I have been traveling for business for some time now and have learned lots of things that save time and money. I recently lost weight and have needed to build a new travel wardrobe which has spawned this guide. If you have any other tips, please let me know and I will add them.

Basic womens wardrobe for a 3-5 day business trip

• Black suit coat with a matching skirt in solid black (poly/spandex mix is good for plus size and doesnt wrinkle)
• 2 pair black pants, both solid black or 1 solid and 1 with a subtle pattern - pinstripe not flowers. If you pack good quality black stretch pants, these could double as workout pants.
• 1 subtle black multicolored skirt with a reasonable length hem. If you are plus, the hem should fall at the thinnest part of your leg which is usually just below the knee
• Combination of solid black and black multi colored tops enough for one everyday. Poly blends are stain resistant and they dont wrinkle as much cotton or other natural fabrics but they dont breathe either so pack a small bottle of Fabreeze. A white cotton dress shirt and scarf or sweater looks great with black pants but will need to be ironed when you get to the hotel.
• Black underwear, black and white bras, black hose.
• Swimsuit if you will use the pool and if you bring a tankini (bottoms and tank style top) the top will double as a workout top, just wear a sports bra underneath.

Tips

Packing

Roll your clothes in a tube to keep them from wrinkling and to make the most of your luggage space. Lay your clothes on a table or on the floor by outfit, stacking each piece with the thinnest pieces on the bottom and heavier pieces on the top. The bulk of the heavy material will help keep the thinner pieces from wrinkling. Roll the outfit in a tube making sure the pieces are rolling up flat with no wrinkles.

Wear a black outfit with a pair of flat black shoes to the airport that will match all of your other clothes. If you need to pack a second pair of dress shoes, use them for storage inside your suitcase to store smaller things like your hose and underwear, jewelry, or ziplock bags of snacks. If you plan to work out bring a pair of excercise shoes. Dont use excercise equipment without appropriate footwear. I learned the hardway by having blisters on a business trip after thinking I could use the hotels treadmill with just socks. WRONG!

Regarding the liquid restrictions;

As of November 2006, you can carry-on solid makeup like foundation and lipstick but liquid items like skin lotion and cleanser and even toothpaste need to be individual sizes of 3 oz or less and all stored in a see through quart sized ziplock bag but check restrictions on the airlines website or call them before you leave as you dont want to risk security throwing away your expensive make up. 

If you travel frequently to a single destination, ask your hotel if you can leave a bag of items with them or mail them ahead of time. You can find fab deals for premium makeup in travel sizes here on eBay too. You can always check your luggage and not worry about the liquid compliance rule but you will save 45-60 minutes by not having to check your luggage and then wait for it to come off the plane.

Shopping for clothes on a budget

Fabric Content - Buy good quality packable fabrics (like poly, rayon, and wool) and stay away from fabrics that tend to wrinkle easy like cotton, linen and silk. Ask the seller the fabric content and if its dry clean only if thats important to you and read the sellers comments for any issues reported with quality. 

Color - Its easier to build a travel wardrobe by buying basic black and adding color with accessories rather than buying in season colors. I will have another guide soon with tips for buying your primary and secondary colors and what colors look good together.  

Happy traveling