Rolling carry-on from Tommy Hilfiger for Macy’s.
Shrinking overhead bin space, hefty luggage charges, and the nightmare of lost bags have made the carry-it-or-check-it conversation more confusing than ever. These five tips should help:
1. Don’t let that dress out of your sight. As long as they lie fairly flat, the TSA allows garment bags to go through X-ray machines, and many planes have room to hang your gown in the first-class cabin. (Check with the crew before boarding.) Keep in mind that your dress will be counted as a carry-on item, so go easy on the magazines.
2. You’ll probably be toting more than your usual beauty arsenal, but beware: If that de-frizzer is any larger than 3.4 ounces, you can kiss it goodbye. Pack full-size products in your checked luggage.
3. Place jewelry in your carry-on; ditto all important papers, including birth certificates, vendor contracts, and other marital must-haves.
4. If you’re using an heirloom cake knife, ship it or put it in a checked bag.
5. Any piece of clothing crucial to your self-esteem, be it the swimsuit it took you a month to find or a killer pair of jeans, should never be checked. That goes for any trip, any time.
