Honor Student

8 bags that head back to school in style. By Christene Barberich & Piera Gelardi

We'll be honest. This shopping story started with A LOT more bags. As many of you know, every season, we like to gather up the best selection of wardrobe staples, basically so you don't have to. But this time around, as we were sorting out our favorites, we noticed a definite theme with all the bags we wanted most: They were modified school bags. Like a hybrid between messenger bag and brief-case, these slightly oversized satchels reminded us of those hand-tooled school totes that, say, law students might have carried until they were love-worn in The Paperchase.

Sized down from our previous infatuation with enormous carryalls, these bags mimic the sharp silhouettes and elegant detailing we're partial to on the runways, too. Probably the thing we like most about these bags is that they seem to insist on being carried for a long, long time, getting better with age (check out Alexa Chung carrying her beautifully broken-in version). And in this economy, nothing absolutely imperative to our wardrobe could be better than that. PS: All those other bags we loved are still coming your way...check back later this week for another shopping roundup devoted to fall/winter handbags and clutches. Alexa Chung photo by Pete Miszuk

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From left to right:
A.P.C. Shoulder Bag, $420, available at A.P.C.
Barneys New York Chic Mailbag, $695, available at Barneys New York.

From left to right:
Play by C. Ronson Plaid Briefcase Bag, $88, available at Urban Outfitters.
Urban Outfitters Folio Briefcase Bag, $58, available at Urban Outfitters.

Boyy Pauly Satchel, $700, available at Boyy.

From left to right:
Foley & Corinna Adrienne's Traveler Convertible Bag, $695, available at Revolve Clothing.
Tila March Papillon Shoulder Bag, $639, available at La Garçonne.