Packing for a trip? These are the best bags to travel with! | Bags for Breakfast

This is the best packing guide you will find! I would say I'm a fairly seasoned traveller, and I have tested out various combinations of strategies in what to pack and I'm pretty sure I have it down to a science. I've done short trips that I've overpacked for, and I've done long trips where I packed next to nothing and done the all of my shopping while I'm away. One thing is for sure, wherever you are going, you will need some handbags! So if you are planning a trip this summer, listen up because I've put together a list of designer handbags that would be great for various types of trips as well as some travel tips.

These designer bags I've chosen are not only timeless, luxurious, and perfect for making a fashion statement during your high-end getaway, but will check off every box for any kind of vacation.

Before we take off, I also want to throw in a couple travel tips to keep in mind! Believe it or not, I am a very light packer, so if you bring your whole closet and the kitchen sink with you on vacation, hopefully this little travel tip will be revolutionary for you! First, the point is not to bring our whole collection. The goal is to pack smart! I'm maxing this out at 5 bags and that's if you absolutely need options. This is because we do not check handbags under the plane. Bring your handbags on board! They go in your carry-on. Please, all valuable handbags and jewelry comes on the plane with you. Not only this you don't want to be overwhelmed with choices on vacation. Don't waste time putting together looks in the hotel room, you want to be easy and breezy and grab a bag and go.

You will for sure be doing shopping wherever you are jetting off to, and we need space to bring back goods as well. My smart suggestion is having your new purchases be shipped back to you, everything can be shipped! This is especially useful for a multi-destination trip and you will thank me later!

Also, remember, you can also ship belongings that you packed on the way over back home too!! This is the best tip for a destination wedding, if you are attending a wedding, or even the bride, and you are planning on vacationing after the wedding, or going directly on your honeymoon, ship your formal wear back home!!! Trust me, it the biggest pain to travel with black tie, formal wear, gowns, you name it. After the big occasion, just ship it back home. You won't be needing it again, it is dead weight in your luggage. It will be so much greater of a hassle to have to carry it around with you than it is to just pack it up and have your hotel concierge ship it back.

This way you don't have to restrict yourself because you're running out of space, worrying about if your luggage will be over the weight limit or you need to save space for the next destination if you're planning on travelling to. All luxury boutiques offer to have items shipped to you, but even for non luxury boutiques, most everywhere offers this. Even the smallest boutiques, all you need to do is ask, I promise most everyone will be super accommodating! And you can pick and choose what's best for you, for example, whenever I go to France, I always bring wine back home. But with wine it only makes sense to ship back at least a case of wine, anywhere between 12-24 bottles, but since I travel often to France, I don't feel that's necessary, I bring back between 4-8 bottles pretty much every time. So I much prefer to keep room in my luggage for wine, and would choose to ship back other purchases if needed instead!

So let's get into the handbags to bring! Personally when I pack, I have a what I call the holy grail bag of the trip which is the bag I know I can toss everything into and bring it to any destination. This is usually the airport bag, it needs to be large, it has to be accessible and it's usually a tote. My absolute favourite holy grail bag for airport duty is the Longchamps Le Pliage - the classic model does the job, but I prefer the Le Pliage City, which the only difference is that the canvas material is coated and lined, so it is a little thicker and sturdier which is perfect and more durable and the corners are less prone to fraying. I have travelled with this bag pretty much my entire life, it's no fuss, I can toss all of my in flight essentials, it fits other bags, and if you are not using it when you have reached your actual destination, you can fold it up and it takes up literally no space. Actually my favourite part is that because it is coated canvas, I can wipe it down and disinfect it after a flight which is a huge pro of carrying this bag for the grunt work of the trip! Let me know if you have a Le Pliage and if you actually fold it up, because I certainly do when I travel!

The Goyard St. Louis is popular choice, although I find compared to the Longchamps, it is thinner because it is not lined and does not have a zipper, you are much better off with the Goyard Artois which is lined, better structured and has a zipper.

Also pro tip, the airport tote can also double as you beach bag if you are venturing to a beachy destination, so if you want a beachier option, the Chanel Deauville tote is the quintessential beach bag for a chic beach resort trip! This is such a great, low fuss perfect multi-task bag that will fit all your essentials!

On an even more beachier note, I would choose the Loewe Anagram raffia tote, however unless for maybe a short and sweet flight, I would not carry a raffia basket material bag for the airport because I just feel like there is so much potential for it to be damaged. There is nothing that says summering along the riviera more than a raffia or basket bag, and I think the Loewe totes offer the chicest look. Although, my actual favourite choice of all is shopping at the beach boutiques that line the little streets by the coast. If you've been to St. Tropez, you know exactly the kind of woven basket bag I'm taking about, with the colourful pompoms, yarn handles, embroidered with a cute little saying like sun bum or something like that, and you'll probably only use a couple times but you love it.

Now let's get into day time bags. For just about every type of destination, I find the best choice is to bring the bag you typically wear everyday! It is the bag you are already most comfortable with, so why switch it up? Any kind of European trip, keep it as your everyday bag, with the exception of Paris. For my ladies out there who wear your Kelly's open, close them! If in your day to day life you typically carry a larger bag to have all your essentials for work, running errands and such, you don't need all that while on vacation. I'd personally choose to carry a smaller, cross body style bag that I can keep closer to me and that closes. I thought long and hard about what day time bag is the absolute best choice and I've settled on the Constance because it can be worn as a shoulder bag, or a cross body, it is so timeless and can be taken straight from a daytime to a night time bag!

Another tip, in France and, a lot of shops are closed on Sunday and pretty much everything is closed on Monday, those are very leisure days, so Saturday is a big shopping day for the French. My favourite thing to do in Bordeaux and in Aix, is there is a cafe across the Hermes boutique, and I sit there on Saturday, and watch everyone leave the boutique with their purchases and I try to guess what they scored based on how big the bag is! So if you're wanting to score in France, Friday is actually a great shopping day because Saturday is when the locals shop.

Now onto evening bags, this is where I've selected to have room to play with some options. And in my opinion, you can't go wrong with a Lady Dior! This bag adds a touch of luxury and refinement to any ensemble and is a passe-partout for any outing. My second option is something super fun, vibrant and a show stopper, and that none other than a Judith Leiber clutch! This to me is the ultimate clutch and a no brainer of something you should bring out on vacation! It's also something that can really show your personality and be really unique to you. Vacationing isn't meant for neutrals, it's meant for colours! If you have any kind of colourful clutch, or small bag on chain, this is the perfect opportunity to take it out on the town.

So that wraps up the equation of bags I would travel with, a large tote + easy day time bag + evening clutch or two is the perfect combo for an effortless time on vacation! Remember, choosing the right bags for travel depends on your personal style preferences, needs, and the specific requirements of your trip. But I have attempted to put together a designer bags combine elegance and functionality, making them great options for those seeking a luxurious travel companion!