10 Must-Haves if You’re Obsessed With Vintage Travel

Steamer trunks, hat boxes, actually dressing up for a flight - travel used to be so classy! If you love the look, check out these vintage-inspired accessories that bring the golden age of travel back.

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May 13, 2019

By: Deanne Revel

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Photo By: Amazon

Photo By: Anthropologie

Photo By: Nordstrom

Photo By: Saks Fifth Avenue

Photo By: Anthropologie

Photo By: Amazon

Photo By: Anthropologie

Photo By: Amazon

Photo By: Jcrew Factory

Photo By: Amazon

Train Case

Toiletry bags weren’t always cheap, plastic sacks with zippers. In the early and mid-1900s, people carried a train case. These cases were essentially a mini version of larger trunks and suitcases that housed any overnight necessities. By today’s standards, it’s not the most practical, but I love the idea that every piece of luggage matched and that even the smallest pieces of luggage were, in fact, luggage. You can relive the golden age of train travel with this vintage-inspired, leather train case on Amazon. I love the studs and dark leather details.

Buy It: Amazon, $99.99

Vanity Case

By the 1950s, train cases had evolved into a sleeker, rounder design a la mid-mod fashion, but these vanity cases were still super sophisticated. This black leather case from Anthropologie looks like it’s right out of 1962. You could pack it or carry it as your personal item if you want to be extra fancy.

Buy It: Anthropologie, $128.00

Hat Box

These days, it’s all about cramming your hat into your carry-on. And while we do know how to expertly pack a hat in a suitcase without wrinkling it, the bygone luxury of a hat box sure looks cool. Luggage company CALPAK is bringing the relic back, but in a more modern way to withstand tough airport handling. In addition to the cute, retro top handle, The Baye Hat Box features a shoulder strap, interior pockets and a hard outer shell.

Buy It: Nordstrom, $115.00

Trunk-Inspired Suitcase

Today’s "luggage" is a far cry from the posh steamer trunks of the 19th century. Lugging around a fancy crate seems silly now, but travel used to be slow. Today, it’s all about zipping through TSA lines and rushing from one attraction to the next. Luggage company Bellagio has created a line of trunk-inspired suitcases fit for the modern era. These suitcases are super lightweight, feature four-wheel rollers and yet still rock leather, trunk-inspired trim that pays homage to a more refined time of travel.

Buy It: Saks Fifth Avenue, $695.00

Retro Carry-On

This tiny carry-on roller mixes early 1900s trunk design with a pastel 1950s color palette. I honestly can’t decide if I love the powder blue or the pink option more.

Buy It: Anthropologie, $88

Vintage-Style Camera

I love my Fujifilm Instax camera. Unlike your phone’s camera roll, there’s something special about printing an image in real time and holding a tangible photograph, but the campy, bubble design of the first Fuji models look like they belong in a children’s cartoon. The new Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is compact and designed to look like an old-school film camera. I love the cognac option!

Buy It: Amazon, $99.99 (Originally $179.99)

Travel Journal

This journal looks like an old-school textbook with a hardback, green linen cover, but it also features trendy, grid-lined pages for bullet journaling and organizing travel plans. It’s a great gift for travelers as the tiny cover print reads "Journeys" with a retro, scientific illustration of jumping from one point to another.

Buy It: Anthropologie, $20.00

Travel-Size Jewelry Box

Instead of dumping all of your jewelry in a flimsy jewelry sack, take a cue from vintage travel accessories and get a travel box. I got two of these travel boxes from Amazon to keep my bridal jewelry safe for my destination wedding and now I never travel without them. The padded sections keep your jewelry organized and tangle-free. I have two of the white boxes, but there are so many colors to choose from. I’m really digging this retro Vespa teal, too.

Buy It: Amazon, $10.99

Leather Passport Holder

I also featured this passport holder in my roundup of best grad gifts because it’s just so classic. The cognac color, the vintage-style lettering, the real leather smell - it’s a timeless design and a steal at less than $30!

Buy It: J. Crew Factory, $14.50 (Originally $29.50)

Trunk-Inspired Purse

Upgrade your personal item to this super cute, trunk-inspired purse from Amazon. The tiny suitcase is perfect for modern air travel with a back strap for slipping it over your roller handle while zipping through the airport. The leather purse comes in eight different color combinations, but I’m really digging the mint green with white trim.

Buy It: Amazon, $65.00

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10 Must-Haves if You’re Obsessed With Vintage Travel

Related To:

Shop This Look

Train Case

Vanity Case

Hat Box

Trunk-Inspired Suitcase

Retro Carry-On

Vintage-Style Camera

Travel Journal

Travel-Size Jewelry Box

Leather Passport Holder

Trunk-Inspired Purse

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