally business people in europe dress more conservatively than in the US and our idea of business casual won;t make it many places there. (We always do suits - although one jacket may go with 2 different pairs of pants. And I stick with dress flats - for all the walking and negotiating escalators in airports.

As for you hair - every business hotel has hair dryers -so there should be no hair issue - unless you have some very fussy style. (If your hair requires more than 5 minutes to style/dry - change your style - or get a better salon. Time is too valuable to waste fussing with hairdos unless you're on a red carpet.)

One more suggestion -- if you use a flatiron to manage your hair, I would recommend buying one that is useful in Europe--not only with the correct plugs for your countries visited but also with the correct current. US flatirons don't generally work well there. I bought one through the internet and it worked great. I travel to Europe often enough to make it worth the purchase price which was $60 or so.

I understand from your post you will be going next month (August)? In that case linen may well be more comfortable. It can be very sticky during the day.
If your hotel room doesn't have an iron and board you can always ask for them.
Most hotel rooms have a hair dryer in them. Certainly business class hotels do. If you use what you call a flat iron I suggest buying a cheapish one when you get to Europe.
Do pack something to change into out of work hours too!

Three words...black, black, black. Make most of your bottoms black. That way if you sit in anything, you will be fine. Nicely printed skirts or blouses are good too. The problem with plain clothes are if you have any spot at all it really stands out.

Invest in good travel hair appliances. I had a little tiny travel hair dryer and the voltage just wasn't right.

All above advice is good.

Until last year I made similiar trips for work semi monthly for 15 years.

Black is always a good idea. Your tastes are your own but I've always taken black skirts, shoes, bag and jacket. For days simple tops in pale colors (blue, green) work nice.

For evenings take a good pair or two of black or charcoal slacks and red or colbalt top.

Shoes - take at least 3 pair. dress shoes: 1 heel - 1 low or flat
and one pair of black walking shoe. You will most likely walk alot more than you do here.


Oh and it may sound odd but a scarf or two is always great with an all black outfit.

Kelliebellie is right those little travel hair dryers are useless. I used one in 2006 in Italy and looked as though I had cut my own hair with nail scissors :) This time I took my own hair dryer from home and was much happier (I don't like hotel hair dryers).

mommatac, I can't help much with the business side of things, but consider packing a set of yoga/gym pants, a comfortable tshirt and maybe a pair of socks for the evenings when you are pottering around in your hotel room at the end of long days.

I find that two pairs of dress/work shoes are sufficient as long as I stick to either brown or black. One would be a closed walking shoe and the other more of a nice sandal. You might want to throw in a pair of flipflops to walk around in the hotel. That should be enough unless you want to excersise or hike on the weekends.

On my first business trip I neglected to take a bathing suit with me. A few of the places where we stayed had great swimming pools so I was really sorry not to have one with me.

I agree that conservative attire is the way to go. And keep the makeup to a minimum. I once had a colleague wash her face over the first coffee break at our initial meeting started, she was the only woman wearing eyeshadow and blush (she is a very selfconcsios person and felt horribly out of place).

Take a small bottle of fabric freshner (something like Febreze) with you. There are many smoking hotel rooms and workplaces. Once a suitcase is opened in a place like that it will stink everything up.

All great ideas. And I'll add (probably needlessly), make sure you have adaptors and the right equipment to recharge your electronics (cell phone, ability to use your laptop, camera, etc.)

Do you have an easy spirit outlet near you? They have wonderful walking shoes, but can be a bit pricey at their regular store. If you get a nice pair of flat black walking shoes, they should take you most of the trip. If they are like ballet flats, you can even wear them with your skirts.

I tend to wear so much black in Europe because that way everything in my suitcase matches. I take a black backpack/purse and black shoes and a black sweater for chilly nights. Then with black bottoms and tops I can mix in some nice color on the other ends.

You should try to get a good haircut before you go. Maybe they can give you a style that you can do with just a hairdryer. It would cut down on an appliance.

You don't say when this trip is but, in the summer it can be hot or cool and rainy in those countries -- except maybe in the south of France, where it's just hot.

Yes, the linen pants are just too impractical. A good source for travel knits is Chico's. They can be quite cool, that is, not too hot. I'd replace your linen pants by at least one dark knit pair. Pick clothes that can be washed by hand in the evening and will dry overnight. Hang your clothes in the bathroom so the steam helps get the wrinkles out.

As others have said, work clothes are more formal in Europe. Two jackets are better than one. Stick to darker colors.

I travel for work to Europe and do it carry-on only. It's not at all difficult to do, actually. I wear exactly the same clothes that I do here the U.S. for equivalent situations. Neither Travel Smith nor Chico's clothes are formal enough for true business situations, in my opinion, and I use Ann Taylor suit separates. Most of these are made of fabrics that don't wrinkle easily, and I avoid those containing wool, as they're too hot for the summer (and I find European interiors to be very, very overheated in the winter, even though that's not an issue for this trip). Every jacket should coordinate with every bottom. Choose a neutral and stick to it. Black can be a bit overwhelming all by itself, so if you can find some black and white houndtooth check in either tops or bottoms (usually not both together) that's nice option for summer.

Linen will wrinkle, and if it's really warm will show sweat (particularly problematic if you been sitting in a too-warm conference room and then have to stand up).

I make a point of wearing tops (under my jacket) that are lightweight but still sufficiently covered that I don't mind taking off my jacket if the room is too warm. Note that European women may choose tops that are a bit "racier" than you'd choose in the U.S., though this tendancy is more marked in the south of Europe than it is in the north.

I use the hotel hairdryer (there's always one) and then follow-up with my own flat iron (purchased in Europe, so no converter or adapter needed and it works perfectly). I also skip washing and styling my hair (other than a quick run through with the flat iron) altogether on at least alternate days by using dry (powder) shampoo on those days: saves me time in the morning, and my hair actually looks better than the day it's washed.

As for shoes, I wear boots quite a bit, even in the summer. Short boots with trousers, knee high with skirts. They offer a lot of support (I add an orthotic for arch support) and are very comfortable. No problems with stockings running, and if your feet swell a bit over the day nobody else will know (and you won't end up with blisters). Great night look as well.

I travel often for work
and find after all that packing I end up wearing 3 outfits more than the most and just need changing tops and 1 jeans. Also 3 shoes per trip. one Dressy one Casual to walk around and one in the middle like a comfy sandal or wedge shoe. If you need more you can pick it up when travelling! Thats what i do now

All good advice from the posters above.

First of all, will you be able to use hotel's dry-cleaning/laundry? This depends on how many nights you'll be staying at a same hotel, types of hotels (some 5-star places can have 3-hr turnaround, but it is quite pricey), company T&E policy.

Linen--try if you can wear the linen trousers for one long day (say 12hrs), then hang it in a bathroom filled with steam from the shower. If the wrinkle goes away and wearable the next morning, sure why not. Otherwise, opt for something less wrinke-prone.

Tops--don't count on washing them in the room, ESPECIALLY if you/your colleagues have evening activities (client dinner/drinks). I often find myself coming back to the room after 11pm, with 7am departure--not a big fan of packing/wearing still-wet tops.

Scarves--a nice strategy for autumn/winter/spring, but you'll probably find August to be too hot for them. A very light gauzy material may work, though I'd rather wear colourful lightweight tops under the jacket. I'd rather bring an assortment of necklaces/ accessories.

Also, this depends on expected dress codes in your industry, but I tend to fly in a "business-casual" attire rather than total casual, so that I can be somewhat presentable for the first client meeting JUST IN CASE the suitcase gets lost. No need to worry if you're only taking a carry-on.

From the last post "in case the suitcase gets lost". An important consideration here is how much moving around you are doing. Unless you are spending at least the first two nights in the same location I would not check any bags. If lost, your luggage may never catch up with you. Even more important if your initial flight involves a connection. That's just one more chance it doesn't make it. Unless I am going on a very special kind of trip that requires extra sporting equipment or such I always do only carry on. And if you have any departures from Gatwick in London check their website. As recently as March they were the only Europe airport that I know of that still had the one carry on bag rule so you couldn't have a suitcase and a purse or briefcase. Also if you are on any "budget" airlines check their baggage rules as they can be even more restrictive.

Carry-on really does simplify your life (and yes, you can easily accomodate your toiletries---I am very, very high maintenance and manage just fine). Even if you dress casually for the flight, consider carrying at least one of your jackets with you on the plane, as they're generally the bulkiest items to pack. And it will dress up just about anything in case you do end up having to go directly from your flight to a meeting. Remember, your flight could be delayed, and that five hour window that you thought you had to get to your hotel and change may disappear.

I don't like to wear black in the summertime. Too hot. I use beige, brown or olive green as my "neutral" color to base my wardrobe around.

I have been swamped at work the last couple of days and just found time to check my post ... I was tickled with all the advice.

For the most part, we stay in hotels for one night only, maybe 1 hotel for two nights, so the challenge which I've never been able to meet to only pack in a carry-on will be my goal.

I'll look for something besides linen. Also, the trip looks like it's the end of August/first of September now, so I need to figure out if there is a change of colder weather that I'll need to be prepared for.

For the most part, we will be out meeting with trade show building vendors, so business suits won't be necessary.

laurie ann,

A good news. Gatwick no longer has the "one-piece only" carry-on rule. We're back to the standard "one piece plus a purse/handbag" rule.


mommatac,

End of Aug-early Sept would be too early IMHO to worry about cold weather (overcoat etc). It might rain, and usually the temperature drop a bit in the mornings and the evenngs, though just a normal jacket would be fine. Right now in London, it can get quite warm during the day, like 23C or 25C, but evenings are much cooler, like 13-15C. (now the sky is grey and drizzling on and off)

Your basic travel wardrobe sounds fine, but some suggestions:

As someone who LOVES clothes, I still find it useful to rely on black for travel (and specifically business travel,) especially for long trips where you will move around a lot.

First: imagine your most important specific activities. Pack two outfits for the top two that you will do most frequently, e.g. business appointments, travel days, perhaps leisure time on the weekends, etc. You may get tired of the repetitiveness of the outfits, but that helps in packing lightly.

For business travel, I still like a well-tailored black suit in a good poly material or tropical wool (a good quality does not wrinkle, and is still cool enough.) Linen or silk are favorite materials, but after a month of travel with many moves, they might look beyond "leisurely," and too unkempt for a business meeting (but you judge. Somehow black or dark-colored linen or silk blends fare better than light colors.) It's also easy to dress up a black suit, or just the bottom paired with an "evening" top for a nicer dinner out.

I am also a big fan of jacket-dress combinations, i.e. the dress looks like a sheath beneath, but the jacket makes it appropriate for business meetings. In the evening, take the jacket off for a classy evening out that looks appropriate but less office-like. However, if pressed for space, make sure this jacket has a skirt or slacks to mix/match with other tops.

August can be steamy. Personally, I am always more comfortable in skirts, especially in hot weather.

As a shoe lover, I like to pack three pair if I need to pack in one suitcase:

1. A flat closed-toe pair for travel days and when I expect a lot of walking (e.g. ballet style with comfort inserts;) These are often okay for some business dinners if well-chosen, i.e. black leather.

2. Low-heeled pumps for business (and possible evening;)

3. A pair of low-heeled or flat "slides" that I can wear to dinner or leisure activities **IF** I have room. I usually have room as these can pack into little space. In summer, these can be as simple as embellished flats that make going out to dinner (NOT business-client dinner) in the evening a nice change from the day's activities.

(Note that the higher the heel or bulkier the shoe, e.g. running shoes, the more room they take up.)

As you and others have indicated, mix/match is key. Focus also on tops that "pack small," e.g. knits, sleeveless or short-sleeve linen tops that look okay slightly wrinkled, etc.

Shoes. I doubt with this itinerary you will find time to buy any if an emergency occurs. If you have longer feet (so much nicer than larger) you may find it difficult to buy them at short notice in Europe. I mean above an American size 9. I would favour the total of 3 pairs option. Weather in Europe so far this year has been topsy turvy so I would advise checking the forecast in the week or so before you travel and adjusting your packing accordingly.