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One thing we do a lot—besides shop and play with clothes and makeup—is travel. And these days, with all the silly pay-for-us-to-lose-your-luggage check-in fees that airlines are charging, the best way to bring stuff with you is via carry-on bag. Here are four of our favorites—rolling regulation carry-on sized suitcases that ought to get you through your spring-summer vacay plans.
1. "Madison" 22" wheeled duffel, $248 at Kipling: We pretty much travel exclusively only with either this Kipling carry-on or a larger version of the Titan carbon suitcase (far right)—and we cannot recommend this Kipling bag enough. When you see it in person, you'd never believe that something this roomy—something that can fit an entire Paris fashion week's worth of packing—would fit so neatly and easily in an airplane's overhead bin. But it can.
Other things we love about this bag: its zippers are practically bust-proof. We've checked this bag in (when we're feeling lazy and anti-schlep) and crammed it to the max and locked it—and while some of our other suitcases may come out with busted zips, this Kipling survives everything you throw its way. Plus, it's super-soft, super-light, and stuffable. Oh, and lasts forever. We've had our red one for at least four years.
2. Balenciaga trolley bag, $2,050 at Farfetch.com: A couple of weeks ago, we popped by Jeffrey in New York, spotted the yellow of version of this rolling suitcase, and squealed (we're not usually squealers). Petite and tasseled, this scores our nomination for ultimate must-have luxury travel bag this season. It may not be the most practical or hardy bag, but it sure it the chic-est.
3. International wheeled carry-on, $495 at T. Anthony: T. Anthony luggage has long been the choice of the rich-and-preppy set in New York. Wheeling a T. Anthony rolling suitcase through the airport signifies that you're part of a tribe—namely, a tribe that 1. has heard of T. Anthony and 2. is keen to fork over the cash for the privilege of owning a piece of it. Things we love about T. Anthony luggage: the solid construction, the brilliant color schemes (that never really change, by the way, so you can always get a matching this-or-that to add to your collection), and the free monogramming at the company's Park Avenue flagship. Free monogramming! Always gets us.
4. 19" international carry-on, $745 at Titan: For anything that requires more-clothes-than-usual—a month away, a shopping destination trip, traveling with winter coats and boots—we bring out our Titan X2 carbon suitcase. We use one that's slightly larger than this carry-on size and check it in. For anyone who's been reluctant to try hardback suitcases, give this one a shot. Titans are super-light—lighter, in fact, than our ultra-light soft back Samsonite luggage—and the hard, bust-proof carbon shell means that your beauty products and any other damageable goods will be far better protected from smooshings. Not convinced? Check out this video:
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