A suitcase is the least romantic part of leaving town, and that is exactly where Away began. Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, both former Warby Parker executives, saw a gap between bags that felt clunky and cases that felt out of reach. In 2015 they set out to make the middle ground feel considered: simple shapes, durable materials and features that answered the annoyances travelers actually complained about. The first Carry-On came with wheels, a lock, a laundry bag and a removable charging battery.

The company is still based in New York City, and its mission is to get people to get away more. I like that the founders built the opening chapter around what travelers said they needed, and the line still balances luggage with the small organizers that make packing feel less like a chore. The pieces here give me the same impression: useful shapes, a restrained surface and little extras that earn their place.

These bags make the small choices of travel feel personal. The Hanging Toiletry Bag has what I want at a hotel sink, a hook and a few pockets, so the nightly routine stays together instead of spreading across the counter. The Small Toiletry Bag is its tidier cousin. For a slower afternoon, the Mini Riviera Straw Tote brings a striped straw body and leather handles, and the Riviera Straw Tote gives that beach-minded texture a roomier frame.

The Mini Crossbody Bag is the hands-free choice for a walk through town or an airport connection, and The Everywhere Zip Backpack and The Everywhere Bag are the all-day workhorses. In my fashion dreams, she checks out early with the tote on one shoulder, a small bag across her body and a paperback under her arm. I would take the Mini if all I need is the essentials, and save the full tote for the towel-and-layer kind of day.

There is a satisfying contrast between the silver sheen of the Aluminum Carry On and the Aluminum Bigger Carry On and the everyday good sense of The Medium Suitcase and The Bigger Carry-On Suitcase. The Aluminum Medium Checked brings that metal finish to a larger case, and The Carry-On Suitcase is the straightforward choice for shorter trips. The 29" Large Flex Luggage, The Large Aluminum Edition 29" Luggage and the 23" The Bigger Carry On Aluminum Edition Luggage cover the longer escapes.

At the small end, The Train Case, the Travel Glasses Case and The Insider Packing Cubes, Set of 4 keep the getting-ready kit from roaming loose, and The Pet Carrier is for the traveler with a very opinionated passenger. In my packing daydream, she wheels a silver case through the station in a striped knit with only her glasses case and Train Case in hand. What I would skip: a size for an imaginary extra outfit. Choose for the trip you are actually taking.

The interesting thing about Away is how it made a practical object feel like part of getting dressed for a trip without losing its usefulness. I see that in the hard-shell cases, then again in bags that change with the day: a straw tote for a long lunch, a compact crossbody for moving through town, a hanging organizer for the room you have to leave again in the morning. I would start with the bag I reach for every week, then add the suitcase size that fits my real calendar. Although I will probably pack too much anyway.