Therese

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.

SiobhanP

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

W9London

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.

laurie_ann

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.

Therese

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.

suze

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.

mommatac

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.

W9London

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)

madameX

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.

helen_belsize

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.