Packing for the Holidays: Part II
“What will I wear?”
This is probably the first question you ask yourself when you’re deciding what to pack in your suitcase for a holiday trip. However, an equally important question is, “What will I wear underneath?”
Lingerie plays an important part in your comfort and confidence during travel, special occasions, and everything in between. In my last post, I wrote about how to begin formulating your lingerie packing strategy by asking yourself these important questions about your trip:
1. What’s the forecast?
2. How long will I be gone?
3. What’s on the agenda?
4. What lingerie do I need for the clothes I’m packing?
Once you’ve answered those questions, it’s time to start picking your lingerie and packing it safely. With their delicate fabrics and wired or foam structures, packing bras and underwear requires special care. Here are my best practices:
1. Go light on foam
Some bras contain foam while others do not. If your suitcase space is limited (and your wardrobe allows), try to pack bras without foam cups. Bras without foam take up much less space and they’re easier to pack. Simply hook your bra, fold the straps down, and fold it in half at the front center. When folded, you can stack your bras on top of one another in your suitcase.
2. Hold before you fold
Whatever you do, do not fold your contour bra cups into themselves or flip one inside out to nest in the other when you pack. This will ruin your T-shirt bras. It creates creases that are very difficult to remove – especially if your bras are made of polyurethane. However, if you choose T-shirt bras made of spacer foam or memory foam, they’ll return to their natural shape if crushed. Spacer foam also has the added benefit of being breathable.
Different types of foam found in T-shirt bra cups (from top to bottom): Spacer foam, memory foam, polyurethane
Here’s one of my favorite tips. Use your bra cups as soft containers to hold your hosiery or even your delicate panties. This lets you make the most of your suitcase space if you’re travelling light, and helps keep the cups from being crushed while en route. Follow these steps when packing a foam cup or contour cup bra:
Fasten the bra’s closures
Pack your panties, hosiery, or socks into the cups
Fold the straps down
Place the bra flat (don’t fold the cups together)
Place more underwear or panties around the cups to hold the bra in place
3. Travel in your T-shirt bra
As I mentioned above, foam cup bras (such as T-shirt bras) are more difficult to pack and they take up more space. By wearing your T-shirt bra from point A to point B, you’ll not only be comfortable, but you’ll already have your go-to bra with you.
Plus, you won’t have to worry about getting it into a suitcase or arriving at your destination with a misshapen bra.
4. Set aside travel lingerie
Have you heard the term “travel jewelry” – or bling to go? You may have a special collection of jewelry you reserve just for travel – and you can apply this same strategy to your lingerie. For instance, I own a few bras that I always travel with, because I’d be fine if they were to get smashed. If they bounce back, great. If not, I won’t be crushed. Bras that still fit you well and get the job done that you won’t lose sleep over if they’re damaged are great to have on hand.
5. Choose bras with benefits
I find these two bra styles especially great for travel:
Convertible strapless bra
This is the ultimate secret weapon for travel because it can accommodate almost anything you pack. Of course, plan your trip wardrobe first, but then, you should mindfully select the lingerie that will make it look absolutely fabulous (while also being a minimalist if you can). A quality convertible bra that does a lot of tricks takes the stress out of packing and can be worn under everything from off-the-shoulder tops to strapless looks and more.
Seamed cup bra
I have found seamed cup bras work great in even the smallest suitcase because they don’t require the care of contour cup bras. The cups lie flat, so you can fold them together to save space. If the cups get crunched, they’ll come out of your suitcase and onto your body without any damage.
6. Go the Distance
If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: at the end of the day, less is more. Be sure you have a go-to bra that also goes the distance — all day and into the wee hours. It should be comfortable enough for weather-changing itineraries and feminine enough to flatter your figure for an impromptu evening out.
Remember, lingerie is your most intimate travel companion. You rely on it to support you throughout the day and maximize your experience throughout the trip.
Ready to start packing? Get the most travel-friendly lingerie styles in my curated shop.
Find a better fit,
Tomima
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