I’m in love, swept off my feet in minutes. This bag fills my needs, and I’m the gal to fill this bag.

As a kid with grandparents in three countries (and three distant US states) I grew up travelling. Some of my earliest memories are of trains, prop planes, ships and cars. What six-year old is expected to pick out a week’s wardrobe (“Keep it to two colors, dear, so everything will match”), pack by herself (“Tuck your socks into your shoes, honey, to save room”), keep it light (“Wear your heavy jacket, pack the thin one, sweetie”), and keep track of what’s clean and what’s not (“Tie your old undies in a knot, roll your worn T-shirts, so Mommy will know”), really? That would be me, but I still limit my colors, tuck small stuff in my shoes, and haven’t checked (or lost) a bag in 40 years. Thanks, Mom.

Now, with ever-tightening regulations on bag sizes, Buxton has come up with the Weekender­­—in some very cool colors (don’t ever buy a black bag and expect to ID it in a crowd)—and I’m taking it for Christmas week, with room to spare for souvenirs. Warrantied for a year and at prices ranging from under $50 to $75, this is the luggage buy of the century.

Here’s how I used it, and why I love this bag:

You can hang it if you want. I’m not a hanger person, but for those of you who are, you can use your hangers or the bag’s handle to suspend it, upright. Advisory: It’s too tall to hang from a doorknob.

I laid it out on the bed and opened the Weekender up flat. Here we are with FIVE dresses, two T-shirts, a thermal vest and a wool blazer. Not shown: I’m boarding the plane wearing the big stuff: jeans, boots, long-sleeved-shirt, long-sleeved sweater, jacket and a large scarf which doubles as a blanket on flights and a rain hat on the ground. I could have put some of these inside, but old habits die hard.

Protect the dresses: Zip up the lining. Advisory: This zipper is small, and I get why, but I could have used a longer spade to start it off. I spent a couple frustrating minutes getting it inserted.

Throw in: My legal-limit one-quart Dopp Kit, with cosmetics, toothbrush, hangover medicines, etc.. I keep one packed so I never forget anything. It’s a $15-20 investment (keep refilling), and if you don’t have one, you only have to forget a couple items before you’ve spent precious time and money buying stuff in unfamiliar surroundings. A similar kit with electronics like USB cords, charger, thumb drive, SD card converter, multiple-outlet converter (because hotels never have enough outlets), etc.. It’s loaded with Dollar Store stuff, and I keep this kit packed, too, for exactly the same reason as the Dopp Kit; I often wind up lending something to a friend who’s forgotten an item. Just sayin’. Miscellany, stockings, and shoes (shown here without my undies which I will tuck in privately) are thrown in.

It takes a minute to negotiate the sides, but zip up the side panels, which have convenient exterior pockets for easy outside access, zip the top closed, and you’re ready to go.

Wait! Look at all this room! Throw in more shoes? (You know I’ve got ’em!) A Chihuahua? (Just kidding–there’s enough room, but he’d probably chew my shoes.) A present? Sure, why not?

With sturdy handles and a nice long, adjustable shoulder strap, the Weekender is light as a feather, and upon arrival, all those dresses jackets and pants which have been laid out flat will arrive wrinkle-free, fresh and looking like new. I wish I could say the same for me.

Look at the time! Happy holidays and safe travels from an Elmore road warrior. Got a plane to catch.

—Suzanne Cadgène