Luggage Lineup

Quality luggage can make all the difference in the world when traveling. Just a few key pieces can help for efficient packing and a more enjoyable overall trip.

A few things to remember when selecting luggage:

1.    Pick something with a little bit of style that reflects you, but something you won’t tire of in a few years’ time. I personally avoid busy prints, but if giraffe is your signature pattern, by all means – go for it!

2.    Luggage should be well made (this does not necessarily expensive) but at the same time, it should be somewhat of an investment. It’s kind of like shopping at Old Navy vs. Nordstrom. Sure, items are cute from Old Navy, but do they get nubby and piley after two washes? Same goes for a suitcase – you don’t want your delicates circling the carousel for all the world to see because your poorly made bag’s zipper malfunctioned.

3.    Think about how you use luggage – does your job have you traveling for weeks a time where you just park it in one hotel? Then maybe you need a large suitcase with lots of dimension. Or do your trips involve taking advantage of last minute fares over a few days? You might just need a solid weekender bag (so many cute ones out there).

4.    Sets vs. individual pieces. There are pros and cons to both – sets are cost effective and generally include several key pieces, but can sometimes be very basic or include bags you will never use. Whereas, individual pieces are great because you can customize a set to your liking based on exactly what you need. The drawback, this adds up quick.

Here are some of my luggage favorites…

This Victorinox Swiss Army is what my husband travels with. I started this set for him as a wedding gift and we’ve purchased one piece at a time. It’s rugged and very well made. My only complaint – they’ve recently started selling the line at Target and now we see ourselves coming and going at the airport; plus, we thought red would help distinguish us from the pack, but apparently red Victorinox is the new black Samsonite.

Diane Von Furstenberg makes nice, durable luggage with a bit of flair. Both of these lines have a bit of edge, but not too trendy.

I adore this Roxy luggage and if I was a teenager, I’d totally rock this…okay I’m not a teenager and would still rock it. But, know that it sort of screams, “There’s a good possibility I do recreational drugs.”

You can’t go wrong with the designer trifecta of Prada, Louis Vuitton and Burberry. All these brands will stand the test of time with both style and quality of product, no doubt. But, I’m a firm believer that the luggage shouldn’t cost more than the trip (or the GNP of a small country for that matter). It will, after all, likely be subject to some airport dude tossing it on the conveyor belt like a football.

Last year, Stella McCartney partnered with LeSportsac for an eco-friendly line using 100% recycled fabrics. The result is luggage you can customize from style to fabric – it’s awesome.

This set from Bric’s looks luxe, but it’s faux suede. And the charcoal color is a nice alternative to the standard black.

Molton Brown has several great in-flight bags. This white one is so gorgeous and is definitely going on a certain blogger’s wish list. The only caveat, no sloshing red wine around this sucker.

Next week – travel accessories