When you go away on a business trip, or take a vacation, do you find yourself digging out the same badly battered, worn suitcases and bags that you have been using for the last decade? Worse still, are you still using the now threadbare backpack that accompanied you faithfully throughout all of Europe, and a good part of Asia, when you went backpacking for a year in your early twenties?

Whatever your situation or needs, travel luggage needs to change as you change. If you have a family, you need to have a range of suitcases, bags and backpacks to cater for each family member. Or, what if you are now a high flying executive? That dusty suitcase you were dragging behind you five years ago when you were starting out in business, simply won't do now.

Luggage is an important expression of your personal style and taste. Indeed the most fashionable travelers simply regard their luggage as an extension of their wardrobe - additional accessories to co-ordinate with their overall "look". And while not everyone can afford a cupboard full of Louis Vuitton, there are plenty of classy and highly practical brands that speak of quality, elegance and panache.

When choosing new luggage it is important to think through the likely uses of the bags or suitcases you are buying. For instance, if you are planning to do regular short business trips, you will naturally opt for smaller, compact cases that will be easy to carry or drag behind you. Indeed many seasoned business travelers choose bags that are small enough to take onto planes as carry-on luggage, thereby saving themselves the delay of waiting for their luggage to be unloaded when they are arrive at their destination.

Ideally, you will buy a selection of larger suitcases for those longer trips away, as well as a variety of smaller bags. It is always advisable to add a soft bag to your collection since soft bags come in handy when packing the car boot for long car trips. If you expect to be packing sports items, there are plenty of very good, jumbo sized carriers that take all manner of sporting goods, from baseball bats through to hockey sets.

Shopping for luggage is easy when you know what your needs are. Just be to think down the track though, because good quality luggage should last for years. If you expect that your needs will change, be sure to choose luggage that is multi-purpose and flexible.