Traveling can be therapeutic, especially if the places you’re going to travel to are those that provide breathtaking scenery and opportunities to explore incredible places you only see in travel magazines and blogs.

But of course, not all travels are recreational.

There are times when you have to go to a different city or even a different country to attend a business conference or have a meeting with clients. And when it comes to packing stuff into a suitcase, one of the things some men struggle with is folding the dress shirts they’re going to use during their business trip.

Folding Takes Some Skill

Yes, compared to a t-shirt, folding a dress shirt takes a lot more skill. But don’t let that dampen your spirits. It’s no herculean task either.

As you may already know, there are several methods you can use in properly folding a dress shirt. The main goal: prevent wrinkles so you don’t have to iron your shirt/s before you wear them, especially if there are time constraints in your schedule.

Ironing Out the Wrinkles

Not literally.

Before we dive into the folding tips, we first have to know what determines the amount of wrinkling on your shirt.

The first determiner is the type of fabric and weave of your shirts.

Next is the amount of time your shirts are packed. Certainly, if you’re traveling to a different country, your shirts stay in your suitcase longer than when you’re traveling to a city nearby. The longer it sits there, the more prone it will be to wrinkling.

Another factor is how tightly your clothing is packed. The more clothes you bring with you, the tighter it’s going to be for your shirts inside the suitcase, hence, the more wrinkles!

Let’s Return to the Fold

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the folding business. First, and this should go without saying, but ensure you've properly washed your dress shirt. Now, pick your storage preference:

Method 1: Just Roll with It

There are a few ways to fold a dress shirt. One is by simply rolling it. This doesn’t mean, of course, that you will just lay your shirt on a surface and start rolling away. Here’s how to do it:

1. First, lay your dress on its front on a flat surface (make sure that it’s all buttoned up).
2. Grab any one side of the shirt and fold it so it lays on top of the other side with all the outer edges lining up.
3. The third step is to grab both sleeves and fold them inwards, making sure that their sides line up with the outer edge of the shirt.
4. Smoothen the shirt, then start rolling from the bottom, working your way up to the collar.

Method 2: Something Standard

And when we say standard, it’s the way you would see a dress shirt folded in a dress shop.

1. The first step is to again the lay the shirt on its front and all buttoned up.
2. Take one sleeve and fold it inwards, taking with you about 3 inches of the side of the shirt as you fold. There has to be a diagonal fold at the top of the sleeve and the cuff should be touching the hem of the shirt.
3. Do the same with the other sleeve.
4. Take the hem of the shirt and fold it inward and it lines up with the bottom of the shirt collar.
5. If the fold looks long, fold the hem halfway through the shirt then fold it again so that the second fold is in line with the bottom of the collar.

Method 3: Something Different

1. Just like with the previous two methods, find a flat surface, and again make sure that your dress shirt’s all buttoned up, including the top button. Lay your dress shirt on the surface face down.
2. Choose any one sleeve and turn it inwards so that there’s a diagonal fold at the top of the sleeve and the cuff touches the hem of the shirt. Remove any wrinkles by flattening it out.
3. Take the other sleeve and repeat the above step. 
4. The next step is to take the collar and fold it so that both the collar and the placket are exposed. Fold it so that the top of the collar is about 3 inches from the hem of the shirt.
5. Fold the part extending from the collar and tuck it under the collar.
6. The last step is to fold the shirt in half.

Sounds tough? Don’t start folding your tent if you got frustrated with the instructions above. And if you need a quick non-ironing ironing hack, check this out.

Again, just like with any other challenging task, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at it. Once you do, packing your dress shirts next time you travel will no longer be something you’d be avoiding like the plague. You’d even find it to be an enjoyable and satisfying task.

Ready to fold?