All Aboard!
While styles, and items in the overhead compartment, may shift, these comely carry-ons will make you feel like a member of the jetset, even on JetBlue.
If airports are anathema to you, trust us, you’re not flying solo: Planes lack panache, shuttles feel like cattle cars and airports like bus depots, and the luggage claim may well be the seventh circle of hell. The trick to keeping your cool is in the bag—or, more precisely, the carry-on. With online check-in and a tote on your shoulder, you can breeze past Cerberus at the TSA checkpoint, straight to your gate, which, barring all inclement or mechanical maladies, will not be purgatorial. Just remember to travel light (and make sure all liquids, including your blood, sweat, and tears fit into a quart-sized Ziploc).
To see further merit in carry-on travel, one need only glimpse the bounty of lost luggage at the Unclaimed Baggage Center (bargain hunters refer to it as the UBC) in Scottsboro, Alabama. Everything from a 5.8-carat diamond engagement ring to an F-16 guidance system (which was returned to the Air Force) has shown up in this city-block-sized facility. Although airlines try oh-so-assiduously to reunite luggage with luggee, after 90 days, errant bags—even the ones with lucky tags and rainbow belts—are sold in bulk. The UBC stocks 7,000 items a day, plundering all you packed, and divvying up choice objects to sell at Salvation Army prices.
So with your perfect Parisian dress picked up during les soldes stowed beneath the seat in front of you, and your beloved Holga in the overhead bin, you may actually rest easy in coach. But if that’s not enough to convince you, perhaps our selection of carry-on bags will. Our expert, John Sencion, has traversed the globe, refining a Tetris-style strategy for perfect packing. And as the man behind the brand Flight 001, he knows the difference between the good bag and the ugly.
-
Large Weekender
Expert Opinion: It’s fashionable and functional. Prints add interest and create newness for the customer—that is LeSportsac’s specialty. They basically have a library of bag forms they work off and print with new patterns each season. The aesthetic is perhaps more female, in that men may expect something more rugged, but the material is durable, and it’s functional for a duffel in terms of size and pockets. Katie Mullins, part of the Flight 001 Travel Innovations Team, our think tank, coined a travel term appropriate for the Big Weekender: “souvenir bag.” You could pack this flat in another bag, and return from vacation with it filled.
Expert Opinion: It’s fashionable and functional. Prints add interest and create newness for the customer—that is LeSportsac’s specialty. They basically have a library of bag forms they work off and print with new patterns each season. The aesthetic is perhaps more female, in that men may expect something more rugged, but the material is durable, and it’s functional for a duffel in terms of size and pockets. Katie Mullins, part of the Flight 001 Travel Innovations Team, our think tank, coined a travel term appropriate for the Big Weekender: “souvenir bag.” You could pack this flat in another bag, and return from vacation with it filled.
What We Think: As San Franciscans with limited square footage, this bag’s smoosh-factor was immediately appealing to us; a sweater takes up more room in the closet. Urbanite or not, that’s a desirable feature. Duffels are defined by how different they are from hard cases and trolleys, so this fits the bill in terms of flexibility and accessibility. It also has nicely placed pockets. The same shape comes in a variety of sizes, and prints change each season, so you’re free to play Goldilocks, or create your own set.
What We Think: As San Franciscans with limited square footage, this bag’s smoosh-factor was immediately appealing to us; a sweater takes up more room in the closet. Urbanite or not, that’s a desirable feature. Duffels are defined by how different they are from hard cases and trolleys, so this fits the bill in terms of flexibility and accessibility. It also has nicely placed pockets. The same shape comes in a variety of sizes, and prints change each season, so you’re free to play Goldilocks, or create your own set.
Table of Contents
Comments
Be the first to comment.
Add a Comment
Related Articles, Products, and More
Articles
-
101 Product Design
We’re surrounded by legions of products, most of them unremittingly lousy. What separates the good from the bad from the ugly? Take out your well-designed pencils for Product Design 101.
-
The People's Design Award
As part of their National Design Week festivities (Oct. 19 – 25), the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is sponsoring an online "People's Design Award."
-
Pattern Recognition in Review
Pattern Recognition is the debut monograph from New York based architecture practice Leven Betts. Not to be confused with the William Gibson novel of the same name, this Pattern Recognition opens…
Products
-
Loft Bag
Full-size pocket for folders, zippered back and front pockets, removable padded shoulder strap, pockets for cell phone, documents, and cables.
-
Marina Computer Bag
Ballistic nylon exterior, no-slip shoulder handles, waterproof bottom, padded laptop protection, exterior zipper pocket with lined cell phone pocket, interior zipper pocket. 15.5" x 12" x 4.5".
-
Warren Street Technical Nylon Bag
Padded laptop sleeve, detachable shoulder strap, interior organizing pockets, exterior cargo and cell pockets, contrast green lining. 16.5" x 3.5" x 12.5".
Dwell Collections
-
Far and Wide: Luggage Round Up
If "hazy" and "lazy" don't accurately describe your typical days of summer, you might consider scheduling a few sunny adventures to catch up on your requisite daily intake of…
-
Architect Peter Cohen's Floor Plans
In addition to the wonderful letters architect Peter Cohen sent to Editor Aaron Britt while he was working on a feature story on his home, Maison Amtrak, he also sent in drawings of the four other…
-
Geigy's Graphic Design
Design Musem Zurich's current show Good Design, Good Business showcases the great graphic design from 1940-1970 of the Swiss chemical company Geigy.
Tips
-
How to Build a Lighting Concept
I’m a fan of floor lighting plus a couple of small table lamps for the living room. Use ambient lighting and low-wattage warm bulbs to create a relaxed atmosphere.
-
The More Complete, the More Prefab
There are quite a few companies out there that are marketing “prefab” but not all of them are designing and producing entirely finished products. Many projects we have seen appear to be…
-
How to Find the Best Seat in the House
Look for something that balances comfort and design. I like sofas that are modular and wrap around a corner—the more people you can fit on the sofa, the more comfortable and more cozy your…
Videos
-
coolcapitals Day Two Contest Winner at Dwell on Design 2009
Matthew Manos, day two winner of the Dwell on Design coolcapitals bag design contest discusses his thought process and inspiration behind his entry.
-
Emerging Designer: Louise Campbell
The Danish designer Louise Campbell has animated Royal Copenhagen and other traditional brands with a playful, experimental spirit.
-
Reclaimed Design from the LA Times at Dwell on Design 2009
The Los Angeles Times' booth at Dwell on Dedsign—dedicated to reclaimed objects—is an esoteric assemblage of art pieces and re-purposed furniture.
Events
-
Design USA: Contemporary Innovation
This exhibition features outstanding contemporary achievements in American architecture, landscape design, interior design, product design, communication design, corporate design, interaction…
-
Dwell on Design Conference
Dwell on Design's annual conference offers attendees a chance to see the magazine brought to life. Curated and conducted by the editors of Dwell, the event brings together the brightest minds and…
-
Project Earth Day Fashion Show and Design Competition
Project Earth Day is dedicated to green design principles and sustainability, and to providing a platform for environmental responsibility and innovation within the fashion industry. Brought to you…
-
