Perfect Travel Accessories

As summertime draws near, so do vacations, trips to the beach, and random day trips to visit friends and take in the sights! To make your life easier (always my main goal!) here are some cute options for travel bags, beach bags, and everyday bags!

Everyday Bags

Longchamp Le Pliage – $145.00

Longchamp Le Pliage

My Longchamp Le Pliage bag is my favorite bag (I’ve got it in Eggplant and also a tiny version and yellow). It’s the perfect every day bag – you can fit tons of stuff in it and it’s also a perfect travel option, especially if you’ll be jet-setting. For day-to-day use you should have no problem fitting everything you’ll need, and a few extras. Traveling? This bag is also large enough to hold your iPad/Kindle, laptop, magazines, and anything else you may need to keep you entertained on the plain. The bag is made of nylon, with a wipeable plastic-y (not sure what the actual material is!) lining, so you can easily clean if it you spill.

{Discloser: After a couple years of use, mine had some damage to the corners. There is no bottom support, so if you overload it your corners will get little holes in them – not big enough for things to fall out, but still there. However, I was able to send it in for repair and within 4 days they shipped it back to me, repaired and freshly cleaned. If I couldn’t smell my perfume on it, I would have thought it was a brand-new bag!}

Vineyard Vines – $95.00

Vineyard Vines Crab Classic Tote 

Alright, so I suppose this bag would also make a great beach bag, but I prefer to use mine as a super-casual every day bag. The bag and straps are made of a light-weight canvas, there are a million (okay, maybe three) pockets inside, and the outside pocket is perfect for your cell phone or sunglasses. The top has a zip closure, and the inside lining matches the outside pipping, which is always a light and bright pattern (and there are a variety to choose from!), so you don’t have the problem of reaching into a deep, dark cavern to look for your keys.

Beach Bags

L.L. Bean – $19.95 – $34.95 (depending on size)

Image from: TarynCoxTheWife.com

These L.L. Bean tote bags are seriously amazing. I’ve got one in a medium-ish size, with long-ish handles (I bought it a couple years ago) that I used to tote my books to and from class in college. These bags are tough and study, which makes them perfect for packing full of heavy things. They’re also made of a heavy-weight canvas that’s machine washable, which makes them perfect for bringing to the beach, throwing on the sand, and then throwing in the wash when you get home.

Baggu – $9.00

Baggu in Purple

The best thing about this bag – besides the price ($9! Can’t beat that!) is that it’s made of nylon, so it’s machine washable, and you can just shake the sand right out. Originally marketed as an alternative to plastic grocery bags, these bags are large enough to hold 2-3 “plastic bags full of stuff” – so there’s plenty of room for your towel, lotions, and magazines! These bags also conveniently fold into their own little holster, so storage is easy-peasy.

Travel Bags

Vera Bradley Large Duffle – $85.00 and Vera Bradley Medium Cosmetic Case – $25.00

Vera Bradley Large Travel Duffle in Doodle Daisy
Vera Bradley Medium Cosmetic Case in Doodle Daisy

I think the above two products go hand-in-hand. If you’re packing for a weekend (or week) away, you need a toiletry bag as well as a great bag for your clothes, and the Vera Bradley collection is perfect. There’s a huge variety of patterns to choose from, and both the duffle and cosmetic case come in various sizes. They’re made of a thick cotton material, so you don’t need to worry about durability when going through the airport, and they duffle is machine washable (I’ve washed mine a couple times and it’s held it’s shape and color perfectly!).
Lo & Sons – The O.G. in pink

This bag is gorgeous. I have never used this bag (nor do I own it) but I am seriously lusting after it. It’s name, “The O.G.” stands for “Overnight and Gym” – and it definitely could be used for either purpose. It’s probably not large enough for more than a couple of days away, but if you’re just headed for a weekend trip to the beach house, it should be perfect! I also enjoy the idea of using it for a gym bag – you’d have no trouble fitting your sneakers, clothes, iPod, magazines, and water bottles in this bag!