In flight

A Dash suitcase. Airports are like Grand Central (especially when you are laid over at a hub). This luggage is light (your clothes weigh enough as it is) and easy to maneuver. It spins and pivots, so when you move, it moves (with you, not away from you). So when you are on a mad dash to your terminal, no falling behind because your suitcase won’t cooperate.

Watching people wait for their luggage is like watching them stare at a pot of water waiting for it to boil. If they were not anxious on the flight, they suddenly appear anxious hoping that their bag made it. You even see them grabbing bags that do not remotely resemble the bag that you see them with when they walk away from the carousel. Use Mighty Tags to identify your bag and avoid inappropriate snags.

Be prepared to identify yourself. And protect your identity with a passport cover. Since your passport is proof of you, your passport cover should make a statement about you too. I am partial to this one by Smythson but Etsy has quite a selection of handmade ones too.

Flight 001 for all of your packing essentials. Skip the plastic baggies. Clear vinyl cases for your quart size allowance of liquid goods and a Go Clean Set to keep your shoes, dirty laundry and wet stuff as organized as possible while they get tossed around below.

You know how sometimes presents get tossed with the mess of wrapping paper and what were supposed to be emptied boxes? Well, a sea of disposable clutter comes with traveling as well. So make sure your diamonds and pearls (even if you’re traveling faux) are tucked away in a safe place. Put them in something Tiffany blue or something from Red Envelope.

Flights can get pretty boring. And Sky Mall doesn’t change much. So, in addition to tabloids (which depending on the week, only take a half hour to thoroughly leaf through), books and music, keep your mind sharp with sudoku puzzles, word searches, crosswords or even hangman if you are traveling with a companion!

Forget toting that small yet cumbersome neck pillow that gets tossed around like a hot potato (no one wants to carry the pillow). A scarf is a fashionable and functional accessory. Makes a great cushion for your head if you are so lucky as to get a window seat.

No matter how hard you try to look good for your plane ride (because even on a red eye you are bound to see someone you know), you walk out of the gate feeling a bit stale. Not sure what happens between take off and landing (because all you have been doing is sitting) but a spritz of Evian Mineral Water Spray will give you that refreshed feeling until you can properly wash up.

Dry shampoo to freshen up your do (in the loo, not on the plane). Also, since finding a comfortable position in your seat is not always forgiving to your hair, have extra bobby pins handy (if you know where to stick em, it’ll look like you’re coming down a different runway).

Perfume (have you ever been on a flight with a smelly person in your personal space? The worst.) I always get compliments on Stella. It comes in a thin tubular roll-on making it as convenient to carry as a lip gloss. I also enjoy the fresh powdery baby scent by Harajuku Lovers which also comes in a handy animated solid.

In addition to hand sanitizer, Motif wipes look great, smell great and keep you clean. Available at Target and only cost about a dollar. And for fresh breath, toss a couple Smilesavers in your bag (saves you and the person you are talking to).

And lastly, a snack. Many airlines (as my rumbly tummy has found out the hard way) no longer give complimentary snacks. Even though it was a small bag peanuts or pretzels, it did the job. Most airports have a Starbucks where you can get a package of two bite-size Walker’s shortbread cookies (one for you, one for later, or one to share).