Other than not taking it, can anyone advise me on the best way to pack a silk garment without it coming out wrinkled beyond all hope? Thank you.

Nancy: What I do: Pack it in a very, very thin paper. The one you usually get when buying a new thing. Once in the hotel, put it on a hanger in the bathroom. Turn the shower on to get some humid air. Usually this works, however only to a certain point. <BR>Or ask to have it ironed in the hotel.

My boss swears by dry cleaning bags. He says if it can keep his well-starched dress shirts wrinkle-free, it will work for anything.

Bonjour Nancy, <BR> <BR>The best way I know is to fold it very carefuly with a layer of very thin soft paper ("silk" paper) inside, then wrap it in coarser paper, put it in a laundry bag or ziplock, take away as much air as you can and lay it flat in your luggage. You can smooth away wrinkles as Ursula has advised. This is how silk kimonos are usually stored.

Good suggestions, above. Also try some "bundling." I'd probably lie the silk garment, wrapped in tissue or plastic, out flat on top of some other garments, with the silk one draping over the edges of the suitcase. Then I would place other items on top of the silk one, and finally fold the edges of the silk garment back over these other garments. This will cushion the folds in the silk garment.

Most problems I ever have is when going to Asia. The clothes (cotton, linen) being in the suitcase for 12 hours or more get ALL very humid and do wrinkle a lot. <BR>IMO, it just can't be avoided. What to do then?

Ursula, <BR> <BR>this is why it has to be packed in absorbing paper or other material that allow some air circulation, and cotton is best rolled, not laid flat.

Florence Bonjour et merci! Je vais essayer ce truc la prochaine fois! <BR>.. eh, l'été est reparti, zut alors!

Nancy- I have been using the plastic cleaning bag routine for years and it's a win-win situation. I put the silk shirt or dress on a wire hanger-slip clear plastic bag over it and gently fold.When you layer plastic bag article over plastic bag article,it creates an air space and your clothes don't get creased.Then when you arrive at your destination,shake out bag and article and hang with the wire hanger you've brought....never fails

A person who teaches classes on packing suitcases (yes, they have them, and they are marvelous!) told me that the plastic or tissue paper is there to keep fabrics from rubbing against each other as the suitcase's contents shift. It is the moving against each other that creates wrinkles. She said to do as suggested above: lay everything flat, extending over the suitcase; then put smaller items, like knit tops, on top; then fold edges over the top of those, toward the center of the suitcase. I've been doing it ever since and it works! The only problem I've found with this is that if I am making multiple stops, it is difficult to get things out of the center of the pile without disturbing everything, so you literally have to unpack then repack. But, since my clothes are relatively wrinkle free, I don't have to worry about an iron.

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. I was debating whether or not to take the shirt but now I am willing to try. If it doesn't work I will use the bathroom trick. <BR> <BR>THANKS!!

Nancy, all this over a shirt. I thought you were thinking of INTERESTING silk things to bring. I'm so disapointed!! <BR>

Art good morning! <BR>Really sorry to hear that you are SO disappointed. What in particular were you thinking of?? ;-) <BR> <BR>I suppose the things your are thinking of are not likely to wrinkle that much being much smaller, right? <BR> <BR>It's definitely a problem with these wrinkled clothes. I really hate it. I am sure you wouldn't be happy if I came to Munich in a wrinkled whatsoever! LOL <BR> <BR>Nevertheless, I wish you anice and not so disappointing weekend! <BR>

Of course a WET silk shirt could be interesting. LOL. <BR>