Travel Gear (Page 2)

I know I’ve asked before, but seriously, where did summer go? School is no longer out for the summer; it’s back in session and the month of August is nearly gone. I spent much of the season traveling on short weekend getaways, and each time I began packing I ran into the same problem: I don’t have an overnight bag that I love. Large luggage with rolling wheels is in a very different category from spacious but efficient large duffel bags; one is much harder to find than the other.

Of course Balenciaga has an answer for my travel bag woes, and in a bright, eye-catching fluorescent color at that. With small details that are oh-so-Balenciaga, the Voyage 24H in Rose Fluo is a statement piece for every girl who loves a quick escape.

It warms the cockles of my cold little blogger heart to see contemporary brands expanding into luggage in creative ways. First came the Lulu Guinness suitcases covered with her signature molded lips, and now we have the Rebecca Minkoff Skull Suitcase. I’d like one of each, please.

I’m not much of a crafty girl, but the trompe l’oeil knitted look of the pattern (indeed, other bags in this collection are actually made out of a woven material) provides just enough kitsch to balance out the tough look of a skull and crossbones. Instead of weaving, the bag is made of durable coated canvas that might actually survive a trip through the airport ringer.

Lulu Guinness is set to launch her first collection of travel bags next week, and to celebrate the launch, she has released the above video in collaboration with British filmmaker Vicky Mather. I only wish that all of my handbags danced around so happily, not to mention that lips seem like a pretty good way to make sure your suitcase stands out at baggage claim. Photos of the collection, after the jump.

A couple of weeks ago, in a blind panic and looking for things to post about during the summer fashion doldrums, I asked my Twitter followers what they’d want to read. Several responded back wanting to hear about beach bags, but with one caveat – they were only interested in non-straw bags because of the hassle of cleaning sand and debris out of a raffia tote.

I’ve never been much of a beachgoer (and have the pale skin to prove it), so I had never really considered the special accessories challenges that a beach presents rather than, say, a pool or park. But considering how persistent sand is in getting in to our bathing suits, a bag with plenty of crevices for entrance must end up toting home a significant percentage of the beach itself. So if you want to lay out on the shore but keep the sand where it belongs, we’ve got six ways for you to do just that, all for less than $200.

I’ve been thinking about luggage ever since we talked about that Jimmy Choo shoe case earlier in the week, and that the Lanvin Amalia Voyage Leather Suitcase should show up on Net-a-Porter right now is nothing short of fortuitous. I maybe have been a bit of a party-pooper when it came to the aforementioned shoe luggage, but I can’t help but swoon over all this luscious Lanvin lambskin.

Although the price is high – well over $3000 – when you compare it to other designer luggage, it seems much more palatable. Not that I wouldn’t be filled with anxiety by the prospect of taking such beautiful leather through an airport, of course, but if I were the type to spend that much money on a suitcase, perhaps my nerves wouldn’t be quite so raw. A fat savings account tends to have a calming effect on most people.

This is a tad embarrassing to admit, considering what I do for a living, but my luggage? It’s kind of busted.

I don’t travel all that frequently, maybe a couple of times a year at the most, and I generally prefer to use my money on things that I’ll enjoy on a regular basis – bags, shoes, clothes, gadgets. Every time I go on a trip, though, I swear that I’ll invest in some great luggage for the next one, but then the thought totally leaves my mind as I adjust back to my regular routine.

Now that I’m faced with the prospect of packing for a trip to New York City at the end of the week, I wish that I had remembered to buy some decent luggage. I also wish that I had the extra cash to go out and scoop up the Santiago Gonzalez Crocodile Duffel Bag – but would I choose grey or brown? (Ok, I’d choose grey, that wasn’t even difficult.)

As I continue to read the endless Twitter details of all my friends’ summer vacations (and then see the inescapable pictures on Facebook afterward), I can’t help but turn my attentions to travel. I still make due with the same black Samsonsite suitcase that accompanied me on my first jaunts to New York City, Boston and Chicago as a teenager, but surely there are more interesting (and expensive) options out there for a traveler who wants the best suitcase on the luggage carousel.

With that curiosity in mind, we’ve picked some options for your perusal from Louis Vuitton to Bottega Veneta, spanning a price range from $500 to $50,000 (yes, that’s the correct number of zeros) for a suitcase. Let us know which one you like best and what your current luggage of choice in the comments.