When sketching out your summer travel plans, make sure to leave room in the budget for new luggage. The right bags can make your travels easier, protecting your belongings and standing out on a crowded carousel. The top luggage brands are combining style and function this year as the travelers prepare to make up for years past. Update your luggage game and complete your airport ensemble with these current trends.
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Protective Hard Cover Luggage
If you’ve never traveled with hard cover luggage, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. Older soft-walled fabric luggage doesn’t give your belongings nearly the same protection as a hard-shelled case. A hard cover allows you to pack fragile souvenirs in a carry-on without worry. Hard shells also show wear much less readily than soft luggage. In a pinch, you can even use a hard cover carry-on as a footstool or headrest for extra comfort at the airport gate.
Monochromatic Colors and Styles
The most popular luggage style this summer is monochromatic, or all one color. Monochromatic luggage gives a sophisticated look to any traveling outfit, and unlike prints or textures, a dent or scratch won’t show easily. No one wants to baby their luggage through the terminal, so choose this sleek design option and have fabulous-looking luggage sets without thinking twice.
Bright and Bold Color
The natural question for a modern monochromatic color scheme is which color to choose. This is where you can get bold and creative with your new luggage. Bright tropical yellow, blue or orange are all great choices not just for a modern sense of style, but for practical benefits as well.
If you’re traveling in a group, separate bright colors for each person make it easy to see at a glance whose bag is whose. A lemon-yellow bag is less likely to be forgotten in a hotel room or taxi than an old-fashioned navy or black suitcase. Bright-colored hard luggage has a shine you can spot from yards away, making it easier to find loved ones in the airport.
Creams and Neutrals
Another direction the monochromatic trend is taking this year are elegant light creams and neutrals. This retains most of the visibility of a bright color while blending more easily with different outfits and personal styles. Opt for a light cream suitcase with rich brown accents for a luxury handbag look in your new luggage.
Matching Sets
Treat yourself to a new matching set of luggage this summer, rather than just a piece here and there. Coordinating sets of luggage make it easy to pack and unpack, as the pocket scheme is similar for every piece of luggage. Plus, smaller pieces can slot into larger pieces for easier traveling.
Upscale Carry-Ons
Don’t neglect your carry-on bag when shopping for new luggage. New leather options are more durable than bags in years past. You can fit a surprising amount of extra clothes and necessities in an under-the-seat carry-on, including your regular purse. You may not even need the hassle of check in luggage. Slip it into a larger bag for more luggage storage space this year.
