Get That Gown Out of Town

Getting ready for that late winter get-away? If you are, chances are that you are taking along some evening wear. There’s an obvious problem when packing fine clothing – they generally aren’t “squishable.” So, how do you pack and transport evening wear for an out-of-town event? There's no foolproof method, but we have a few suggestions.

If your gown has longer sleeves, “stuff & go,” says Fashion Cleaners’ Kermit Engh, using a combination of acid-free tissue, dry cleaner bags and a zippered garment bag. After that, it’s a matter of how you’ll be traveling.

Info to fly by

You might not need to check the dress into baggage. If you’re traveling first class, there is often a closet in which you can hang coats and jackets which would be suitable. If you are flying coach, you might call the airline to see if you can hand off the dress to a flight attendant. They may be able to hang in an on-board closet. But, if you don’t want to take a chance, Engh suggests putting it in a garment bag and then into a hard-sided suitcase that will fit overhead. It will likely arrive wrinkled – but at least it will arrive.

Cruise news

If you're heading out to sea, don't panic waiting for your luggage to appear in the cabin. Bring your gown aboard as a carry-on.

Skip it and ship it

Use an overnight carrier such as FedEx to transport it. This isn’t as scary as it sounds. A reputable carrier allows you to track your package, even online, providing peace of mind. Your package will receive a tracking number to make the process quick and easy. Contact the hotel or other receiving party to let them know that you would like to ship a package to that location, and ensure that someone will sign for it. Pack the gown in a bridal salon box with acid-free tissue, and bubble wrap it before putting it in the carrier’s package.