Crossbody Bags

I’ve been a diehard crossbody fan ever since I stopped going to a day job. Back then, I carried purses that could stand on their own on the table, or floor, or if I was lucky, one of those fancy bag benches you rarely see anymore. But now that I’m on the road more than 300 days a year, those bags sit in their dust bags in a closet most of the time, and I only use a crossbody. I have my personal favorites depending on the season—a Ferragamo top handle in deep brown for fall/winter/spring if I’m going anywhere where I might need to get a little dressed up, an APC workhorse that my daughter gave me for Christmas, a Hunting Season structured top handle made of woven Iraca palm and leather that I bring out in the summer months, and the dusty blue suede Stowaway from Métier that I love for summer as well. (However, now I’m angling hard for the black one below!) We asked our favorite style editor (and stylist! If you need one—she’s amazing) Sarah Meikle to source what she thinks are the best on the market now, with one rule: they couldn’t be too small (minimum width 7 inches)—they have to fit a small wallet or passport holder, a pair of glasses, lip balm…basically, the stuff you don’t want to put in an overhead bin. She came back with so many good ones, including some well-priced options I’d never heard of. —Y.E.

1. APC Grace Small Bag, $895. I love highly polished calf leather–adds an elegance to a cross-body, which can be a bit of an informal bag. 
2. Oroton Margot Crossbody, $349. New-to-me Australian brand with nice detail.
3. Quince Italian Leather Triple Compartment Crossbody, $119.90. A workhorse!
4. Bottega Veneta Small Loop Camera Bag, $2,700. An investment piece.
5. Demellier London The Vancouver, $525. Love the brass details.
6. Lutz Morris Maya Bag in Tan, $1,350. Made in Germany by incredible artisans–and has a pocket for your cell phone on the back. 
7. Clare V Midi Sac in Black, $325 or Clare V Grande Fanny Pack, $385. A classic and a good price.
8. Ferragamo Iconic Top Handle (S), $2,650. I have this and love it because it’s tall enough to hold my glasses and a special travel wallet and a couple of other things. Take the strap off at night and it’s super elegant for evening. 
9. Metier Stowaway Crossbody, $1,850. The do-everything cross-body bag–goes from casual with the strap to evening when you remove the strap and use it as a clutch.
10. Hitchcock Mini Handbag, $1,190. I like the simplicity of Isaac Reina’s designs.   
11. Madewell Hyer Goods Luxe Cube Bag, $310. A nice option for the price.
12. YSL Manhattan Small in Box Saint Laurent, $2,990. An investment piece for sure.
13. Mark Cross Benchley, $2,290. I like the top handle bags that double as cross body–because they are kind of a two-in-one when you take the strap off!
14. Hunting Season The Small Top Handle in Woven Iraca, $625. My summer favorite!