This post at Metafilter tipped me off to an incredible Flickr set of 761 vintage luggage labels from around the world. These labels, while rarely used for practical reasons anymore, were once slapped on the sides of suitcases to make it easier to connect the luggage with the hotel at the point of destination. With enough travel, a piece of luggage would be covered with these stickers and kept as a sort of trophy – like immigration stamps in passports – showing off all the exotic locations its owner has visited over time.
Today the art of stylishly connecting a piece of luggage with its destination has been all but lost, only to be replaced with aesthetically-disappointing strips of barcoded paper. While functional, they sure aren’t pretty to look at. So get your fix at this Flickr gallery – maybe print a few out and slap them on your suitcase. Just don’t blame me if your bag ends up in Scotland.