Pannier or Backpack for Business Attire

[TwoWheelsDC]

I’ve been using one of these for about 4 years, at various points stuffed into a backpack and pannier (mostly backpack though). Every day, I fold up pants and shirt, then throw in undershirt/socks/underwear. I keep my shoes at the office, but the Pack-It is small enough that I have enough room for shoes or other items like lunch.

[EasyRider]

There’s probably an expensive purpose built bag for this, but here’s a cheapo way.

Before you leave in the morning, fold your shirt and slacks clothes around a stiffening board made from coroplast, or some other lightweight, thin, rigid material. The idea is to make the board the core, and fold the clothes over it. Put the folded clothes+stiffener into a plastic grocery bag so that your clothes don’t get abraded from rubbing against the inside of your backpack or bag. It’s not perfect, but it’ll get the job done.

[Emm]

1. Roll your clothes, don’t fold them if you’re using a general pannier/backpack. This seriously reduces wrinkles.

2. Invest in wrinkle free clothing. It can be hit or miss to find the right items that truly don’t wrinkle, but it helps. I own a few shirts and dresses that seem impossible to wrinkle, and those are my go-tos for days I’m in a rush.

3. I dont own these, but 2 of my colleagues swear by nashbars garment pannier: http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_563348_-1___

4. Before you iron, read the label on your clothes. I’ve melted shirts at work from accidentally putting the iron too high Does your work have an iron? If not, will you have an office you can store one and a mini ironing board in?

If you can store a few sport coats, see if you can also store a few shirts and slacks. What my husband used to do when he had a job that required suits 5 days a week and provided no access to an iron, is drive in on Monday, drop off a weeks work or shirts/pants, and bike the rest of the week.

[EasyRider]

@TwoWheelsDC 161972 wrote:

I’ve been using one of these for about 4 years, at various points stuffed into a backpack and pannier (mostly backpack though). Every day, I fold up pants and shirt, then throw in undershirt/socks/underwear. I keep my shoes at the office, but the Pack-It is small enough that I have enough room for shoes or other items like lunch.

Well sh#t! No need to reinvent the wheel. Get one of these. I am!

[accordioneur]

There’s also this, from Two Wheel Gear. Much more expensive than the Nashbar one – I don’t know whether it’s worth the extra money, but I’ve heard good things about these.

Years ago, my visiting mother-in-law saw me coming home from work in dress clothes and recommended that I switch to polyester suits to save money on dry cleaning. Despite my Brooklyn roots, I did not take her advice.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Emm 161974 wrote:

.

3. I dont own these, but 2 of my colleagues swear by nashbars garment pannier: http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_563348_-1___

.

I have this. It’s perfect for a certain set of circumstances, like if you have no option but to bring your entire outfit in every day or if you have an offsite meeting at a place where you have access to some place to change. Otherwise, it’s just a lot of weight that you can avoid packing around if you just take the time to fold your clothes carefully and can leave bulkier items (like shoes and jackets) at the office.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@accordioneur 161976 wrote:

polyester suit

I thought they stopped making these in the mid-80s….

[Crickey7]

3 season wool slacks are pretty wrinkle resistant if you roll them. Shirts wrinkle a bit, but Downy Wrinkle Releaser works well on creases.

[jrenaut]

@TwoWheelsDC 161972 wrote:

I’ve been using one of these for about 4 years, at various points stuffed into a backpack and pannier (mostly backpack though). Every day, I fold up pants and shirt, then throw in undershirt/socks/underwear. I keep my shoes at the office, but the Pack-It is small enough that I have enough room for shoes or other items like lunch.

When I had an office job I used one of these too. Usually stuffed in a backpack with my laptop and other odds and ends.

[baiskeli]

@TwoWheelsDC 161978 wrote:

I thought they stopped making these in the mid-80s….

Nah, they just make them better now so you don’t notice.

[ChampionTier]

@Crickey7 161979 wrote:

…but Downy Wrinkle Releaser works well on creases.

Great idea — I’ll stash some in our gear room; may come in handy for other classmates.

[ChampionTier]

@Emm 161974 wrote:

2. Invest in wrinkle free clothing. It can be hit or miss to find the right items that truly don’t wrinkle, but it helps. I own a few shirts and dresses that seem impossible to wrinkle, and those are my go-tos for days I’m in a rush.

Trust me: I will find a way to wrinkle it! Great advice on all points, thanks!

[AFHokie]

@accordioneur 161976 wrote:

There’s also this, from Two Wheel Gear. Much more expensive than the Nashbar one – I don’t know whether it’s worth the extra money, but I’ve heard good things about these

I’ve been using one of the two wheel gear panniers for two years now. As long as you’re ok with using a rear rack it’s one of the better options; in it I can easily fit a suit, shirt, shoes, belt, undergarments, lunch, 32oz thermos, 17inch work laptop, emergency fleece, bike tools, helmet raincover, rainjacket & rainpants.

My only complaints:
Its not quiet long enough to fit a suit jacket on a hanger without rumpling the bottom.
External access to the laptop pocket so I don’t have to open up the main compartment to remove my work laptop.
Wouldn’t mind a water bottle sleeve.

Otherwise, I’ve found it extremely durable and with the included raincover I’ve yet to arrive with wet clothing in my bag.

For those wondering, I don’t carry that much on a daily basis (I leave a couple suits, shoes & belts at work) but I have had days when I’ve needed to bring all of that with me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[Drewdane]

@TwoWheelsDC 161972 wrote:

I’ve been using one of these for about 4 years, at various points stuffed into a backpack and pannier (mostly backpack though). Every day, I fold up pants and shirt, then throw in undershirt/socks/underwear. I keep my shoes at the office, but the Pack-It is small enough that I have enough room for shoes or other items like lunch.

I do the same – it works well, especially if you stick with so-called “wrinkle free” items from LL Bean and the like. I also have a Timbuk2 “Especial Raider” backpack that has an integrated folding board and pocket as well as internal pockets for your shoes.

[secstate]

@ChampionTier 161970 wrote:

In August, though, I’ll be starting an academic program that requires slacks, a tie, and a button up shirt (I’ll be able to stash a couple sport coats in a storage area at school).
CT

MBA? Divinity school? I thought half the point of academia was to qualify for Professor or Hobo.

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