Cases
* Trunk - A box made of wood, commonly much larger than other types of luggage. Trunks come in smaller sizes as in the case of footlockers and larger ones called steamers. These days trunks are more generally used for storage than transportation. Items big enough to require a trunk are now most commonly shipped in transport cases.
* Suitcase - A unspecific term that might alude to wheeled or non-wheeled luggage, in addtion to soft or hard side luggage.
* Wheeled Upright - A comparably new type of luggage that uses an extending handle that enables the traveler to roll it in an standing position.
* Garment Bag - A type of luggage that folds in half to enable long garments such as dresses or suits to be packed flat to avoid wrinkles. Garment bags come in both wheeled and non-wheeled models, and are most commonly one of the biggest pieces in any set of luggage
* Tote - A small bag, most commonly slung around the shoulder, though wheeled models with telescoping handles have become popular recently.
* Duffel bag - A barrel shaped bag, almost exclusively soft side, is well suited to casual travel, with almost no organization inside. A small bag, most commonly slung around the shoulder, though wheeled models with telescoping handles have become popular recently. The spelling of this luggage type "duffle" is also valid.
* Carpet bag - travel luggage traditionally made from carpets.
* Rolling Luggage - Referring to several kinds of wheeled luggage either with or without extending handles. Generally two fixed wheels on one end with the handle found on the opposite for vertical movement.
A suitcase is a unspecific term for a distinguishable form of luggage. It is usually somewhat flat rectangular shaped bag with rounded or square corners, either made from metal, hard plastic or made of cloth, vinyl or leather that pretty much keeps its shape. It has a carrying handle on one side and is used foremostly for transporting clothes and other possessions while traveling. It opens on hinges smilar to a door. Some suitcases lock with a combination or a key.
At first, suitcases were made of wool or linen. Leather also became a popular material for suitcases, it was used to cover wood suitcases or just on its own for collapsible suitcases. It is difficult to document all the materials suitcases have been made out of. Like all produced consumer goods the materials chosen to construct suitcases are really a product of their time. Wool, wood, leather, metal, plastic, fiber composite even recycled materials are all usual suitcase materials. During the era of covered wagons trunks were a popular form of transporting goods. The ride was rough so the luggage had to be durable. the trend or suitcases becoming less cumbersome as the years went by could be directly related to the advancement of better transportation.
The black and white classic movies from the past are most likely the best archive of all the varietys of suitcase design before the most modern suitcase. There is an intriguing relationship with the era from the 1940s through the 60's with film and suitcases. During this time the suitcases were a huge part in conveying the excietment of the movie. They appeared to match the characters that owned them and somehow or another tell a story of the class of person. This relationship doesn't exist in modern film making. The suitcases seem to blend into the scenery and have no attachment to the characters in the film.