What clothes to carry for Business Travel

Clothes for Business Travel

​65% of working professionals travel for work at least once a quarter, average duration of such travels being two days and one night. But there are professionals like marketers, sales people, CEOs, Consultants, Buyers etc. who have to be on the road (or in the sky) for at-least 10 days in a month.  All of these travel on purpose. Not to laze around, not to meet childhood friends but to win. Win deals, Win their target, win the approvals of their clients, seniors, juniors, business partners and what have you. In my long sales & top management career, spanning various corporations, I noticed that every person, whether it was a wholesaler, an agent, a small retailer partner or colleagues, would take note of how the company (or HO or regional office) representatives dressed. They may not make adverse comments on the sloppy dressers (well, sometime they do) but they definitely respect those who dress well. Of course, there are many studies which indicate a direct correlation between success & a well-groomed personality. Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful by Dr. Daniel Hamermesh being one such work. However the big challenge is how to handle this when one has to get up at 5 in the morning to take the first flight out of the city, maybe cover two cities in a day. Well, there can be many tricks and tips to do that successfully, we are going to restrict the scope of this post to traveling stylishly for business.
Assuming that the travel is for 3 days and two nights & a 12-14 hours long work day (applicable more for the cities with tropical climate like Mumbai or Singapore), the theme of dressing up should be around comfort but without losing focus on winning (more attractive=more successful). Lot of people tend to weigh one (comfort) over another (looks) or the other way round, but believe me when I say this, the key to professional success lies in establishing the right balance of the two.
So let’s start with what kind of clothes you should carry.

Business Shirts

Number: Three
Colors/patterns you should have: White, shades of light blue, ash grey, powder pink, rich cream. You can have very fine patterns in checks, pinstripes etc.
Colors/patterns you should not have: families of yellow and green, Red, Purple, Dark colored, heavy patterns and designs

Casual Shirts/Polo T-shirts

Number: Two
​They should be in solid colors, if possible. These pieces are for the evenings, after the day is over. They also come handy in cases of any contingency. Don’t confuse these pieces with your leisurewear shirts or T-shirts. These too are part of your smart official attire. So avoid any bold graphics, fancy collars etc.

Trousers

​Choice of trousers totally depends on the sector you work in. I was once with a sportswear company where wearing even a chino was anti-establishment. People would generally be in their denims. On the other hand, I remembered meeting a top executive from a real estate firm in crew neck and jeans. He looked out of place and completely non-serious about our transaction. I had reasons to feel offended, though I didn’t show that to him. But you know that’s how it works. Nobody tells what they think of you. They just form impression and deal with you accordingly.

If your job requires you to be in the field, meeting retailers, agents etc. Two chinos (blue and khaki) are a good idea. If you have some important meeting lined up in a formal setting, one formal trouser (deep blue or black) in wool rich blend should be good. No pure polyester, shiny fabric please.
Keeping a pair of denims is always a good idea. It can be used in the evenings or while in transit. However, these denim too should be of a smart cut. No clingy fits or those baggy ones, hanging from the hips.

Suit/Blazer

For stylish men, not for the ordinary travelers, one business blazer is must. Doesn’t matter if it is summers (carry a summer jacket) or monsoons. A business jacket not only makes you look good, it increases your bargaining power significantly. For the market visits, a polo with a business jacket exudes more authority than what a formal shirt would do.  Don’t carry it in your suitcase. Wear it while in transit. Who knows, this may even get you an upgrade! At least I got, a couple of times.
Business Suit: It depends on your role, purpose of traveling. It is not really a must if the tour is just a market visit unless you are the top boss. However if there are meetings, conferences lined up in the office or in any other formal setting, and if it is to do with winning a deal or a sales account, not wearing a suit is a sure-shot harakiri. Don’t commit it. No harm in wearing one than not doing so.
If you are carrying a suit, then you don’t need to carry an extra jacket. You can avoid one pair of trousers as well. The Golden rule of travel holds always: Travel light

Footwear

Number: Two pairs
One formal black shoes with laces (to go with almost everything including denim) and one set of loafers (for evenings and traveling). Don’t carry slippers or sandals. Go to breakfast fully ready in your shoes. Sports shoes are okay if you are serious about fitness but don’t wear those anywhere else other than while following your regime. Then, carry a sports T-shirt and shorts or tracksuit as well. Don’t be seen in your hotel’s gym treadmill in sports shoes and chinos!

Socks

​Number: 4-5
These are small items and don’t take much space. Carrying a few extra pairs doesn’t hurt but it definitely will keep your feet dry and non-smelling. You should change it twice a day if your day extends beyond 8 hours. ​

Undergarments

Number: Four pair, two showers each day

Luggage

​For traveling executives, their luggage is the most prominent part of their style. I see a lot of executives running around at the airports of the country with their backpacks hung sideways on one of their shoulders. It looks bad. It looks worse if it is put on both the shoulders like Army men (Army folks look good in their attire because they are dressed for the occasion, boots, helmet, dungarees and backpacks).  It does feel convenient but looks awful on a business traveler. I remembered seeing one executive from a well-known IT firm who wore two backpacks, one on his back and one front and was lugging around a suitcase at the Mumbai Airport after the security check. I just couldn’t understand him at all. I know many will read this with disdain and suspicion & it’s perfectly fine with me. This post is meant for those who would like to look good, not for everyone.
So the backpack is OUT. If you have to carry a laptop, carry it in a smart satchel. The other very good option is to have a nice overnighter trolley suitcase with a laptop compartment. It not only looks cool, you also are able to avoid an extra baggage item.

Accessories

One toiletry kit (chapstick, shaving, oral hygiene & perfume travel packs), One electronic accessory bag (chargers, cords, power bank, USB etc), One metal or leather strapped watch & a nice standard leather belt in shoe matching color (you can carry one more sports belt to be worn with the loafers, it doesn’t take much space).

​Keep in mind that your travel suitcase is like a capsule wardrobe for you. A read up of10 essential items in a man’s wardrobe may help you further.