Traveling Can Be Shitty, But At Least Your Luggage Doesn't Have To Suck.
Traveling Can Be Shitty, But At Least Your Luggage Doesn't Have To Suck.
12 chic and sturdy options, includes picks from Zerina Akers, Karla Welch, and Tina Craig Chen. Plus the jet-lag app I swear by.
On a recent work trip to London, I suddenly found myself absolutely 100% over my suitcase. I was dragging my decades-old carry-on bag through the airport on a very annoying, circuitous route, glaring at everyone gliding around me with their four-wheel spinner suitcases. My handle was being fussy! The two-wheel design felt unmaneuverable! I’ve had this bag for 15 years at least! And I didn’t even want to go on this trip!
You guessed it: I was having an internal tantrum over an absolutely inconsequential thing, but it sure did feel real in that moment.
I calmed down, and reminded myself that my suitcase—which is actually pretty excellent, in retrospect—is not, in fact, a problem. But at that point, I was already neck deep in suitcase research, and I figured I might as well share it, as well as some other travel tips, ahead of the upcoming holidays.
Even better: I got a few of the most stylish travelers I know to share their go-to bags, so on the off chance that you find yourself on the verge of an adult tantrum over your bag in the next few months, you have a resource with some options.
[Note: My standard suitcase is a Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Expandable 2-Wheel Carry-On Bag in a dark green that is no longer available, as you’d expect from a bag that’s old enough to have a driver’s permit. I got it because my dad was a commercial airline pilot for 30+ years, and that’s the bag that he recommended. He told me it’s the go-to bag for most of the pilots and flight attendants of his generation, and they all used them for decades as well, flying international routes, primarily. I have always liked it because there’s an expandable zipper space, so that if you shop whilst traveling and decide to check your bag on return, you’ll have room. As I was researching this story, I was amused to find that the newer spinner version of my bag is the “upgrade pick” from Wirecutter, so clearly my dad was onto something. The bag also has a lifetime warranty, which is pretty amazing.
Our family also has a Jen Atkin x Calpack gold suitcase (similar to this one), which my daughter decided is hers, a basic black Away carry-on, which is another Wirecutter pick and beloved by New York Magazine too, and a Tumi hardsided bag that was an incredible gift from the Tumi team when we were driving our son home to LA from the hospital in New York where he was born. In a bold move, said son has claimed both the Away and the Tumi as his.
One last thing: After the suitcase suggestions, I’m sharing a travel app that I’ve now tested on two LA-to-Europe trips that has changed my jetlag situation, so keep scrolling. (Today’s a long one, I know.)]
Suggested Suitcases From Stylish Super Travelers
Zerina Akers: Away The Carry-On ($295)
The first person I messaged was the incredible stylist and Emmy-winning costume designer, Zerina Akers. Her bag of choice? Away’s classic carry-on bag, preferably in one of the matte colors.
“I love that it fits into the overhead compartment with no problem. I see other people having issues with other bags, but this one is super sturdy and lightweight. I can fit a ton of stuff in it, and even in a tight squeeze, it still closes.”
Karla Welch: Rimowa Essential Cabin 22-Inch Wheeled Carry-On ($900)
Between her work as the founder of The Period Company, a creative director, and a celebrity stylist, Karla Welch’s work takes her on the road a lot. When I asked her about her go-to carry-on bag, she wrote back immediately:
“Oh I love love love my Rimowa roller / hard case for carry on. Then I love the Khaite hobo bag for my “tote.” I can literally fit my laptop in it. (If my carry on is full of clothes, I can put all my business stuff in this bag.)”
Jane Herman: Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Bag 70L ($199)
I also reached out to Jane Herman, who is a) one of the chicest women I know and b) travels with her family on a regular basis. Jane and I are old friends from when we worked at ELLE in the early aughts, and she now writes one of my favorite newsletters, Jane on Jeans, and makes world-class jumpsuits and denim jackets for her brand The Only Jane. She had a totally different take on suitcases, which I loved.
“I know everyone says that carrying on is the pro way to go but frankly, I love overpacking and feeling unlimited,” she told me over text. “I want to hand over the heavy bag at the check-in desk, and move through the airport with only a shoulder bag (and a stroller and two kids).”
As for that beloved checked bag? “Patagonia’s Black Hole Duffle Bag 70L in the classic navy or gray colorways. They live up to their name—they fit galaxies of stuff—they look good beat up, and they are easy to condense and store when you’re not using them.”
Rebecca Bullen: Muji Hard Shell Carry-On Bag ($159)
If you were a newsletter subscriber this summer, you know that I am a big fan of luxury travel advisor Rebecca Bullen. (And so is Who What Wear!) Rebecca is a former fashion executive, a lifelong traveler, and is constantly checking out the latest and greatest locations around the globe, so naturally I wanted to ask her about her favorite options.
“I have a new favorite, actually! Muji’s Hard Shell Carry-On Bag. It’s the best carry-on ever; it fits so much! My forever favorite—especially if you’re looking for a good option for a checked piece or train travel—is Samsonite’s Black Label Cosmolite 3.0 2 Piece Set.”
Tina Chen Craig: Rimowa x Moncler Reflection Suitcase (sold out; the Classic Cabin is closest in size and color)
One of my favorite people in the fashion and beauty industries is the indomitable Tina Chen Craig, who pivoted from bag blogger to the founder of the incredible company U Beauty, which makes all of my favorite skincare products. Tina always knows everything about everything, and is my go-to resource for zillions of things, including travel. Her favorite carry-on bag is sold out, but the regular Classic Cabin bag by Rimowa is the same shape and size, and also is completely waterproof, which is amazing, amazing, amazing.
Tina also had other insights that I wanted to share, including her favorite packing cubes. “The best packing cubes are Paravel ($65 for a set of four), and I have tried a lot! Once my vanity case wasn’t zipped properly, and I didn’t screw the cap on a hair conditioner properly, so it seeped out everywhere. But my clothes inside the Paravel packing cubes stayed dry!”
So knowing everything I know now, and having some great suggestions from friends, trusted sources, professionals, and my go-to reviewers at Wirecutter and New York Magazine, what would I buy? Well, it’s a balance. While I love the aesthetic of high-end luggage from luxury brands, the practical side of me always is wary that it’s a theft risk. When traveling, especially alone, as I normally am, I want to be as under the radar as possible.
That said, the Paravel Aviator Carry-On Plus ($425) in army green has piqued my interest, and I also like it in basic black. The reviews from Thing Testing are pretty good, the bag is 100% carbon neutral, made from recycled materials, and quite chic.
I’m also keeping an eye on the new brand Harper Collective, which seems to be giving Rimowa a run for its eco-luxury money. Harper Collective’s co-founder, Sebastian Manes, is the former Executive Buying and Merchandising Director at Selfridges, which bodes well for the company.
That said, for tried-and-true hardshell luggage, the reviews around Away and Rimowa are unbeatable, and they’re more stylish than some of the other well-reviewed workhorse brands. And while I was extremely grumbly about my Briggs & Riley bag, and admit that it’s not particularly aesthetic, my practical side does appreciate a fabric carry-on bag because it wears so well. I’d just upgrade to a spinner style this time. And I will always be a Tumi girl. Always and forever.
OTHER TRAVEL TIPS
The App That Is Brilliant For Beating Jet Lag: Timeshifter
This app was a suggestion from you all when I was heading to London and Paris for work earlier this summer. I tested the app then, and on another, shorter London trip more recently, and after two rounds of use, I can confidently say this is super helpful.
You plug in your flight information, the times you normally like to go to sleep and wake up, and whether or not you’re game to use melatonin and/or caffeine to ease the process (neither are required). From there, it creates a schedule for you to adapt to the new time zone of where you’re going, suggesting naps, when to use caffeine and when to stop, light exposure, and more.
I really liked having the suggestions and schedule, and I think it was probably aided by the fact that I have found my preferred LA-to-London travel times. (Leaving LAX at 6 p.m., which gets you into LHR around noonish; I can usually clear customs and get into London proper by 2 p.m., and then you only have a few hours you need to be up before you can hit the sheets. Coming home, I like to leave LHR around 1 p.m., which gets you back to LAX at 4 p.m. and home by dinner time. For the record: I’m a weirdo who stays up the whole flight back and works, reads, or watches movies, so by the time I get home, I can just eat, shower, and go to sleep by 8 p.m., and then I’m usually back on track the next day.)
The Tracker You Need For Travel: Apple AirTags
After seeing all the luggage nonsense that was going on in European airports this summer, I decided to follow the crowd and get an Apple AirTag for my suitcase, and I’m so glad I did. While I’m Team Carry-On, I made a rookie mistake on my way back from Paris and scheduled myself on a flight that connected through Minneapolis, as it was cheaper. My flight was late leaving Paris, and by the time we got to Minneapolis, I had (I kid you not) 11 minutes to deplane, go through customs, go through security again, and then sprint to my gate. I made it, but by the time I boarded my flight to LA, there wasn’t any room on the flight for my carry-on bag and I had to gate check it. Being able to watch it deplane and head to the baggage claim made a rough trip just a tiny bit better, and now I swear by them.
Okay, that’s it for now. If you have a favorite suitcase, packing cubes, or travel hack, please leave it in the comments below? I have learned so much from the information this awesome community shares, and I know that your fellow newsletter readers appreciate it too!
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So much to share here. I’m also in the market for a new carry on and the thing that seems to set brands apart is the warranty.
B&R won Wirecutter for that exact reason since it’s a lifetime warranty and if a wheel breaks they will FedEx you a replacement which you can change yourself. Rimowa is famously terrible now for their repairs and warranty and after so deep digging it looks like the wheels break off fairly regularly and leave owners with a 3 wheeled annoyance on their 5-star vacations. Woof. (Also, Rimowa and obvious luxury brands make your bag a target for theft.)
If you’re traveling with liquids in bottles with screw off tops, slip a peice of Saran or other plastic between the cap and bottle and screw it back on. Nearly eliminates the chances for spills.
I’m not on team-travel cube. Instead I follow ages old packing advice from the queen of early 00’s fashion travel herself, Nina Garcia, who once included it in a style book if I remember right. You lay your long items (the garment bag, jeans, etc. in first with the long parts alternating out the two long sides of the case. Then you fill in the middle with rolled, smaller items and your toiletry case and shoes in shoe bags. Finally you fold the two “ends” over the top and you’re done. It’s the best way to arrive with minimal wrinkles and maximum packing volume space. I don’t know why but it always takes less space this way.
Finally, I know it’s not stylish but since my own decade living in Europe and working in fashion was during the same time period when Rick Steve’s ruled the travel airwaves, I swear by packing extra large ziploc bags, a thin duffel bag I can roll up and use to check on the way back (breakables go into the carryon and clothing goes into the duffle), and this travel mask that perfectly blocks out light but doesn’t press on your eyes… I’ve repurchased this exact brand and style for 20 years and would cry if they stop making it: Bucky Eden Collection Lightweight Eye Shade Mask
I love the paravel cubes and pair them with a few compression cubes that I use to pack things that can get wrinkly (pjs/socks/fitness clothes). I also really love a zipped cord / electronics organizer for holding the 75 million cords I feel compelled to travel with. I got one off of Amazon for 20$ and it’s held up well. if you want to class it up you can take it to your local embroiderer and slap a monogram on it.