How to Pack for a Weekend in Vegas

Whether you’re there trying to bask in the last hours of freedom with your closest friends before tying that eternal knot with the fiancé or just trying to bank a few bucks during a business conference, there are very few weekend trips worth dressing up for more than a weekend in Vegas.
Sin City is a city that is perpetually straddling the line between refined luxury and tasteless gaudiness. So make sure you fall on the right side of that line. The key is to keep your look as simple and classy as possible and let the extremes of the city and the stories of the night do the talking.

Don’t be afraid to dress up.
Still, this doesn’t mean you can’t bust out a well tailored three-piece suit or accessorize with a nice pocket square and/or tie bar. After all, you’re in Vegas and there to live large for an intensely short period. At the same time, dressing up doesn’t necessarily mean dressing extravagantly. Don’t confuse the two. Add flair, but do so with tasteful restraint. If you’re going for a pocket square, perhaps reach for that white one instead of the multi-colored paisley. If you’re going for a tie, choose a slim solid tie over one with a colorful print. And remember, there is no need to over-accessorize; a pocket square with a crisp suit is better than good. If you want to dapper up even more with a tie, a tie bar and cuff links, then go for it.

Make sure your crew is on the same (sartorial) page
You go to Vegas for good times with your buddies – they are your back up, your wing-men and your partners in crime. So wherever you decide to roll, make sure everyone appropriately looks the part.  The difference between “well-dressed” and “over-dressed” has a lot to do with context—and in this case, how you’re dressed in relation to your party. You don’t want to be walking through the casino decked out in a 3-piece suit with tie and colorful pocket square when all your friends are wearing t-shirts and casual button downs. You also should make sure that you and your boys don’t show up to Surrender in shorts and sneakers or you might as well give up and head home. Instead, own the night as a stylish entourage.
Be adaptable, loosen up.
You’re in Sin City, remember to not take things too seriously and look too uptight–don’t be like that dude standing alone in the corner, looking too cool (and probably bored as hell) with his dirty martini. As the night rolls forward, don’t be afraid of unbuttoning that collar or loosening up that tie a bit. Add a bit of Vegas sprezzatura to your look. The key, however, is to look refined and relaxed and not drunk and sloppy. This is another fine line that is all too easy to cross.

What to Pack
If you read our latest post on jetsetting in style with the right carry-on, here are 10 things you can pack to make sure your Vegas weekend goes smoothly:

1. A solid navy, charcoal or light gray well-tailored suit with a matching vest
2. A solid or simple patterned silk tie
3. A pair of well-fitted jeans or chinos
4. One crisp white dress shirt and a more casual shirt you can dress down with
5. A pair of black/brown loafers or lace-ups
6. A pair of clean casual sneakers
7. A couple of white v-necks /crew necks
8. A pair of fun swim trunks
9. A little cash
10. Protection (any and all kinds you may need)

If you’re looking for a classy, understated look that you can never go wrong with, we recommend this one:

The classic, can’t-go-wrong look: A simple navy blazer, with a crisp white dress shirt with the first button unbuttoned (and maybe the second one too as the night goes on), a white silk pocket square, dark well-fitted denim, and some brown leather lace-ups. Simple, relaxed and your ticket to enjoying the best (and the worst) that Vegas has to offer.