It is common knowledge that putting everything in one single suitcase per week is challenging. Although you should make sure to look presentable to attend the meeting in Chicago, you may still need something to layer up for unpredictable weather conditions. In this case, you are not only trying to fit everything in a single bag, but you want to look prepared and avoid resembling the guy who slept in his suit. In this case, we are talking about abandoning the “just in case” principle because having a bag takes time.
The key point of this method relies solely on choosing certain fabrics. You have to forget about the old cotton and start wearing Merino wool or technical fabrics as soon as possible. Pants from Ministry of Supply or Bluffworks are never wrinkling and resist coffee spills. Breathability is the essential characteristic of the fabric which makes you feel fresh and cool in a crowded conference room and warm when the air conditioner lowers the temperature.
This is what you are going to do in numbers. Three shirts, two pairs of pants and one jacket are enough to give you options for an entire week. You will have to use the monochromatic colors like charcoal, navy and slate to ensure that you can match everything in one suit. A good choice would be navy blazer by Suitsupply that will let you wear chinos for the business dinner and return flight. Two shoes are enough – white sneakers and dress shoes.
The most important thing here is how you are going to fold all these clothes in a single carry-on. Packing cubes will help you to organize your work clothes in the bag. Folding of soft clothes such as T-shirts is not the best way to use space and protect your clothes from being crumpled. You need to understand that there is nothing more important than the fact that any item that does not fit in 35 liters AER Travel Pack is not necessary at all.
You do not need to think about weather while traveling. One packable raincoat from Patagonia is what you need to protect yourself from a rain. When you feel cold, wear a sweater; when it gets hot, put it in your backpack. You have an advantage compared to the person standing in front of you waiting for his luggage from the carousel.