The Art of Business Travel’s essential guide to packing for a business trip.

Luggage
First up, any business trip is going to require the right bag. Generally speaking, you’ll want something sturdy, roomy and easy to tote around.

Whether it’s a quick day-trip from Hong Kong to Singapore for meetings, or a week on the road that takes you from Bangkok to London, New York and back again, you want something made of a hardy material like leather, which not only looks good but helps protect what’s in your bag.

The size and accoutrements of your bag really depends on the length of your trip. For a short jaunt, a well-crafted holdall – like the Ted Baker Igoola or the Fred Perry Barrel Bag – is easy to carry and big enough to hold all your essentials. Best of all, you can carry them on with you and beat the luggage carousel wait when you land.

For longer trips, your best bet is a spacious, dapper case on wheels which will allow you to fit more in, and ensure your clothes don’t get too badly crushed in transit. Look for something like the Tumi Alpha 2 range or Bric’s Bellagio series.

Travel Outfit
If you’re travelling for business, changes are high that you’ll need a suit at some point. If you’re on a short-haul flight, just wear the suit on the plane and you’ll be ready to go straight into a meeting on arrival. For longer flights, it’s worth wearing your suit blazer – or any coat you decide to take – on the plane, paired with jeans and a plain tee that’ll do double duty on your trip. Just ask a flight attendant to hang your blazer up when you board, and you’ll land at your destination wrinkle-free.

Wardrobe
When it comes to packing for a business trip, opting for classic, versatile pieces that work well with each other means you’ll pack less, and be ready for any situation that arises. Stick to neutral colours – think grey, navy, white, black – so that you can mix and match with easy; and pack essentials like comfortable trousers and shirts that can work as smart-casual looks, but can be paired with your blazer for informal meetings.

If you do need to spend more time in suits, focus on packing wrinkle-free shirts and a selection of ties which can all be worn with just one or two suits.

Don’t forget to think about the weather. Depending on here you’re going, you might want to pack pieces in heavier fabrics if it’s cold – along with a coat and scarf – or extra shirts if it’s hot and you need to change several times a day.

Footwear
If you only have space for one pair of shoes, opt for a pair of loafers. They’re easy to slip on and off for airport security, and the versatile shoes can easily be dressed up with tailored clothes, or down for casual wear.

Of course if you do have more space, choose casual loafers for the airport run and your off-duty looks, and a dressier pair – oxfords or brogues – for your suits.

Tips
1. When packing, put the heaviest items at the bottom and lightest at the top – your clothes will winkle less in transit.
2. Unpack as soon as you reach your hotel room – the longer they stay in your luggage, the worse they’ll look when you want to wear them.
3. Most hotel rooms have irons these days but in a pinch, hang your clothes on the back of the bathroom door while you take a hot shower – the steam will smooth out the worst of the creases.