Travelling with Collar Stays: Tips to Keep Your Dress Shirts Sharp
Whether travelling for business or leisure, one can count on the following challenge to be the same: keeping your shirts crisp and professional-looking after you have travelled via long flights, long car rides, or stayed in a hotel. One small accessory that makes a significant impact is the collar stay. It may seem small, but collar stays will keep your shirt collars looking structured, polished, and sharp for your entire trip.
1. Protect Your Accessories
Small items, such as shirt collar inserts, are easily lost or bent if not stored properly. Using a compact travel case or pouch keeps them safe, organised, and ready for use. Avoid packing them loosely with heavy items, such as shoes or toiletries, which could damage their shape.
2. Use Durable Plastic Options
For travel, shirt collar stiffeners plastic are lightweight, practical, and perfect for long trips. Properly packed, they will resist bending, which keeps your shirt collars crisp and does not add any bulk to your luggage. Plastic stays are of good quality, inexpensive, and easy to replace if you lose one.
3. Fold and Pack Shirts Smartly
How you pack your shirts impacts how well they hold their shape. Rolling shirts or using garment folders helps minimise wrinkles. Keep collars in their natural position, leaving inserts inside until you are ready to wear the shirt.
4. Take Them Out Before Laundry
Inserts should always be removed before washing, steaming or ironing your shirts. They will be safe in a travel pouch during laundering, and after laundering, they can be placed back in the shirts so the collars are alert.
The best part of this habit is that it will keep all of your inserts and your shirts looking new for longer.
5. Carry Spare Inserts
Even the most careful traveller can misplace a stay. Bringing a few extra plastic inserts guarantees that your collars remain sharp throughout your trip, whether for a business meeting or a formal event. Lightweight and easy to store, they are an essential part of any travel kit.
6. Quick Fixes While Travelling
Wrinkles may come about unexpectedly, especially when flying for many hours or staying in a hotel. Here are a few quick fixes:
- Hang the shirt in a steamy bathroom for a few minutes to loosen up minor wrinkles.
- Use an extra insert or a stiff card temporarily to stiffen the collar.
- Gently smooth out the collar with your hands once you take it out of the luggage.
These simple steps can maintain a professional appearance without ironing or taking the clothing to a dry cleaner when away from home.
FAQs
Q. Are plastic stays effective for travel?
Definitely. Quality plastic inserts are flexible, durable, and lightweight, making them ideal for travel.
Q. Can I use inserts for all different types of shirts?
Most dress shirts are manufactured to accommodate a removable spot, so they should work well with quality inserts. Some casual shirts may not have pockets to accommodate this option.
Q. How long do quality plastic inserts last?
When cared for, high-quality plastic inserts last for years with a maintained collar shape and overall function.
Q. Can I use collars with semi-fancy or casual shirts?
Yes, as long as the collar has a pocket or space to accommodate the insert. It provides structure and polish instead of a collapsed collar, as long as the collar can fit properly.
Conclusion
Travelling does not mean sacrificing style. By packing, accessorising, and following a few simple practices, you can stay sharp from sunrise to sunset regardless of where you go. While some tools, such as collar inserts, may seem small, they can make a great deal of difference by keeping the collar structure, shape, and style on your travels.