The World’s Ugliest Luggage

So many suitcases look exactly the same — boring black — that we always appreciate it when we spot someone toting a colorful or creatively designed bag through an airport. But once in a while we see suitcases that dare to be a little too different, crossing the line into garish, tacky or just plain ugly.

We’ve rounded up some of the world’s most hideous bags into a story of shame. Read on to check them out, but beware — it might just send you scurrying back to boring black.

Polka Dot Disaster

Picture your nerdy coworker’s worst bow tie, imagine that pattern splashed across six spinner suitcases and you’ll have the All-Season Polka Dot Delight Spinner. Add in a few unsightly ribbons, and you’ll be feeling anything but delighted.

See It: Amazon.com
Cringe Factor: 8/10

50 Shades of Solid Gray

This bizarre hardshell backpack from Solid Gray inspired a variety of responses when we wore it around the IndependentTraveler.com office: “Reminds me of Stormtroopers! … You look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with that on your back! … Whoa, is that a porta-potty?” It’s designed to protect your laptop, but for this price we’re pretty sure you can find an alternative product that doesn’t make you look like a turtle.

See It: Solid-Gray.com
Cringe Factor: 9/10

Red, White and Booooo

The Ed Heck Stars n Stripes upright spinner suitcase gives new meaning to the phrase “ugly American.” Even if you find the colorful design fun instead of garish, you can forget about blending in with the locals if you bring this over-the-top monstrosity on a trip abroad.

See It: Amazon.com
Cringe Factor: 7/10

Elephant Eyesore

Yikes — who puked orange leaves and elephants all over this otherwise unobjectionable luggage? (Yes, look closely. Those are elephants.) The five-piece American Flyer Budapest luggage comes in three colors, all equally ugly.

See It: Amazon.com
Cringe Factor: 8/10

A Bad Trip

This three-piece Olympia Pierre Hardside Expandable Spinner Set is a nauseating cross between 60s psychedelia and Barbie’s dream luggage. The good news? At least it’s easy to spot at baggage claim.

See It: Overstock.com
Cringe Factor: 8/10

Head-Spinning Zebra Spinner

When it comes to animal print, most people either love it or hate it — but this It Luggage Zebra Head spinner set had even the leopard skin fans here in the office covering their eyes. Between the dizzying black and white pattern and the creepy sense that the zebras are looking at us, we’d like to send this set back to the zoo.

See It: Amazon.com
Cringe Factor: 7/10

In Poor Taste

Ed Heck earns the dubious distinction of landing not just one, but two suitcases in our gallery of the grotesque. Perhaps his Olives 25″ Hardside Spinner is designed to appeal to foodies, but these olives floating like disembodied eyeballs on a clashing purple background simply take away our appetite.

See It: Amazon.com
Cringe Factor: 9/10

Tassel Terror

The only thing more jaw-dropping than the sheer ugliness of this Louis Vuitton backpack is its five-figure price tag (a cool $54,000). The New Age Traveler Backpack, which debuted in 2010, does not appear to be available for purchase anymore (gosh, we can’t imagine why). But we couldn’t resist ending our story with its revolting blend of crocodile skin, tassels and what appear to be old-fashioned phone cords. Yikes.

See It: LuxuryLaunches.com
Cringe Factor: 10/10