Messenger Bag Delivers Adventurous Style

More than any other accessory, a messenger bag has always epitomized casual chic style to me. It conveys sportiness, a sense of adventure, and an effortless sense of cool: "This old thing? Oh, I picked it up at a Turkish bazaar, tossed it in my plane when I flew around the Pacific islands then wore it when I walked across the deserts of Africa." I associate a messenger bag with the kind of person who seems to roll out of bed looking impossibly hip without even trying. Their everyday existence is so fabulously interesting that the only thing they need to carry with them is a simple, practical, bag that accompanies them on their exciting journeys.




Channel your inner adventurer with this BED: STU Hawkeye Messenger Bag ($80). Available in rust or black, the heavy duty canvas and rivet details give this a renegade military look. "Stealth" outer pockets and magnetic snap closures provide easy access to artillery (or your car keys). Perfect if you're being pursued by guerilla fighters in the jungle. Or if you need something to carry your books in across campus. Great for guys, but I'd also love this for women when worn with something feminine like a chiffon blouse.


If your scene is geared more toward the lipstick jungle, you'll like Botkier's Aiden Messenger Bag. A divided inner compartment keeps things organized while the cross-body style leaves your hands free to fend off the paparazzi without spilling your Starbucks. Just slouchy enough in an incredibly supple leather. Botkier's high-quality hardware and slightly oversized zippers add a hint of toughness to an otherwise very sophisticated bag. Normally priced at $648, Amazon has it on sale for $258. This is a classicly styled bag, so you can wear it jet-setting around the globe for years to come.

I'm thinking of taking the winter off and traveling by rail across Europe. Well, not really, but if I was, this is the bag I'd take. Made from boiled wool with leather accents and gunmetal gray hardware, MiMo Handbags' Lasse Wool Messenger Bag (from $104) conjures images of old-world cities like Zurich and Zagreb. The Lasse messenger bag is large enough to hold your necessities for work or travel and it opens from the top without a flap, making it easy to fish out your passport or your bus pass. The modern cotton print lining inside updates the timeless styling outside. Whether you take it to the Alps or the A&P, you'll look effortlessly cool, too.

Where does your messenger bag take you? Leave a comment and let us know!