The Dark Feminine Travel Edit: Aesthetic Summer Essentials for Life in Transit
Thoughtfully selected luggage, carry-ons and practical luxuries selected for the gothic traveller
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Summer has a way of inspiring movement. Whether you’re to the lake for a long weekend, embarking on a cross-country road trip or travelling internationally, the journey begins long before you reach your destination.
Packing is part of the fun.
Checked
Suitcases and travel-ready luggage
Whether your priority is efficiency or aesthetics, the best luggage manages to deliver a little of both. Brands like Nobl and Béis have earned devoted followings through thoughtful features, durable construction and clever details that make life in transit considerably easier. For travellers who prefer their baggage with a little more personality, Killstar and Betsey Johnson offer statement-making alternatives that ensure your suitcase is just as memorable as the destination.
Carried
The essentials that stay by your side
A carry-on is one of the few travel essentials that remains within arm's reach from departure to arrival. It holds the items you'll reach for in the security line, at the gate and somewhere over the Atlantic. For the darkly inclined, it is also an opportunity to carry a little personality along for the journey.
Whether your preference leans toward heritage brands like Dr. Martens and Blackcraft Cult, subtle occult references or a statement piece that leaves no room for interpretation, there is no shortage of options. From spiderweb prints and bat motifs to gothic florals and the ever-popular coffin silhouette, these bags prove that practicality and personal style are perfectly capable of sharing the same overhead compartment.
Packed
Beauty, wellness and travel accessories
The difference between a good trip and a great one often comes down to the details. Some of the hardest-working items in your travel kit are the smallest. This section includes everything from luggage locks and passport holders to neck pillows, eye masks and water bottles designed to make long travel days a little more comfortable. Practical by nature, surprisingly expressive in execution.
The best travel essentials are rarely the most exciting purchases. They are the pieces that earn their place trip after trip. The suitcase that survives another baggage carousel. The carry-on that keeps everything within reach. The toiletry bag that makes a hotel bathroom feel a little more familiar.
Still planning your itinerary? Our guide to 11 Gothic Honeymoon Destinations offers plenty of inspiration for dark romantics looking to venture beyond the usual tourist trail. Already packing? Don't forget to leave room for a few favourites from After Dark: A Dark Feminine Guide to Spring Sleepwear. After all, hotel style matters too.
Where are you headed this summer? Tell us in the comments and subscribe to receive our free monthly digital issue delivered to your inbox, including a first look at dark feminine culture, the opportunity to vote on future stories and previews of upcoming giveaways.
