How to pack a linen suit

Linen is a fickle mistress. It seems like such an elegant choice for a warm-weather suit and it is. You will OWN that hot summer wedding Jay Gatsby or Mark Twain-style in a linen suit.

But, when you arrive at your hotel, your linen suit can look like a family of raccoons has nested in it, if not packed correctly.

Although linen suits have been around a couple hundred years, it seems that men still don’t know how to travel with them.

Case in point, a recent Facebook message: I’m heading to DC for a wedding this weekend and I have a brilliant 3-piece linen suit. How do I fold this thing so it won’t wrinkle??

All of my years in clothing retail finally have a purpose! The culmination of my personal history and research led to a decision tree, which should clean up this linen madness:

The first choice is always to carry the suit with you. Linen is GOING TO WRINKLE. You can wish and wish and wish that it wouldn’t, but wishing won’t make it happen.

When we are talking about packing linen, we are talking about how much it is going to wrinkle, not if it will.

If you cannot carry your suit with you or you don’t want to, the next question to answer is: lined or unlined?

If it is lined, you: Turn the suit inside out. Fold the suit as few times as you can. Place the suit in your suitcase last (on top of all other items). After arriving, take it out immediately.

If it is unlined, you: Stuff the sleeves with tissue paper or t-shirts. Layer the pieces of your suit between other non-linen items. After arriving, take it out immediately.

Rolling paper or t-shirts into your suit can seem counter-intuitive because you are making your suit bigger, but the bulk will help it wrinkle less.

Whether your suit is lined or unlined, you are likely going to end up ironing your suit at some point, so remember that it can take the hottest heat your iron can dish out.

The linen suit was a dope choice and I commend you for it. Now, take care of it and rock that party like only Samuel Clemens could.