Vintage Overnight Bags

Introduction to Vintage Overnight Bags

If you think back to films set in the early 1900s and before, and remember the luggage that was taken on board, there were trunks and cases for even just a few days travel. Nowadays people jump on the plane with an overnight bag and nothing else.  

Times have changed and we don’t dress the way the Victorians and Edwardians do so we can manage with fewer clothes. Although the necessity for so many pieces of luggage has gone, the styles from the past are still seen as elegant and desirable. Many of these will be in the style of a Gladstone bag or one that resembles a semi circle.

Materials and Shape of Vintage Overnight Bags

Vintage and older style bags tend to be flat at the bottom and curve up at the sides. They are generally bright and fun but still look sophisticated. Tapestry is very popular in the range of vintage bags, and although they can be expensive they are long lasting and have so much work put into them. There are some lovely materials used to make the bags, but one that does not seem to be making a comeback is leatherette. Looking at some older designs, it was seemingly innovative at the time but not wanted now.

It is easy to pick out the designs of the 60s. Many 60’s vintage bags are brightly coloured and have swirls and flowers on them. Cath Kidston has a blue bag with white polka dots and that brings back so many memories of the 60s. At £65 it is priced in roughly the same price range of comparable items. In the same way, paisley brings back so many memories of the 1970s and copies from that decade are widely available. For a timeless look, the Calabrese Navy Vesuvio Overnight Bag priced at just over £200 is a classy dark blue with leather trim item.

Makes of Vintage Overnight Bags

Paper Plane is an ideal example of a vintage overnight bag. It has a discrete map and a little pocket ideal for the passport. The shape is reminiscent of an arch and has tasteful leather trim and handles. Disaster has made a retro butterfly bag and like many of this range it iss priced at £60. There is dark material with a butterfly to brighten it on one side while the other side is a white with a coloured butterfly. Disaster also have an overnight bag featuring a bird and while it is quite plain it looks smart.

Where to Research Vintage Overnight Bags

Such is the demand for vintage overnight bags that by browsing the web, countless websites will come up offering bags from all eras. While it is not possible to bring back the so called golden age of travel, when a holiday was planned for months in advance and there was one a year at most, it is possible to remind yourself of those days with a vintage overnight bag. As well as copies, there are many second hand ones available. In our throwaway society it is hard to imagine bags of such quality that can be used 40 or 50 years after they were made.