The Carry On: February 2020

The Carry On is our monthly round-up of our favourite travel items we'd happily haul from Stansted to Seville, Heathrow to Hydra. Be it a functional fedora or the latest in skincare science, we've probably got it in our carry on. Riffing on the adage "if you can think it, you can be it", we're saying: "If you can jam it in your carry on… you can bring it." Catchy.

Note: weight restrictions and other practicalities do not apply.

From the latest travel apps to an on-the-go skin-saviour, these are the items we're packing in our suitcase…

Mildred Casual Jacket

Barbour by ALEXACHUNG

Thin, durable and sophisticated, a Barbour jacket is irresistible to those who appreciate a little polished pragmatism. Barbour's famous waxed-cotton shells provide all-weather protection for a range of outdoor pursuits on land and at sea, making them a must in every traveller's suitcase, surely. Rifling through the house's 125-year-old archives, ALEXACHUNG has reimagined signature designs, combining playful details with modernised silhouettes. Barbour's Mildred trench coat is the heritage label's iconic rain jacket, and ALEXACHUNG's iteration is cut from a blend of linen and cotton for a lighter feel - notice the cropped sleeve too. It's a modular piece, so remove the detachable corduroy collar to reveal the signature checked trim layer underneath and use the belt to cinch your waist when transitioning from country walk to dinner date.

Buy now at Barbour by ALEXACHUNG£299.00

App

LoungeBuddy

Not the savvy/ smug owner of a priority pass? Consider LoungeBuddy, an app that allows you to find and book the best airport lounges - it's guaranteed to make your journey feel a little cushier. It's free to download, too. Search by airport and read about each available lounge and the amenities. Maybe you're in need of a head massage or an endless supply of hamburgers - use that filter function to find what you need. Vet each lounge via in-app user reviews and images and when you've settled on a lounge that is "a bit of you", book in your visit (for right now or in the future). Check if you can check in at any lounges for free thanks to your frequent-flier programmes or credit cards (the app will be able to tell you what you're entitled to).

Buy now at LoungeBuddy£0.00

Bubblewrap

Glossier

Inspired by a make-up artist hack - using eye cream on the lips - this multi-use product addresses the needs of both areas. The product's key benefit is hydration - the travel gods are smiling on you Emily Weiss - making eyes and lips look fresher, smoother and more hydrated after just one use. A combination of natural hydrators - think hyaluronic acid, avocado oil and antioxidant-rich blueberry extract - go into its making and its lightweight texture means that it doesn't feel sticky or pill under make-up. Suitable for vegans, Bubblewrap is hypoallergenic, making it safe for contact-lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes. Apply pre-flight and land dewy faced and ready to glow.

Buy now at Glossier£23.00

Samsonite

Compression Bags, Pack of 3

Not having enough space in your suitcase can mean you're forced to book on additional items and face extra baggage fees in order to get from A to B with all your vital loot. Annoying - for certain - but Samsonite helps make things a bit more compact with these compression bags. Made from an airtight, waterproof translucent material, they're designed to vacuum-pack clothes - with the added benefit of not needing a vacuum to do so. Creating enough space for you to store twice as much as a standard-packed suitcase - these bags squeeze out air when rolled up - you can shop freely knowing that one way or another your suitcase will close.

Buy now at Compression Bags, Pack of 3£12.00

Foot Hygiene Cream

Margaret Dabbs

Is it possible to make foot hygiene sound alluring? Probably not. Let's throw in the words "magical" and "miracle in a jar" for a little oomph and intrigue. Leaning in? Good. The deal is this: foot hygiene cream doesn't get much better than this wunderkind by Margaret Dabbs. Developed to help counteract those all-too-common foot complaints - sore or dry skin, discoloured nails and athlete's foot - MD's concoction is a must-pack lotion for sports enthusiasts and those susceptible to ails of the foot. It can be used daily for up to two weeks as an intensive treatment and then used as needed thereafter. We apply ours twice-a-week (for preventative measures) to keep our feet enviably smooth and soft and beach-ready.

Buy now at Margaret Dabbs£20.00

App

Hopper

Ever wondered whether to snap up that airfare now or wait to see if the price goes down? Flight-booking app Hopper can help cut out the guesswork. To use, select the city you want to travel to, and a colour-coded calendar with price breakdowns will appear. Green denotes the cheapest days to travel, with orange marking pricier days and red the most expensive. From there, you can either choose one of the options, or opt to track the flight. Add your proposed trip to the app and receive notifications on when is the best time to buy your ticket (you can book your flight directly through the app). Participating airlines include the British Airways, Air France, American Airlines, United Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM and more.

Buy now at Hopper£0.00

Le Pliage Club extra large travel bag

Longchamp

In any check-in queue there is certain to be a line-up of Longchamp bags. This 100 per cent makes sense - they're stylish, foldable and made from durable nylon (so they're easy peasy to keep clean). Really, what savvy traveller wouldn't want to own one (or six)? Le Pliage Club travel bag is our current clan favourite (in XL, because we haul around a lot of stuff) but we'll leave you to peruse through their roster and select your shapes, size and colourway based on your own personal taste.

Buy now at Longchamp£115.00

KreaFunk aHead over-ear wireless headphones

The Conran Shop

The headphone world is pretty homogenous - most people will own AirPods or an older model made by Apple (or both) - so being the owner of the good old-fashioned, over-the-ear variety puts you ahead of the crowd. Old is new again, don't you know? Slip these soft-touch faux-leather wireless ears on for size. Featuring a handy control panel, which lets you pause, play, skip tracks and answer or end calls, they offer 14 hours of playback time. Get lost in an audiobook - you can go all day without having to recharge - or tap into an addictive new podcast and tune out the world.

Buy now at The Conran Shop£95.00

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The Carry On: January 2020