Traveling for a weekend poses a packing dilemma. Just what makes the cut, and what stays home in the dresser? Of course your destination plays a big part in the decision-making, and perhaps how stylish your traveling companions are.
Luckily, there are weekender bags to suit any budget and fashion sensibility, from flowery fabric to burnished leather. They generally hold enough for a couple of days if you pack strategically, perfect for a trip to a weekend wedding or a jaunt to mooch off your rich friends at their lavish beach house. (Hey, we’re not judging.)
We’ve pulled together five weekenders that offer interesting options — your luggage collection will thank us.
1. Holkham Leather Weekender
Jack Threads touts the British Belt Company’s Holkham weekender as a sturdy holdall that indulges your overpacking tendencies — “this one’s roomy enough to hold everything you need, plus the stuff you don’t need but packed anyway.” (Um, guilty as charged.) The burnished-leather bag measures 11 inches high, 19.5 inches long and 10.25 inches deep, so it’s as compact as it is classic.
The leather strap is padded and double-stitched, and detaches easily. Copper-finish hardware blends in seamlessly, and there’s a large outer pocket and a slim zipper pocket inside.
Whether you sling this one over your shoulder or carry it by hand, you’ll show you’re serious about your luggage.
2. Earth Bag by Hamilton Perkins
This bag lets you save the world while you travel it. Call it multitasking. Currently on Kickstarter, the Earth Bag (available in Lite or Premium styles) is made 100-percent from recycled plastic bottles and is lined with vinyl from reclaimed billboards, making each one slightly different and therefore your luggage unique. The U.S.A.-made bags are stitched to last, making them a good deal for a good cause. Hamilton Perkins says its bags “reduce waste levels, cut carbon emissions in the environment and conserve water.”
The Lite bag is a duffel, and the Premium all-in-one bag converts from the duffel into a backpack. The Earth Bag features a three-way zippered compartment that lets you reach your laptop, passport or perhaps that tasteful gift for your weekend hosts so easily it’s a breeze.
The Kickstarter goal has already been reached, so you can safely pick our your color: navy, natural, green, black, or burgundy.
3. The Kennedy Duffel by Jack + Mulligan
Whether you’re tossing your gear onto the deck of a sailboat or catching a ride cross-country, the tough, 18-ounce water-repellent twill construction of this bag will stay the course. Add the leather accents and solid brass and nickel hardware, and you get an instant upgrade.
The black Kennedy Duffel is part of a limited run, and is made in a second-generation family-owned factory in New Jersey. It has a waxed-canvas reinforced bottom panel to add strength to the design, and an inner zipper pocket to secure valuables.
4. Harris Tweed Caledonian Weekender Bag
Willing to shell out more bucks? Think of this as the Porsche of weekend duffels. And believe us, you get what you pay for–even if it is a hefty $480. Just remember: Everyone will see it in the backseat of your convertible.
Harris Tweed cloth handwoven from virgin wool in Scotland gives the bag its gentlemanly look. “Dyed and spun following centuries-old traditions, the fabric is characterized by its distinctive texture and intricate designs,” say the folks at TravelSmith. Indeed. Brown leather trim and antique brass hardware and collar studs bump up the lord-of-the-manor factor.
5. Weekender Travel Bag in Pixie Confetti by Vera Bradley
Love pockets? Well, you’ll love this Vera Bradley weekender, with its five inner pockets (think how organized you’ll be), a fully zippered front compartment and two back slip pockets for easy-to-grab travel accessories.
There are four other design options for this bag, so go zebra or purple-and-blue Impressionista if you prefer.
Unlike most luggage, this can be machine-washed, and the bag has a removable base and detachable travel strap. As you can see in the photo below, it even has a sleeve that lets you attach it to a rolling bag’s handle for those longer trips.
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