12 Summer Bags That’ll Take You Way Beyond the Beach

Go ahead and call me boring if you want, but when it comes to handbags, I am stubbornly fashion-risk averse. As plain as my streamlined go-tos might be, the classic Mansur Gavriel tote and Everlane crossbody have become wardrobe staples precisely because they blend into the background (a.k.a. my outfit) and let the rest of my look be the focus.

Summer, though, is a different story — one with plot twist that usually puts a whimsical bag at the center of my look. And why not? Summer's best totes and crossbodies are bright, fun, and colorful — everything the season's about — and give basic jeans-and-tee pairings and simple summertime dresses that very same vibe.