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What to Pack for a Week of Business Travel in a Carry-On for Women

What to Pack for a Week of Business Travel in a Carry-On for Women

Ladies, we know packing for a business trip can be a daunting task, especially when you have to fit everything you need in a carry-on. Packing light while looking professional can be an intimidating task, but follow this basic formula and you’ll be able to dress for business meetings, cocktail hours and any other work occasion that might arise on your trip. (Gentleman, we didn’t leave you out either, checking out your own packing tips here)

Pair of pajamas – choose a lightweight fabric that takes up little space in your luggage, like silk.

Socks and underwear – only bring as much as you need. To save space in your suitcase, stuff these items into your packed shoes. Some women like to pack older underwear and throw them out after wearing to save the hassle of bringing them back in a laundry bag.

Jewelry and accessories – jewelry is a woman’s best weapon when packing light. Adding a necklace and changing your earrings can easily change the look and formality of an outfit. Colorful silk scarves are an easy way to brighten and change-up neutral clothing.

Make-up palette – blush, lipstick, eye shadow etc. can all take up valuable packing space. Make-up palettes combine all of your favorite items in one palm-sized unit, in complimentary colors. All you’ll need is a travel-sized mascara!

Black shoes – Shoes are heavy and bulky, so if at all possible try to only bring one pair of shoes, two at the most! Invest in a comfortable pair of black flats and/or low heeled shoes that you can spend upwards of twelve hours in. Patent leather is a great option, as its dressy enough wear to a cocktail party or gala event.

Two pairs of neutral pants or one pair of pants and one skirt – most people think that they need a new pair of pants for every day, but sitting in meetings doesn’t get them very dirty, so it’s okay to wear them twice. Make sure they are hemmed to match the shoes you plan on wearing.

Two camisoles/sleeveless blouses – these light pieces can add color or a pattern to your wardrobe, and they can be worn with your button up, sweater or blazer.

One pair of jeans – if your job is casual, or if you’ll have some downtime, bring along your favorite pair of dark wash, straight legged jeans. Since denim is a heavy fabric, wear it on the plane, or when traveling to save space in your suitcase.

One cardigan or V-neck sweater – Pick a lightweight sweater that can be used as a layering piece over one of your shirts or camisoles. If you’re traveling somewhere cold, pack two.

One black and one white button-up – A crisp, ironed button-up shirt is a classic wardrobe staple that never goes out of style and fits in at any workplace. To dress yours up, consider replacing the buttons on the cuffs with cufflinks.

One little black dress – Chose a dress that’s easy to clean and won’t wrinkle easily. During the daytime, you can pair your dress with a sweater or blazer. At night, ditch the sweater and add some sparkly jewelry.

One well-tailored blazer – when paired with a pair of dress pants, you have a suit that can get you through any conference or meeting. For dinner, or a more casual meeting, pair with one of the camisoles and jeans.

With these pieces (and even more packing tips), you’ll easily survive a week or more on the road, and remember, if you stay at InTown Suites, we have affordable self-serve laundry facilities at each property so you can always do a quick load if you have a coffee spill or other stain.

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