No matter what kind of outdoor events you’re attending this summer, from music festivals to baseball games, you’re going to need to bring a handbag of some sort. Crossbody bags are undoubtedly your best bet because they’re hands-free and convenient, but choosing one to use at an all-day event can be tricky. Too small, and you’re trying to stuff way too many things in to it; too big, and it’s a burden to carry around for an extended period of time, particularly in summer heat. Luckily, we’ve done all the legwork for you and found three perfect crossbodies that will satisfy any (ok, almost any) budget.

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Save: Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha Crossbody This little guy is bright and cheery, with a padded strap that you can wear all day and plenty of room inside for all your essentials, plus an extra pocket in the flap, which gives you more room than you even realized you had. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $328.

Spend: Alexander Wang Brenda Crossbody If ever there were a time when Alexander Wang’s bags were absolutely appropriate, it would be at super-indie music festivals like Coachella. What better way to let everyone else know that you’re already in the know than by carrying a bag from fashion’s uber-downtown It Boy? Buy through ShopBop for $725.

Splurge: Mulberry Alexa Crossbody Clutch Speaking of hipster It Bags, bag-namesake Alexa Chung is exactly the type of uber-fashionable girl that gets photographed at music festivals that feature bands of whom no one has ever heard. The easiest way to channel her style, obviously, is to carry the bag that she inspired. I’ve got to admit, however – it’s also pretty cute and functional. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1150.

We all waited. When we heard Balmain planned to release a line of handbags we were excited. We wanted for edgy, new, and innovative. And what did we get? Rather boring, uninspired, and expensive messenger bags. We are still hoping Balmain bags will be better next season.

We are simply here to tell you that the four messenger bags Balmain had at Net A Porter are back in stock. Prices range from $1,915 to $3,925.

I kind of love this bag, and I fear I may be the only one.

The Donna Karan Chaos Leather Messenger Bag is not something I’d normally embrace. First, I hardly ever like any of the bags from Karan’s eponymous line. Second, I usually hate multicolored bags. Third, this bag really shouldn’t work. But for some reason, it kind of does.

It might be because the colors and dye patterns remind me of my much beloved zebra print, or because the distressed neutral look reminds me of my much beloved Alexander Wang – I’m not sure. But the dye pattern gives the bag texture and depth that I don’t think a solid color bag could muster, and the slight distressing keeps things young and hip.

Multicolor bags are often difficult to work into a wardrobe, but the style and colors used in this one would probably lend itself to easier incorporation, as long as you’re not much of one for patterns. And even if you are, this would probably still work as long as the other patterns had the same mood. Or maybe I’ve been smacked in the head today without my knowledge and I’m having visions. Who knows. Buy through Nordstrom for $1395.

That being said, I’m not a fan of everything that they’ve produced this season. Case in point: the MCM Giorno Convertible Bag.

I’m generally a big fan of menswear inspiration being incorporated into women’s fashion, but the briefcase look on this bag is just a tad too literal. It would be appropriate as a a work bag, although it looks like it’s probably a bit too small to actually hold files or a laptop. If your style is very, very tailored, it might work, but I fear that this bag would look out of place and too utilitarian with any kind of casual outfit.

Although, if you’re looking for a really stylish netbook bag, this might be just the ticket… Buy through Saks for $995.

But what this time of year means for most normal humans is that it’s time to start gathering together back-to-school wardrobes, either for themselves or for their kids. And the topic of chic and functional school bags is always a topic of discussion on our Forum, and something that I’ll talk more about later this week, but for right now, I’d just like to show a little love to the A.P.C. Black Leather Satchel. This crossbody bag appeals to my inner grad student – it’s made of thick, matte leather that, when combined with the traditional shape and double buckle closures, has “vintage book satchel” written all over it. The proportions are a bit shrunken to look more appropriate on a female body, but it still looks easily large enough to carry the laptop, bottle of water and cosmetics pouch that normally populated my school bags (journalism school? Rather light on textbook usage). Buy through Net-a-Porter for $420.

And although the bag may be fairly simple in design, it doesn’t seem like an afterthought to me. The finish of the leather reminds me of the crinkly bags that Prada has released this season, except this bag is slightly more matte and the shoulder strap allows it to be worn as a very chic oversized shoulder bag or across the body. Good design doesn’t necessarily mean extra complications, and based on this line from Burberry, it also doesn’t mean exorbitant prices. This may not be the most exciting bag that any of us have ever seen, but I think the price point is cause to celebrate indeed. Buy through Saks for $375.

As many of you know, today we launched Bag That Style, a site devoted to celebrity handbags and style. Vlad pulled an all-nighter and consumed a double digit copious amount of red bull. I drifted off to sleep around 4:30. And at 4:30 a.m. the tv fills with infomercials and odd repeats of shows no one watches. I sat in bed with my laptop and Deadliest Catch on. And with that little amount of sleep, the waves from the TV began to make me feel sea-sick. So this is an FYI that updates today may make little to no sense.

Tory Burch became known for her ballet flats and in the past year has designed her way into the handbag world. While some of her bags sport the signature logo, I prefer her bags that don’t. They are clean, pretty, and perfectly usable. Saks and I are loving the Tory Burch Liam Messenger Bag with its pebbled leather body and chain strap. The chain strap has a leather top, which will not allow the chain to dig into your shoulder, always a plus. The bag itself is hip and young, with a double foldover flap. I have no idea if getting in and out of the bag is easy, but I like how the bag looks. There is one slip pocket under the flap and an inner zip and two open pockets. Buy through Saks for $495.

The Alexander McQueen Flapper Messenger Bag. In all fairness, in the pictures, it looks like the strap isn’t really long enough to be anything but a shoulder bag, and it also says it’s adjustable, meaning I could probably FORCE it to be a shoulder bag. And after seeing Megs’ pics of her beautiful Diane von Furstenberg Stephanie Slouchy Hobo, I’m starting to take long-strapped shoulder bags more seriously. They are truly casual in every way, and give a bit of hippie chic to a regular summer dress. The leather on this McQueen bag looks divine, and although grey is more of a fall color, this particular grey is light enough to be spring-appropriate. The lines are nice and clean, and I’ve never had a McQueen bag before…at the very least, he’s got me thinking very seriously about this trend.

$1,840 via Saks.com.

Anyhow, there is a new messenger bag from Halston that closely resembles my handbag of the summer, except for it is even more over-priced and has even less of any sort of appeal. The Halston Zai Messenger Bag uses the same slouchy long strap look that I have fallen for, but the overall implementation falls below par. Not just a bit under the mark, completely under. I do not understand this bag and I understand the price tag even less. This messenger bag is made of suede, which I find to be completely impractical for most purposes. Suede is so hard to keep clean, even a dark color like this brown will show wear in the corners. And the dirt will pile, and it will be seen too. There is just nothing special, not the material, not the look on the mannequin, and the price is out of this world. The overall product is a big pile of brown suede blah. So if you have $2,495 to spend, I will tell you to spend it elsewhere. Available through Net A Porter for $2,495.