I'm in a phase of life where I see my Away bags more than my husband, my dog, or the inside of my apartment. Reporting as Marie Claire's senior fashion news editor has taken me everywhere from the streets of Copenhagen Fashion Week to the mountains of Utah for an afternoon with the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast (more on that later) in the span of weeks, with some shorter trips to upstate New York and Boston in between. In a few days, I'll be back in the TSA line en route to report from the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. A week after that, I'll jet down to Atlanta for Marie Claire's annual Power Play summit. Oh, and I have a family trip to Mexico City in between—where I also plan to take some work meetings with indie brands I'm dying to check out on the ground.
I love the pace of my work and the places I get to see. Naturally, this a job where hardworking travel bags aren't just nice-to-haves; they're basically a work outfit requirement. And Away's new Featherlight Weekender—an under-$150, over-the-shoulder style—is the one I've found up to the task.
I very nearly could have missed out on testing this new bag. Its structured compartment for storing shoes, separated interior pockets, and machine-washable fabric instantly caught shoppers' eyes. A rep for Away tells me it surpassed sales projections by 200 percent within two weeks of launching online earlier this spring. Two of the four colors sold out in two weeks. (Don't worry if you're already intrigued—the bag is back in stock.)
This much hype for a weekender bag might sound surprising. I, like many other women racking up their Delta SkyMiles, know Away for its candy-colored signature carry-ons, after all. But this bag has built-in organization and washable material on its side. Not to mention, it's lighter than a wheel-on bag despite having equal storage space.
As I was hauling the bag up into the overhead compartment for the first time, on that reporting trip to Salt Lake City, it's the weight I appreciated first. Despite packing my usual overnight work travel uniform of a few nice sweaters, La Ligne pants, Manolo heels, and my beauty kit, it felt way lighter than heaving a normal carry-on into the storage area. I loved how easily I could tuck my curling iron into the side pockets; ditto for the retainers I'm always at risk of misplacing.
By the time I was packing the same Away bag for an overnight retreat upstate, I knew I'd found my holy grail travel accessory for short trips (even when they're not on the weekends). It's spacious enough to carry at least three outfits without feeling crammed; everything stays neat and organized with the separate shoe compartment; it easily slots into car trunks, train luggage areas, and plane bag storage—even the time I was in the final boarding group for a flight to a wedding. I know some trips will eventually require more outfits than my 48-hour work travels: When I have a longer itinerary, I can perch it on top of a roller bag, stress-free.
I'll fill my packing cubes with swimsuits and cover-ups instead of corporate blazers and trousers when I finally set my OOO email alert for summer vacation in a few weeks. But just like on my work trips, all that clothing will stack neatly into the same Away bag.
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It wasn't a runway piece that sold me on the cargo bag trend—it was this under-$100 Away style. It's the rare shoulder bag that doesn't slip no matter what type of sleeve I'm wearing beneath it, all thanks to the wider-than-average strap. It's become my go-to for my daily morning walks and errand runs: Between the four pockets, I can always keep track of my phone, office key card, house keys, and treats for my dog.
I made room for one more tote bag in my expansive collection when this Away style dropped. It has some of the most spacious dimensions I've seen, but there's no risk of Mary Poppins syndrome here. (I.e., when a bag is so big that everything gets lost inside it.) This tote is designed with several handy pockets to stay organized, including a 16" laptop sleeve and a phone-sized, zip-up compartment. I've designated this my bag for summer picnics and beach days—and if it gets dirty on the go, I can safely pop it in the washing machine at home.
