Curating an elegant wardrobe is one thing. But packing it up for travelling? A whole new level of hard. Unless you use a garment bag, that is.
The best garment bags make packing a doddle. Because who really finds fun in folding and attempting to fit a week’s worth of clothes into a suitcase—like some terrible version of Tetris?
The best garment bags can transport your prized suits and favourite dresses half-way across the world and ensure that they look as good on arrival as they did when they left the tailors.
There’s standard suit bags for businessmen on the move. Or ladies garment bags for transporting designer dresses and ball gowns.
You’ve got folding garment bags that qualify as carry-on luggage. Hanging garment bags for storing your finest attire at home. And rolling garment bags for whizzing through airports.
Plus there’s the convertible duffel garment bag—perfect for satisfying the over-packer that lurks inside all of us.
It’s time to take a peek at the life-changing—or at least wardrobe-changing—world of garment bags.
The 11 best garment bags of 2020
Check our ultimate buyers’ guide after the list to see exactly what you should pay attention to before purchasing a garment bag for your suits or dresses.
Nomatic: Best overall garment bag
We’ve come to expect no-nonsense high-performance from Nomatic and the Nomatic Garment Bag is no exception. It’s the best garment bag on our list, scoring highest in our two major garment bag categories: functionality and durability.
This folding garment bag can hold up to three suits, or a combination of other clothes. Stay organised with the accessories pockets for storing your dress watch, ties, cufflinks, belts, or any other extras. Plus there’s a handy shoe compartment.
When you’re strolling through the airport, there’s a pass-through sleeve to attach the bag to your suitcase. And, once you arrive at your hotel, there’s a hook for hanging the bag up.
Finally, the material is both durable and water-resistant. So if it’s raining at your destination, you can rest assured your outfit will stay safe, snug, and dry.
One of the best suit carriers, you can consider this travel garment bag your wardrobe-on-the-road. It offers a flying start to every urban adventurer, whether you’re heading off to your best friend’s wedding or to an important business meeting abroad.
Best for: a winning garment bag that works exactly as it should
Colours: black
Montblanc Sartorial: Best high-end garment bag
Montblanc has become code-word for high-end and high-quality and the brand’s Sartorial Garment Bag demonstrates exactly why.
This is the perfect bag for toting your designer get-ups, whether that’s a bespoke suit or ball gown. It’s part of the brand’s Sartorial collection, which is all about contemporary elegance. Hence the bag’s sleek black nylon exterior with cross-grain leather trims.
Beyond looking sophisticated, this garment bag is lightweight and has two internal zipped pockets for stowing accessories such as bow ties, handkerchiefs, perfume, or undergarments.
One of the best suit travel bags, the Sartorial will allow you to hit the ground running in a totally crease-free ensemble. After all, you know what they say. A tidy bag means a tidy mind.
Best for: transporting black tie attire to all the hottest events in town
Colours: black
Zegur Suit Carry-On: Best value garment bag
Good suits don’t come cheap. So if you’ve already pushed the boat out with a tailored tuxedo, why not give your bank balance a break with this Zegur Suit Carry-On.
This best-selling garment bag—designed for both men and women—has an interior dual buckle to hold clothes in place so they don’t get crumpled in transit.
Then there are multiple interior zipper pockets for storage, plus an exterior pocket that you can use for anything else: documents, a tablet, or toothbrush. And this foldable garment bag can be attached to your suitcase and also fits in most large overhead plane compartments.
Need to dash straight from the airport to the meeting and get changed in the bathroom? This top-rated garment bag—which is also a real steal, financially—will make sure you look like a total professional when you emerge.
Best for: splashing out on the suit rather than the suit bag
Colours: black and grey
Modoker Convertible: Best carry-on garment bag
For some travellers, efficiency and speed is priority. They want to race through security, be first on and off the plane, and whizz through arrivals at the other end. If you have a need for speed, travelling with just a carry-on is a no-brainer. And Modoker’s Convertible Garment Bag is the best carry-on clothes bag for the job.
This convertible carry-on bag is both a 45-litre duffel bag and a travel garment bag. Pack up your suit or dress with the bag flat. Then convert it into a duffel bag to stow any additional gear. Your shoes fit neatly in one end.
This bag is made of water, scratch, and tear-resistant material—which basically means you’re prepared for anything. It can be slung onto your shoulder with the detachable shoulder strap or slipped onto the top of your suitcase for even easier transportation.
Best for: business travellers and jet-setters wanting to avoid extra baggage fees
Colours: black, blue, and grey
SwissGear Premium Rolling: Best garment suitcase
Do you fly frequently for business? Or maybe you’re a serial vacationer? Either way, you need to transport your professional or holiday wardrobe all in one piece. Check out SwissGear’s Rolling Garment Bag which combines the advantages of a suitcase with those of the best suit bags.
The wheels allow you to roll swiftly through the airport or city streets with optimum manoeuvrability. And inside you can fit as many clothes as your standard suitcase: jacket, shirts, shoes, and any other essentials like a water bottle or earbuds.
Don’t worry about arriving at the end to find a dishevelled heap inside. This bag has tie-down straps to keep everything snug and secure. In other words, no wrinkling or creasing.
The bag unfolds into four sections that include additional zip pockets, a shoe pocket, and a wet bag for any other gear. Then there’s the removable garment bag that you can hang up in your hotel closet.
So whether you’re carrying a dress nabbed from last Paris Fashion Week, or your most highly prized suit, you can keep it all neat, tidy, and protected in this garment suitcase. This is a ladies garment bag just as much as it is a guys suit bag.
Best for: self-confessed over-packers for whom bigger is always better
Colours: black
UNIQUEBELLA Carry-On: Best garment duffel bag
Whether you’re setting off for an important client meeting at HQ International, or flying in for a friend’s lavish birthday party, the same rule applies: better to pack too much than too little.
After all, that meeting could extend to drinks and dinner. And what if you meet a sexy stranger at the party and one thing leads to another? You need to pack for any possibility. Basically, you need UNIQUEBELLA’s Garment Duffel.
Packing neatly in a standard duffel is hard. Everything rolls around and gets creased. But this 45-litre duffel unfolds into a garment bag where you can neatly pack away suits and dresses.
Then fold it up and you’ve got a shoe pouch on the left side, plus additional interior pockets for accessories, and two exterior pockets for speedy access to anything else. And the material is scratch-resistant and waterproof.
Whether it’s a business meeting, black tie event, or any other situation where you want to look put-together and presentable, this garment duffel bag has space for all your essentials and there’s no need for ironing at the other end.
Best for: keeping organised and staying one step ahead
Colours: black and grey
Travelpro Platinum Elite Rolling: Best large garment bag
Is overpacking your number one vice? Unable to leave home unless you have clothes for every possible weather situation and every possible social occasion? We hear you.
The Travelpro Platinum Garment Bag is the largest garment bag on our list and is ideal for those who, between interviews, meetings, and leisure trips, seem to live out of a suitcase.
Store your suits, dresses, or any other smart outfit in the two large interior pockets where the padded roll bar will stop any wrinkles forming. There are multiple other pockets inside for accessories and undergarments while outside you’ve got pockets for your computer, tablet, and any other travel essentials.
One of the best rolling garment bags, it’s made of a hard-wearing nylon with damage-resistant zippers so it can withstand a bit of wear and tear. There’s an integrated lock that TSA authorities can lock and unlock for inspection. And, for carrying, you’ve got a choice between the leather or adjustable and extendable handles.
Whether it’s a client meeting or holiday jaunt, this bag is just the ticket, providing optimum portability, supreme protection for your clothes, and plenty of space to satisfy the over-packers out there.
Best for: getting your money’s worth with a generously sized garment bag
Colours: black
NEWHEY: Best weekender garment bag
Is there anything more exciting than leaving the office on a Friday and jumping in a taxi to the airport? Or packing a bag ready for a cheeky weekend getaway?
But the question is, what bag to take? The answer, we think, is obvious. This NEWHEY Garment Bag. A garment bag that redefines the meaning of multifunctional. It’s a holdall, carry-on, duffel, overnight, and garment bag, all in one.
The main bag is 55 litres. That’s equivalent to around 5 days of clothes and supplies. You can store fancy clothes in the large zipper pocket to keep them wrinkle-free, and there are additional pockets for accessories, valuables, and make-up.
The water and tear-resistant material and odour and waterproof shoe compartment are two additional bonuses.
No more hanging your suit or dress in the hotel shower, hoping the creases will magically disappear. Wherever your weekend takes you, this bag will turn you into the cool and calm high-flyer you were born to be.
Best for: those who live for last-minute weekend getaways
Colours: black and grey
Tom Ford Garment Bag: Best leather garment bag
This Tom Ford Garment Bag isn’t made entirely from leather. It only has leather trims. But you don’t want a totally leather garment bag. It’s too stiff and bulky to stash away when not in use.
Instead, this garment bag is made from a hard-wearing and high-quality canvas with leather details and a gold Tom Ford logo, delivering all the high-fashion factor that you need. In sleek and stealthy black, it’s a perfect example of understated luxury.
This designer garment bag has four shirt slots as well as two zippered pouches for organisation while a two-way zip fastening makes for easy access.
Whether it’s an out-of-town party or a job interview in a new city, you need to look the part. This Tom Ford garment bag is ideal for keeping formal clothes flat, clean, and crease-free. Pack everything up quickly and easily, jump on the plane, arrive at your hotel, and slip into your cocktail attire—all without a hitch.
Or use it to keep your smartest outfits safe in storage and protected from dust.
Best for: looking effortlessly elegant in the departure lounge
Colours: black
AmazonBasics Garment Bag: Best budget garment bag
We’ve come to depend on AmazonBasics for high-quality but low-expense accessories and this Garment Bag is a prime example of why we keep coming back for more.
It’s compact yet can hold up to three suits or dresses with tie-down straps to keep everything secure. There’s even space left over for belts, ties, cologne, underwear, skincare, and toiletries. Keep it all organised with the interior mesh zipper pockets that allow you to see what’s inside without opening them.
Meanwhile, you can use the exterior pockets for pens, headphones, a sleep mask, or any other travel must-haves. And the bag is made from long-lasting polyester that can be wiped clean in the event of a coffee spill.
This affordable garment bag combines garment storage with superb travel efficiency, making it an ideal companion for frequent-flyers.
Best for: garment transportation that’s easy on the wallet and on the eye
Colours: black and navy blue
Berluti B-Way Garment Bag: Most expensive garment bag
If you consider your wardrobe more a curated collection of minor artworks than a bunch of clothes, then you need a luxury garment bag. Treat your clothes the way you would like to be treated with Berluti’s B-Way Garment Bag.
Blazer, trenchcoat, tuxe, or maxi dress, this bag can hold it all. There are internal and external pockets for accessories and items like wallets or boarding passes.
This folding garment bag is made from a hard-wearing nylon patterned with the brand’s recognisable Scritto motif. The leather trims are the finishing touch on a bag that is the epitome of restrained elegance. Two top handles offer carrying ease and convenience.
Whether it’s a corporate event or a leisurely excursion to some fashionable destination,
elite travellers need an equally elite garment bag. Because, after all, if you want to look top dollar, you have to spend top dollar.
Best for: turning heads in the Executive Club lounge
Colours: black
Buyers guide: what to look for when buying a garment bag
When buying a garment bag, there are a few things to consider to ensure you pick the best one for your particular needs.
Size and shape
Do you plan to use your garment bag solely to transport business or black tie attire? Or do you want something that can double up as a travel bag? This is the first thing to decide as it will determine whether you opt for a traditional garment bag or a convertible garment bag.
A traditional garment bag can generally fit in an overhead compartment on a plane. For it to qualify as a carry-on bag it needs to be 56 x 35 x 22 cm.
Some airlines also allow passengers to bring a personal item. If your garment bag can be stowed under the seat in front, then it will qualify as a personal item.
Traditional garment bags are tri-fold or bi-fold. This refers to how many times you fold them before closing.
If you want something with more space, consider a convertible garment bag or a duffel garment bag. These unfold so you can store your suit or dress. You then convert them into a garment duffel bag to hold additional clothing and gear. Some even have shoe compartments at one end.
These convertible duffel bags are a bit bigger, although many still qualify as carry-on luggage. Check the dimensions before you buy.
Portability
How far do you need to walk with your garment bag? If you are concerned about how easy the bag is to transport, look for a garment bag with either a detachable shoulder strap or a sleeve for slotting onto a rolling suitcase.
An alternative is a garment suitcase. These look like small suitcases but have been designed especially to keep your clothes wrinkle-free and come with an extendable handle for easy manoeuvrability.
Materials and durability
Most garment bags are either made of durable nylon or canvas. Both are long-lasting and hard-wearing and can be washed with ease. Some are simply wipe-clean.
You may also want to check whether your garment bag is waterproof or water-resistant.
Additional features to pay attention to:
- Straps for securing – internal straps secure your clothes to stop them moving around. This means less chance of wrinkles and creases.
- Transparent screens – these allow you to see inside the pocket without opening them. Mesh is a good alternative.
- Pockets and dividers – keeping all your gear organised makes for smooth and streamlined travelling and stops things getting creased or damaged in transit.
- Security tags – having your name and contact details on your garment bag offers additional peace of mind.
- Built-in hangers – once you get to your hotel room or cabin, it’s useful to be able to hang your garment bag up immediately.
How to pack a suit in a garment suitcase: a step-by-step guide and top tips
If you need to pack a suit for travel, the easiest way is with a garment bag. These are designed to keep your suit wrinkle-free and protected in transit.
However, if you don’t have a garment bag, there are a few ways you can pack a suit in a suitcase or in your carry-on bag and still arrive with it crease-free and ready-to-wear.
- Firstly, lay the suit jacket face down on a clean and smooth surface.
- Next, turn the right shoulder inside out.
- Then fold the left shoulder back on itself and tuck it into the pouch shape made by the right shoulder.
- Fold in half lengthways and then horizontally.
- Place the jacket inside a dry cleaning bag. This will prevent rubbing and wrinkles.
- Fold the suit trousers in half vertically.
- Place the folded suit jacket in the centre of the trousers and fold the trousers over the jacket.
If that sounds too complicated, a simple alternative is to turn your suit and jacket inside out before folding. Most of the creases will then just be on the lining.
Or you can pack your suit trousers in a dry-cleaning bag at the bottom of your suitcase before packing any other pieces of clothing. Add your suit jacket in a dry-cleaning bag to the top of the pile, folding it over all the other clothes so that it’s smooth and flat.
Frequently asked questions about garment bags
What size garment bag do I need?
Garment bags come in different sizes and shapes. If you want a carry-on garment bag, look for something that’s less than 56 x 35 x 22 cm (22 x 14 x 9 inches), but check your airline requirements before flying. Rolling garment bags and garment duffel bags are a good option if you plan to take more clothes with you.
Should you keep suits in garment bags?
Suits should be kept in garment bags when travelling to avoid creasing and wrinkles and to keep them protected from spillages. At home, you can also store your suits in garment bags to protect them from dust and to keep them looking fresh.