Work Trip Essentials – Clothing, Accessories, Makeup, Etc
I love it when people approach me to write about a topic on the blog. A friend requested me to share my work trip essentials and I started jotting down points immediately. I remember my days when I used to work full-time and had to travel sometimes for work. I recollected the things I used to pack to ensure I am prepared at all times. This list does not include the obvious items like toiletries, towel, identity cards, money, etc. but focuses on clothing, accessories, makeup and other work trip essentials that you certainly can’t do without.
When you’re travelling for work, you are confused as in what to pack, what to wear, and how to be sure that you don’t miss out on anything. Instead of stressing on these points, I urge you to concentrate on your goals and leave the rest to me.
When you’re travelling for work, you are confused as in what to pack, what to wear, and how to be sure that you don’t miss out on anything. Instead of stressing on these points, I urge you to concentrate on your goals and leave the rest to me.
CLOTHING
A BLOUSE FOR EVERY OCCASION
When you have a couple of meetings to attend, carry a blouse for every meeting (if it falls on different days, that is). And, if you have an official night party, carry another blouse for that. To sum it up, carry one blouse for every occasion, so may it be a meeting or a party.
TWO PAIRS OF BOTTOMS – SKIRT AND A TROUSER
The number of bottoms depends on the duration of your trip. If it’s just for a night and two days, then carry only one pair of trousers. If it’s for a week – or more than three days – then pack a skirt and a trouser. Always keep in mind to pick universal shades so that they go with every blouse. The colours I love are black, grey, khaki, and navy blue; I think they look damn classy.
A GOOD SET OF PJS
I focus on the word ‘good’ because, on a work trip, you can’t just wear your faded PJs. And this holds true especially if you’re travelling with colleagues and are sharing your room. No matter how close your colleague is, it is simply not good manners to wear old pyjamas when you’re travelling for an official purpose.
CASUAL OUTFIT – FOR TRAVEL AND SIGHTSEEING
When you pack for your work trip, don’t forget to include casuals too. You would need them in the commute or for sightseeing.
ACCESSORIES
KITTEN HEELS
I recommend packing kitten heels instead of higher heels for one simple reason: it is more convenient to walk around. When you have a meeting, you don’t want to make it hard for yourself and concentrate on your feet. You wouldn’t want to worry about whether you’re walking like a woman or whether you slip because the floor was smooth or because, well, you were wearing a pair of stilettos! You’d rather focus on the meeting and the confidence you would need to nail down a deal.
BELLIES
You simply can’t walk in heels on all the days so you require a pair of flats. Bellies make a good pick as you can pair them with your casual outfit as well as on meetings. They’re better to walk in and can be more relaxing when you commute.
TWO PAIRS OF EARRINGS – PEARL AND DIAMOND STUDS
As for the jewellery, you can keep it minimal by wearing studs. I recommend a pair of pearls and a pair of diamonds. They are the classiest and most adorable pairs of jewellery, I believe. (If you have to attend a night party, then you can pack drop earrings too.)
METAL WATCH
If you don’t have a metal strapped watch, then I highly recommend you buy one. It’s a superb investment accessory and your work wardrobe is absolutely incomplete without it. My favourite is rose gold but silver and gold metals are equally good.
TOTE – FOR MEETINGS, SIGHTSEEING AND COMMUTE
I would vouch for a structured handbag for meetings, but since this is a work trip, you need to carry a multipurpose bag and the best pick for this would be a formal tote. You can wear it for work as well as for sightseeing and catching flights. The colours I love for a formal tote are beige, grey, brown, and peach. I don’t fancy black totes because they don’t look extraordinary.
BEAUTY
BASE & EYE MAKEUP
I don’t have a precise base and eye-makeup tips because every person has their own favourites. Just one tip for eye makeup though: keep it subtle.
LIPSTICKS – NUDE AND RED
A nude lipstick is like the holy grail of work makeup look so it’s needless to say that pack a nude shade. Also, you need some colours on your lips; so pack a red shade along. This won’t just suit your office parties and sightseeing but would look classy for meetings too. (Psst! Not sure about you but I love red lips!)
NAIL POLISH
Always carry the nail polish you’re wearing because chipping is the last thing you want. Honestly, chipped nails can bring you down! (At least that’s the case with me.)
ALL-IN-ONE WIPES – FOR MAKEUP AND NAILS
Multipurpose wipes are your best bet. They can take off your makeup, nail polish and act as a decent cleanser. If you don't find those, you can carry two separate packs – one for your nails and one for the face.
STRAIGHTENER
We all know that bad hair days are gloomy. So if your hair never supports you then don’t take a risk. Pack a straightener too. You obviously don’t need to straighten every strand of your hair. You can just lightly stroke and achieve semi-straight hair that looks put together. Frizzy hair is a big no-no on work trips.
OTHERS
LAPTOP
Even if your company does not provide a laptop, I suggest you carry your own. You might hesitate why should you use your personal laptop for office purposes but trust me, you would need a portable computer for checking pointers or for additional research at the 11th hour. For instance, you’re an hour away from the meeting and a vital point hits your mind. You can’t research for it on your mobile as the small screen could come in your way and double your tension. Also, if you have to make any last minute changes to your presentation, then having a laptop by your side is the only solution for it. A laptop is undeniably a super crucial thing to pack on a work trip.
STATIONARY – NOTEPAD, PEN, STICKY NOTES
At the end of a tiring day, when you sit down to prepare for another meeting, you feel like taking a notepad and scribbling pointers in it. You can’t always rely on digital devices as not only are they troublesome for eyes but also they need a battery to function. Having a notebook, pen, and sticky notes in a meeting lets you take notes easily.
MULTIPLE COPIES OF YOUR PRESENTATION
Last but definitely not the least important: carry as many copies of presentations and important documents as possible. Remember, there is nothing as “too many” when it comes to presentation files! I would suggest keeping one copy on a pen drive, one on your email, and one on your laptop.
Apart from these essentials, items like toiletries, towel, hair ties, chargers, inner wears, business cards, passport, identity card, money, etc. are unmissable. Also, when on a work trip, strollers look more appealing than the duffle bags or backpacks, so buy a small to medium size stroller if you travel for work often.
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