Short Garment Bag + Two Long Dresses = Major Wrinkles?!

[njreindeer]

Hi everyone,

 

DH and I pulled our luggage out today for our cruise and made a discovery -- our garment bag suddenly looks soooooo narrow and short, especially for his suits and my gowns that we're going to pack! We've used the bag before but never for such formal/long clothes, so I guess it wasn't an issue until now.

 

My question: Is there a way to pack our formal-night clothes in this smallish bag without getting them completely wrinkled? I know we can always have them pressed on the ship, but I'd like to avoid this if possible, especially since everything is freshly pressed and perfect. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your help! :)

[ASM]

Use tissue paper and fold VERY GENTLY! Seriously, I do pack both regular suitcase and garment bag with tissue and rarely have a problem. I also choose my least likely to wrinkle formal wear.

[Jane110]

If the garment bag is too short for a man's suit, there's something seriously wrong the bag, your husband is 7'6" or you're not folding it the traditional way.

 

For gowns, I have a way that I pack mine that has kept them rather wrinkle-free. Each gown takes two hangers. The second hanger must have a bottom bar - like the kind you would fold pants onto - preferably the kind you get from the dry cleaners w/ a white cardboard tubing and a bit of sticky stuff on it. On the first hanger, hang the top of the gown, the way you normally would. Now, take a second hanger and slide the gown through it.....like you're running the bar down the belly of the dress. When you get to the area that's midway between the waist and hem, stop. Then simply put that second hanger next to the first one. You'll have your gown still hanging, but will be about two thirds shorter. Place a dry cleaning bag over it, knot the bag at the bottom to keep a bit of air in, like a cushion. That should do it.

 

BTW, I hang my gowns in the closet this way to take the stress off the fabric in the shoulder area as well as to keep the dress from growing in length.

[JanetMarie]

I, too, use tissue for fold my dresses over. When I unpack, I immediately take my dresses and hang them. When we shower, I place them on the bath door and the steam dissipates the minimal wrinkles. Amazing what a little steam will do. ;)

[joelmarj]

I travel lots for business and always have to deal with suits. In addition to the other great suggestions, for your DH's suits, have your dry cleaner put tissue in the sleeves of the jacket. When packing the jackets, cross the sleeves slightly over the front of the jacket (imagine your DH's hands clasp together, not arms crossed). Then pack each item by layering - place a gown, the jacket, a gown, the slacks, etc. Once each article is placed on top of the other, then begin folding the bottoms up. This helps prevent hard creases in any one item.

 

Hope this helps, usually works well for me.

[njreindeer]

Hi ladies,

 

Thanks very much for all of your suggestions, they're all wonderful and I'll definitely put them to good use. I knew I came to the right place for help! :)

 

Happy cruising!