5 clever suitcases that live rent-free in my head

As a Taurus, living out of a suitcase isn’t the image that usually comes to mind when I dream of my next vacation. Despite the excitement that comes over me as my fingers slide across the keyboard to compose my iconic OOO bounceback emails (IYKYK), I actually loathe traveling. For the past six months, I’ve been traveling nonstop, mostly for work and weddings, with a little “me time” when I could spare. During a recent trip to Milan and Paris, I accumulated a surprising amount of books, artwork, antiques, and other souvenirs—I was impressed myself when I managed to pack all of these items into my carry-on when I returned to NYC. Now that I’m approved for Global Entry and TSA Precheck, I feel like I owe it to myself to upgrade my luggage, too.

Whenever I feel the urge to invest in a new suitcase, the price alone is enough to dissuade me. Travel costs are high enough as it is, so it doesn’t help that my eyes are naturally drawn to the most expensive luggage money can buy! (Rimowa and Louis Vuitton, I look at You.) The inconvenient truth is that being a jetsetter on a budget is a lot harder than it looks. I tend not to pack much, so the travel version of my starter pack requires only three essentials: a carry-on suitcase, an oversized tote bag, and a reusable water bottle. Now let me stop before I get carried away: Here are the suitcases you absolutely must pack on your next vacation.

When I finally felt ready to upgrade my luggage, the first place I looked was Away. I swear by their carry-on suitcases, which I have been using since the brand launched in 2016. (They have never let me down despite their criticism, so I haven’t strayed far from them.) I have been fixated on chrome for the past three years, so the aluminum collection just made sense; it wasn’t a matter of If But When I finally decided to accept it. Although I try not to overpack, I opted for the larger carry-on size to have more space, because every inch counts when you’re trying to check your luggage (and the extra fee that comes with it). I don’t mean to sound snobbish, but this suitcase has “quite a few privileges” – it looks so good you almost don’t want to use it! I know it will get scratches and scrapes, because that’s part of traveling, but I’ve made every effort to keep it in tip-top condition. Friends have warned me that this version is significantly heavier than the average Away suitcase, and they’re not wrong, but that caveat hasn’t stopped me from crossing state lines with it.

Dagne Dover has officially changed the game with her first line of luggage, featuring soft-shell suitcases made from durable recycled 900D poly in the prettiest neutral colors—I couldn’t resist Warm Dust, a pink hue that shimmers like rose gold in the light. Over the years, I’ve mostly switched between different hard-shell suitcases because that’s what they were advertised to me, but now that there’s something modern that aligns with my tastes, I’m much more enthusiastic about making the switch. What I love most about this eco-friendly luggage is all the built-in pockets, sleeves, and compartments; the founders carefully thought about every single thing you might need to pack for a trip and how to make it easier to access.

I have more than enough carry-on luggage, so I opted for the 25″ version (which also happens to be my namesake) in case I ever need something a little bigger in the future. I’m happy to report that this suitcase survived the worst trip of all: the trip back to NYC on NJ Transit and then the subway from Penn Station. There’s nothing I dread more than lugging a suitcase up and down a flight of stairs without so much as a fake offer of help from passersby who dare to look me in the eye during my struggle. But compared to some of my other experiences, this one actually wasn’t that daunting, even though it was stuffed to the brim—I’m very late to packing cubes, but Roma has changed me with all of its sizes. The dress travel bags are also a must-have for anyone who’s entered wedding season. The matching pet carrier gets extra bonus points; my family cat, Muffy, loves it so much that she voluntarily naps in it – she jumped in immediately after it was unpacked, something she has never done with any other product she has been given as a gift! This is The Set of all sets.

All thanks to my super cool colleague Hannah Martin, who introduced me to Crash Baggage, a great brand from Venice that brings hand-squashed suitcases to the market – their whole philosophy is that these suitcases can be handled without Worries or concerns about traveling. (It is important to note that this is one of the Ten Commandments in the Brand Bible, which states that the dent is a symbol “of those who want to prove themselves in life, those who embrace the unexpected, those who allow themselves to be carried away by adventures that in turn bring new memories, new people and new places to an open mind.”)