Welcome to Who What Wear Travels, a new series where our fashion insider lens meets the world of travel. We’re kicking things off with a feature on the coolest destinations the style set is heading to this year, and diving into everything from the most Pinterest-worthy hotels, the hotspots they’re dining at and, of course, the must-pack resort trends you’ll be seeing all over your timeline.
Summer is always high time for a getaway but this year, it feels like everyone is booking vacations left and right. As such, our travel bucket lists have never been longer nor has our wanderlust ever been as potent. Sure, we’re not exactly travel savants or food critics, but we do study the fashion-person lifestyle like it’s our job (well, it basically is), so we’re low-key experts on where they’re is going, staying, and dining right now.
Naturally, traveling also happens to be the perfect opportunity to add some fresh pieces to your wardrobe, which is why we’ve cherrypicked the most exciting resort trends that are basically begging to be packed in your suitcase. Couple those with the best-reviewed travel accessories and the editor-obsessed beauty buys that you’re about to discover here and after devouring this report you’ll be ready for your most unforgettable getaway yet.
As any well-seasoned traveler knows, the right accessories can be the difference between smooth sailing and a stress-inducing experience. Luckily, our team of editors is always jetting off on a vacation or press trip and as such, we’ve personally vetted a number of roller suitcases, carry-on bags, packing cubes, neck pillows, and every other random-but-necessary buy that have transformed our travels.
Let’s start out with the basics. I’ve been a loyal fan of my Away Bigger Carry-On and will recommend the sturdy-but-lightweight luggage to anyone who will listen. If you’re in the market for a great, carry-on tote, Editor Eliza Huber told me that once she took her VeeCollective Tote Bag on a trip, she’ll never travel with anything else. “I love that it’s padded so my things, especially my laptop and iPad, feel protected,” she noted. “The straps are also padded so you don’t have to worry about them digging into your shoulder during your travels.”
As for those less glamorous but crucial buys, this viral Amazon neck pillow comes highly recommended. “This Tiktok convinced me I need to buy this for my upcoming summer travel,” Collings explained. “I’ve only ever used traditional donut-type pillows, but I was sold the second the girl said got great sleep on a flight with it, better than ever before.”
Senior editor Allyson Payer tells me she can’t remember the last time she took a trip without her Tumi Voyageur Madina Cosmetics Case. “The vanity case holds everything you need and is very convenient as you can hang it on a hook in the bathroom to free up more counter space (which is usually very limited in hotels),” she noted.
We could write several more stories about the best beauty products for traveling, and we have (see here, here, and here). But when it comes down to it, there are a handful of holy-grail beauty buys that you’ll always find our editors packing whether they’re headed across town or across the globe. In general, senior beauty editor Erin Jahns insists on opting for solid products like Glossier’s sleek solid fragrance or Bite’s toothpaste tablets whenever possible to avoid any kind of sticky, gloopy mess inside your suitcase.
“I’m lazy AF when it comes to packing,” Jahns tells me, “but I also freak out at the thought of having to sacrifice my skincare routine in the name of travel. I like to exfoliate a few times a week to keep my skin as glowy and smooth as possible and was turned onto these magical mess-free, easy-to-pack peel pads by a facialist a few years ago. There are lots of similar products out there, but trust me, these are the ones to keep on hand.”
For associate beauty editor Katie Berohn, Lumify Eye Drops are a traveling non-negotiable. “They work nearly instantly to turn tired, red eyes completely white. I honestly feel like I can get off a red-eye flight and look like I got 8 hours of sleep.” Talk about a game-changer. Skincare tends to be the trickiest to pack since you can never really recreate the multi-step routine you have going on at home. “I used to always know that I was going to deal with skincare woes every time I traveled,” associate fashion editor Sierra Mayhew commiserated. “That all changed when I started traveling with this routine from U Beauty. My skin has never looked more glowy after a trip than when all I really on are these easy steps.”