1.  Yes

2.  All are readily available.  All are more expensive to buy in Europe.  I would take the items where you really want to use a specific brand as it’s sometimes hard to find a specific US brand.

3.  Yes and No.  Just like in the US it does not seem to be enforced the same at every airport or on every day, but I would assume that it will be in effect for every flight as you never know when something will cause the alert level will go up — worldwide or at a specific airport.

so if you’re me, you’re checking your bag?

I don’t see how anyone can make it with just a carryon for a trip longer than a few days. Although some airlines don’t enforce it, there is usually an 8 or 10 kg weight limit for carryons (as well as the typical size limits). 1kg = 2.2lb

Flights rules are very similar to USA currently. 1 liter ziploc bag, sealed, with no single item over 100 ml (abt 3.3 fl. oz.).

Well, I can! []

My May-June trip was two weeks long, involved two intro-Europe flights, bunch of train rides, and, as it turned out, 6 hours walking through Venice (almost non-stop) under intermittent rain. To make sure too much stuff won’t slow me down, I had to limit myself by a city-size backpack and a camera bag. (By the way, my luggage included a laptop and a DSLR with two lenses.) And if you are curious (as were those ladies at check-in) my bag was really under 10 kilos.

I’m leaving on wednesday and I don’t know how heavy my bag will be but I’m planning to do the same. I’m hoping it will be under weight limit at all airports because after a very annoying experience in Baltimore, I’m reluctant to check-in my bag. Plus I wouldn’t want to be missing trains and flights because I’m looking for lost bags. I’ll be away for 4 weeks and it’s going to be tough involving frequent laundry and yes, I’m taking one pair of 5 or 10cm heels (lol!). That’s why I’m packing today to see how realistic this is and if I should put more stuff in a day bag and check the bigger one.  However, I did make it for 2 weeks once.
 
Thought I’d share.

I think carrying on is easier in the long run even if it is a hassle now to plan for it.  You will most likely not be able to fit your toiletries in the quart size ziploc mandated by TSA.  You can get around some of the TSA rules by packing toiletries not in gel/liquid form and I have few TSA toiletry hacks that might be helpful. 

Most likely you will have to pick up a few items there, they have most major brands available and it might be worth the extra expense to plan on buying some toiletries once you arrive, especially since you’ll be there four weeks.  If you can manage carry on I’d say go for it, heels and all, just use a regular bathroom scale to check the weight. I think 40lbs is the general weight limit but I would check your particular airlines policies online to doublecheck. 

PS. Bravo for wanting to rock the heels, but don’t overdo it with them.  I’ve walked around in heels at night forgetting to take it easy in them, only to wake up to blisters and a full day of walking the next day (painful).

I guess 14 mumus and a pair of flip-flops really isn’t that heavy.

Err… What’s that? Ok, I’ve looked up online. No I don’t wear these, they’d look weird on a guy, what d’ya think?