How to Pack Dresses

Co-authored by Ashley Moon, MA

Last Updated: December 14, 2021 References

You can easily pack dresses in either garment bags, carry-ons, or suitcases. If you want to prevent wrinkles, place your dresses inside of plastic dry cleaning bags before you pack them. If packing dresses in a carry-on, put them on top of your other items. When packing suitcases, you can fold your cocktail dresses in half and roll up your casual dresses. Wrap up your dresses, toss them in your bag, and head out for your cruise, flight, or road-trip!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Garment Bags

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1
Place your dress on a hanger. Use a velvet hanger or one with slits or hooks so your dress does not slip off during your travels.^{[1]
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- If your dress has extra hanging ribbons attached near the straps, you can place these on the hanger to help secure your dress.
2
Stuff your dress with acid-free tissue paper if packing a wedding dress. To keep the shape of your wedding gown, crumple up acid-free tissue paper, and place it inside the body and bust of your dress. For extra protection, place your tissue paper inside of large plastic ziplock bags before you stuff your dress.^{[2]
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- This maintains the shape as you travel, so you don’t have to worry about your dress getting crushed or condensed.
- You can also do this if you are packing a formal gown.
- Do this for all wedding gowns. If your formal dress is not made with a structured bodice, then you may not need to pack it in a garment bag.
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Place your dress in a plastic dry cleaning bag so it stays wrinkle-free. If you don’t want your dresses to get wrinkled, lay each dress on a flat surface, and place them inside a dry cleaning bag. Use a separate dry cleaning bag for each dress. Lift the dress up by the hanger, and straighten out the bag towards the bottom so it lies flat. You can tie the bag at the bottom if there is a lot of extra plastic.^{[3]
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- This way, your garments will stay in perfect condition as you travel.
4
Put the dry cleaning bags inside of a garment bag. Unzip your garment bag and place the dresses inside. Stick the hanger through the slot in the middle, and adjust the sides of the bag to cover the shoulders of your dress. Zip up the garment bag when you are ready to go.^{[4]
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- You can fit multiple garments inside the same bag. The number will vary depending on the thickness of your dresses. However, avoid packing your garment bag too full, as this can cause wrinkles.
- If you are packing a wedding or formal dress, it is best to pack them individually.
5
Hang up your garment bag in the car or stow it on your plane. If you are driving, hang your garment bag from the hook above your back seat window. You can place the hanger on top of the hook. If you are flying, contact the airline in advance and ask what their policy is regarding garment bags. Oftentimes, planes have a separate section on the plane where passengers can store a garment bag as a carry-on.^{[5]
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- If the airline doesn't have a place for your garment bag, you can gently fold your bag in half and place it in the overhead bin.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Packing Dresses in Carry-Ons

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Lay your dress flat and place it in a dry cleaning bag. To prevent excessive folds and wrinkles, start by laying your dress on a flat surface, like your bed or table. Separate both sides of the plastic bag with your fingers, and place your dress inside of a plastic dry cleaning bag. Pack each dress in its own dry cleaning bag.^{[6]
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- The extra layer will protect your dress while it is inside your carry-on.
- If you have a lot of extra plastic at the bottom, tie it into a knot. This way, you can easily put your dress into your carry-on.
2
Fold the garment in half, following the natural shape of the dress. When packing carry-on bags, you want to keep your dress as flat as possible. Look for a halfway point in the dress, whether at the waist or at the chest. Then, fold your dress in half either vertically or horizontally.^{[7]
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- For example, if your dress has a defined waist, fold it in half horizontally.
- If your dress has a plunging neckline, fold it in half vertically.
If your dress is very long, fold it again horizontally. This makes the dress more compact, so you can easily place it in your carry-on.
4
Pack your dresses last to avoid wrinkles or compression. Put shoes, clothing, and toiletries in your bag before you place your dresses inside. If the end of your plastic dry cleaning bag sticks out, tuck it around the bottom of your dress.^{[8]
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- If you put your dresses in first, they will get smashed by the weight of your other items. This causes wrinkles and folds.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Packing Dresses in Suitcases

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1
Place your dresses in individual dry cleaning bags so they don’t wrinkle. When packing dresses, it is helpful to place them inside of dry cleaning bags so you can keep them as wrinkle-free as possible. Place each dress in its own dry cleaning bag.^{[9]
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- If there is excess plastic at the bottom, grasp it in your hands and tie it into a knot at the end.
2
Roll up your casual dresses and pack them on top of other clothing. Lay your dress face-down down on a flat surface. If your dress has sleeves, fold them on top of the body of your dress. Fold the bottom hem on top of the body, then begin rolling up the fabric until you reach the neckline. Roll up your all of your casual dresses to save space.^{[10]
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- This is best to do with cotton or linen dresses. These fabrics don't hold wrinkles as much as synthetic fabrics and silk, so rolling is a good option. Additionally, cotton and linen easily compacts as you roll it.
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Fold cocktail dresses in half and pack them last. After your dresses are inside the dry cleaning bags, fold them in half either horizontally or vertically, following the shape of the dress. Place your folded dresses at the very top of your suitcase.^{[11]
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- Cocktail dresses will pack with minimal wrinkles if you fold them 1-2 times.
- Fold the dress at the waist if it has a structured midpoint.
- Make a vertical fold if the dress's neckline is the focus.
4
Place a dry cleaning bag in between each layer of clothing. As you fill your suitcase, lay a dry cleaning bag on top of each layer of clothing. Pack your other clothing at the bottom, then place a bag on top. Put your rolled dresses in next, and put a dry cleaning bag on top of them. Then, place any folded cocktail dresses on top of your rolled dresses.^{[12]
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- This protects your clothing while keeping it in place.
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Wrap all of your items in 1 dry cleaning bag to keep your items situated. After you've placed all of your items inside your bag, wrap a plastic dry cleaning bag around all of your clothing, and tuck it in around the sides.^{[13]
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- This final dry cleaning bag prevents your items from sliding around inside the bag.
- If your bag has interior straps to hold all of your items, you can also connect them after you wrap the final bag around your clothes. This is another method of protection for your dresses.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you pack a dress so it doesn't wrinkle?

Ashley Moon, MA
Professional Organizer
Ashley Moon is the Founder and CEO of Creatively Neat, a virtual organizing and life coaching business based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to helping people organize their best life, she has a fabulous team of organizers ready to de-clutter your home or business. Ashley hosts workshops and speaking engagements at various venues and festivals. She has trained with Coach Approach and Heart Core for organizing and business coaching respectively. She has an MA in Human Development and Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.

Ashley Moon, MA

Professional Organizer

Expert Answer

The best way to keep a dress wrinkle-free is to place it on a hanger. If your dress doesn't have straps or extra hanging ribbons attached, you can neatly fold the dress and slide it through a suit hanger. The only dresses you can try folding or rolling are thick-fabric dresses without sleeves.

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How can I pack my prom dress away to change into something else for the after party?

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You can bring a bag for your dress and leave it in your vehicle when you go to the after party.

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Things You'll Need

Dresses
Hangers
Garment bag, carry-on, or suitcase
Plastic dry cleaning bags (1 for each dress)
Acid-free tissue paper and bags (formal/wedding dresses)

Tips

Hang your dress in a steamy bathroom for 1-5 minutes to get out any minor wrinkles.^{[14]
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If you are traveling and want to iron away wrinkles, test the iron on a hand towel first. Since this is a new iron, you never know how hot it’s going to get!^{[15]
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