Page 31 - Esquire (November 2019)

the Code: Pack Smarter

KNOW HOW TO

FOLD ’EM

• • • Folding a blazer
is a lot like folding a fitted
sheet—not as hard as
you think, as long as
you take the right steps.

Step 1
Turn the left sleeve and
left half of the jacket inside
out, then nest them
inside the right shoulder.

ALWAYS

PACK A ensure you won’t resem- week or so prior to

ble a scrunchie on the
departure and ask
other end of the journey. that they come back
BLAZER. Toothbrush? Check. 1. Choose your blazer prefolded. Step 2
Pop the collar all around,
3. Unpack ASAP.
wisely. For our money,
Phone charger? the Balloon jacket, When you get to the smooth down the mate-
ALWAYS. Check. Blazer? Defi- from the Japanese cult hotel room, don’t raid lengthwise, and then in half
rial, fold the jacket in half
nitely check. Why?
brand Ring Jacket,
the minibar. Instead,
again. (An extra tip to avoid
Because even on casual is the best travel blazer hang up your jackets
It’s not just for Bond. trips, fate might bestow around. Tailored yet and dress shirts. Then, creasing and wrinkling is
to place a plastic bag
DRESSING SHARP an invite to a fancyish unstructured, it’s made yes, raid the minibar. between the folds. This
should be an option party or a last-minute of a high-twist wool 4. Forget the shower will allow the suit material
dinner reservation that acts like a coiled trick. Some people swear to slide past itself rather
on the road.
at a spot where, no, I’m spring, bouncing back that hanging a wrinkled than bunching up when it
sorry, you can’t wear a after being compressed. suit in the bathroom moves during transit.)
denim vest here, sir. Yet 2. Get a dry-cleaner with a hot shower going
illustrations: Louise Pomeroy you make certain it and oxford for a suitcase? desperate, it’s time to Step 3
packing a blazer pres-
assist. Question: What’s
will eliminate wrinkles.
ents a problem: How do
It doesn’t. If you’re
the best way to fold an
everything else emerges
Your dry cleaner knows.
track down a dry cleaner
from the suitcase look-
Drop off your shirts a
for a quick press. —A. W.
ing as good as it did when
it went in? With the
Pack the jacket last in your
Suitcase ($2,060) by Globe-Trotter; jacket ($1,350) by Ring
right prep work, you can
suitcase and hang it
Jacket; shirt ($595) by Brunello Cucinelli.
up as soon as you arrive.
photograph: Jeffrey Westbrook