There’s not much you can do about the traffic you’re likely to hit on the way to the airport, or the long, slow lines at security checkpoints, but there’s certainly a way to avoid the headache of finding yourself without a change of clothes because the airline lost your luggage. You can even avoid the long baggage check lines. All you need is Chick on the Go – amazingly, it’s a whole wardrobe in a bag that’s about the size of a handbag. When I first heard about this relatively new product discovered by a traveling woman who herself has had experience with the frustration of luggage delay, I was intrigued and had to try it out for myself. Lost luggage is a real problem; as is over-packing or missed flights due to ridiculous waits in baggage check lines. Chick on the Go ($199) is a more cost-effective way to ensure you’re always properly packed for your vacations and business trips, and if you do lose any checked luggage, that you won’t have to spend a fortune on buying entirely new outfits for the occasion.

I went with XS or Size 0-2 (sizes available up to 20) and quickly discovered the genius of the product. There are five essential pieces (a white tank, a white long-sleeve V-neck shirt, a black slip dress, a pair of black wide-leg pants, a black poncho) and two accessory pieces (a black sash and a white sash) that you can mix and match into at least 25 different outfits. Of course, you can always discover more depending on how creative you are about assembling outfits! All these pieces come in a pretty garment bag that unrolls to expose zippered compartments and a hook hanger. It’s very convenient! The kit also comes with a folded pamphlet (laminated for accident-free instruction!) showing you all the 25 standard outfits you can assemble for different events using the five articles of clothing and two sashes. The outfits range from more business-appropriate to more casual lounging to flirty outfits for daytime excursions and even a few options for spending a night out on the town.

There were far many more that I liked but just could not fill out or fit as well. I also found a few cute outfits that I wish could’ve functioned better. All of the outfits that involved wearing the poncho as a strapless top and instructed you to use a sash to accent the top of it didn’t stay up very well. Not only did I feel the poncho slipping lower with each step (maybe a little more elastic is needed here), but I could also feel the sash slipping and loosening, too. Tying the sash to help hold up anything never worked out — even with the help of my “wardrobe assistant” (the best friend). That’s the other thing. A good number of these outfits are simple enough to do yourself (and with the help of a full-length mirror), but a handful are tricky to get right unless you’ve had mucho practice or have a willing participant. Here’s a sampling of those trickier looks:

Overall, I am a fan of the Chick on the Go. It’s totally worth it for women who often travel whether for business or for pleasure. Bring it along as a back-up plan or even as the only thing to wear for your entire vacation. It’s versatile, it’s comfy, it’s stylish and it saves you time, money and frustration in the long-run. Now, if they could just release a petite size for shorties like me…

Visit Chick on the Go’s official website for a closer look at the 25 outfits and for instructional videos on how to build the look! Very helpful.