Winter has come to an end and it’s time to put away the gloves and wool scarfs and break out the sandals, sunglasses and most importantly, the warm weather bags! The elements I love most about these bags are the colors, the styles and their effortless look.

The Mini

The mini bag was brought to my attention by model Kendall Jenner when she stepped out with her mini Givenchy in dusty pink. Although the bag may look like it can’t carry more than a lipstick and your phone if you’re lucky (let’s be real if you have an iPhone Plus it isn’t happening), the bag does carry a lot of character.

The style is easy to wear with any type of outfit and is small enough to not overpower the outfit; whether that be blue jean shorts, a cute sundress or a pair of fun boho printed pants. However, the bag still has the power to make a statement depending on the intricacy and eye catching details that you have on the bag. As you’ll see with all the bags featured on this post,  the mini can easily be the cool statement piece of any classic monochromatic outfit.

The thing I love most about my mini bag is it’s simplicity. The simple color blocking of black and tan in the background makes the bag easy to wear with any outfit and red band keeps the look polished making it high on my must haves for summer bags.

Express: Mini Bag

Asos: Mini Bag

Kate Spade: Mini Bag

Monster Tote

With summer around the corner and  beach trips on the horizon, a good travel bag is a must. The tote bag has been around for years, made popular by fashion powerhouses like Prada, Louis Vuitton and Coach. The bag is a practical item for travel sheerly because of how much it can fit.

When I traveled to New York for spring break, I brought my red tote which proved to be one of the smartest decisions of my life. If you’re going anywhere in the summer, I recommend a good sized tote to hold all of your necessities (mine can fit a laptop, a September issue of Vogue and more) and give you the peace of mind and the ease to everything you’ll need while either traveling to another state, country or just across the street to your friend’s house.

Since mine is a statement red, I prefer to keep my outfit with it simple, no busy patterns and just simple lines. I find that this, with blue jeans and a white t-shirt, creates a very simple and classic look.

Charming Charlie: Tote

Target: Tote (featured)

Asos: Tote

Classically Structured

A boxy structure for a bag is always a good, classic idea for summer or winter (and the two seasons in between), because of the timeless structure and look.

I fell in love with the structure and fake crocodile leather when I saw Lily Aldridge, an angel for Victoria’s Secret, do a What’s In My Bag video showing off her Saint Laurent Sac De Jour bag in a size small (it comes in a nano, small, classic and large size [only the small comes in the crocodile leather])  needless to say, I fell madly in love. My own copy-cat bag is from Charming Charlie, and I purchased it a few years ago, so although that bag is no longer sold, the classic structure still is.

This bag also has the simplicity and ability to go with anything, it can be paired with a simple blue jean and white t-shirt look or can be paired with a more sophisticated dress. Something I like to do is add a bit more visual interest by adding a small scarf or handkerchief to the handle.

Charming Charlie: Satchel

Topshop: Satchel

Kate Spade: Satchel

Over the Shoulder

The over the shoulder bag is great if you know you’ll be out for a long period of time, and it still has room for your wallet, sunglasses and phone while giving you the ability to still have full use of your hands and arms.

This brown bag is a good example of a classic over the shoulder bag with a bit of a twist. The circular shape of the bag itself adds visual interest, while the simple exaggerated sticking gives off a free spirit spring/summer vibe that makes this bag so good for warm weather.

With the simple brown color of my bag, I like to keep the outfit light, a simple sundress or jean shorts with flowy tank tops is what I like best with this bag.

Express: Shoulder Bag

Asos: Shoulder Bag

Kate Spade: Shoulder Bag

Backpack

The backpack is another great accessory that has really made a comeback in the past two years, and I like to keep my backpacks more sophisticated with pleather/leather looking fabric rather than the classic canvas we use at school.

This black pleather backpack is so useful and has been since the moment I got it, four years ago. It has more room than an average purse which allows the owner to bring a lot of different things with them while traveling and exploring. The main use for my backpack is to carry my detachable lens camera. The size of the backpack is big enough to carry both of the lenses and the body of the camera, with room for my wallet, phone and keys.

This backpack is easily paired with anything seeing as how it’s a sleek black. I love to wear this when exploring St. Louis and I usually pair it with blue jean shorts and a fun detailed or printed top.

Express: Backpack

Topshop: Backpack

Asos: Backpack

The best thing about spring and summer bags is the ease they bring to every outfit and occasion. Warm months bring the freedom to spend your days exploring the city you live in or other cities you visit on vacation and these bags can aid in making your days the best they can be, stress free.