Cramped airline seats may seem intent on wrinkling your dress, but choosing your in-flight outfit carefully can minimize the damage. Proper dress selection ensures you look as good when you step off the plane as you did when you stepped on. You must also keep packed dresses in the best shape and as wrinkle-free as possible, since you may not have the ability to give them a proper cleaning and ironing at your destination.

In-Flight Attire

Step 1.

Select fabrics that resist wrinkling when deciding which dress to wear on the flight. Knits and fabrics containing spandex rarely wrinkle, while linen and some cotton weaves are prone to severe wrinkling.

Step 2.

Choose darker colors for air travel. Wrinkles that are obvious on lighter colored clothing won't show well on dark-colored fabric. Darker colors also have the benefit of not showing stains or soil.

Step 3.

Wear a dress that is loose enough to be comfortable, but not so loose that the skirt bunches up under you while you are sitting on the plane. Large skirts are more likely to become wrinkled since the fabric is forced to fold upon itself when you are seated.

Packed Attire

Step 1.

Roll casual dresses instead of folding them. Wrap the rolled dress in a plastic dry-cleaning bag. Rolled clothing packed tightly into a suitcase is less likely to wrinkle and won't develop deep creases from traveling folded.

Step 2.

Hang dresses in a plastic dry-cleaning bag, then place the wrapped dress inside a hanging travel garment bag. Some airlines offer closets for hanging garment bags, which allows you to bring the dress with you as a carry-on item. Garment bags also result in fewer wrinkles even if you must check the bag.

Step 3.

Stuff wedding dresses and formal gowns with acid-free tissue paper before hanging them in a garment bag. The stuffing helps the dress hold its shape while reducing the chances of wrinkles.

Step 4.

Bring a handheld travel steamer with you to get rid of any wrinkles that do occur during packing. If wrinkles occur on a formal gown you may need the services of a dry cleaner at your destination to get the wrinkles out.

Things You Will Need

  • Plastic dry cleaning bags

  • Travel garment bag

  • Acid-free tissue paper

  • Travel steamer

Tip

Steam your in-flight dress dress while you are wearing it upon arrival at your hotel. Standing in a steamy bathroom for a few minutes helps the wrinkles relax and smooth. It takes less than five minutes to make the dress wrinkle-free in most cases.

Hang up your dresses in the hotel room when you aren't wearing them so they won't wrinkle further.