How to Fold a Suit & Shirt in a Suitcase

Here's a quick guide on how to fold a suit and shirt to avoid wrinkling in your suitcase.

The Suit

First, lay the jacket flat:

The key is that all four panels are laying perfectly flat (front and back, including the vents). The pin is optional (I wouldn’t use it on cottons or fragile fabrics):

Flip the perfectly-flat jacket over:

Fold the side of the jacket, lined-up with the center back seam:

Flatten and smoothen the sleeve along the fold line:

 Repeat on the other side:

Now to the trousers. Fold them in half, keeping the front crease in tact by inverting the front waistband (fly open):

One more fold to get the trousers into quarters:

Place the trousers on the top half of the jacket, waistband along the sleeve edge:

Fold the jacket in half over the trousers:

Flip it over. Boom.

The Shirt

Fully button the shirt and lay it on its front. Fold the right sleeve straight back at the shoulder:

Fold the sleeve upward over the center of the collar:

Fold the cuff (buttoned) downward:

Repeat with the left sleeve, on top of the right:

Fold the right side of the shirt over the folded sleeves, creating a straight fold roughly one inch from the edge of the collar:

Repeat with the left side over the right side:

Fold the bottom third of the shirt upward:

Fold one more time from where the hem landed. The first folded edge should land just below the collar:

Flip it over. Boom.

Finally, to really avoid wrinkling, place the garments in extra-large ziplock bags and seal them with a little air so that the garments do not get squashed by other items in your suitcase (the pressure creates wrinkles). For a video tutorial check out this guy – he really gets it.

Another trick to avoid being a wrinkled mess while traveling is removing all of the garments from your suitcase and hanging them on proper hangers ASAP upon arrival. If needed, most hotels have irons, too. If not, you could always get away with the old shower steamer trick.

Thanks for reading and safe travels!

Credit: Dan Trepanier

A Brief History of Men’s Style - 2010s: The Evolution of Style Online

2010s: The Evolution of Style Online

The 2010s have brought us the evolution of the “fashion star”. Fashion bloggers have become mainstream. On the one hand, suddenly fashion is in the hands of the people, producing a larger variety of styles, reviews, and opinions than ever before. On the other hand, those being watched are naturally encouraged to try harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. “Peacocking” became a menswear term in the early part of the decade for “trying too hard”, although men have generally become more confortable with subtle, tasteful styling. 

This period also marked the widespread acceptance of online shopping. Style enthusiasts from all over the world now have access to more brands than ever, from the convenience of their homes. The internet also allowed for more start-up brands than ever, marketed using social media and funded with online resources like kick-starter. In a way, we’re starting to see the re-surgence of the small brand, fueled by the power of the internet and the desire for consumers to have something limited and exclusive. The best part is, middle men are getting cut-out every day. Department stores, who’s business is marking-up goods that have already been marked-up by the wholesaler, are losing their stranglehold on the market as designers now have a scalable solution to sell their products directly to their consumers.

Ultimately my hope for the future of menswear is that we can get back to the ideals of classic dress established in the 1930s, and gradually add personal influences from there. Its starts with understanding that there is one style that is best suited for each of us…our bodies, our lifestyles, our personalities, etc. Sure there is plenty of variation within that one style, but it shouldn’t require purchasing a new wardrobe every season, but rather adding well-made items to a lifetime collection of beautiful pieces that properly present, and represent, the wearer.




credit: Dan Trepanier

A Brief History of Men’s Style - 1990s: Baggy Business Casual

1990s: Baggy Business Casual 

This may be perhaps the worst-dressed decade of them all. The fashion in the 1990s was the genesis of a sweeping shift in the western world: the beginning of the adoption of tattoos and body piercings. This brought back the indifferent, anti-conformist approach to fashion, leading to the popularization of the casual chic look; this included T-shirts, distressed jeans, oversized hoodies, and trainers. “Business Casual” also enters the lexicon as corporate offices generally become less formal, ultimately causing the suit to get bigger and uglier than ever.

credit: Dan Trepanier

A Brief History of Men’s Style - 1970s: Disco Funk

1970s: Disco Funk

The early 1970s were a continuation of late 1960s hippie rebel fashion. For men this particularly meant bell bottom jeans, tie dye shirts, and military surplus clothing. The most popular accessories of the early 1970s for men were homemade, with necklaces, headbands, and bracelets being made from all-natural materials such as wood, hemp, and leather. 

Men began to wear stylish three-piece suits (which became available in a bewildering variety of colors) which were characterized by wide lapels, wide legged or flared trousers, and high-rise waistcoats. Neckties became wider and bolder, and shirt collars became long and pointed as the “disco funk” was all the rage.

credit: Dan Trepanier

A Brief History of Men’s Style - 1950s: The Age of Conformity

1950s: The Age of Conformity

The 1950s was the Age of Conformity. Young men returning from the military were anxious to fit right in with the establishment. Fitting in and “looking the part” meant taking on the Ivy League look, which was dominating menswear. Individuality in style of clothing was an afterthought. The goal was to look “part of the club”, in a boxy sack suit, oxford shirt, rep tie, and loafers. This was another big boost for mass Ready-to-Wear manufacturers who gladly sold the same ill-fitting tweed jackets to any young man trying to look smart and employable.

Furthermore, the 1950s saw the introduction of man-made fabrics like rayon and nylon. This was another boost to the bottom line for the clothing manufacturers who could now save significantly on the cost of fabric, while producing a garment that was thought to be “more durable and easiest to wash”. As it turns out, synthetic cloth makes for terrible menswear garments, especially in suiting. Natural fibers are always better. 

Aesthetically the period was dominated by conservative grey suits and minimalist accessories (hat, pocket square, cigarette, and martini) for just about everyone.

credit: Dan Trepanier