Kavu Rope Bag

Remember how poor Joey (in the sitcom Friends) lost an audition because he wasn’t ready to give up his “man purse”? Thankfully, things have changed on the fashion front and unisex messenger bags are here to stay.

The messenger bag, also called a courier bag, is typically shaped like a sack and is made from cloth, either natural or synthetic. One can wear it over one shoulder, with the strap resting on the chest while the bag falls on the lower bag. Bicycle messengers used this urban fashion icon once named carryalls.

Today these messenger bags have been given a new look. These bags are not merely utilitarian –use of color, designs and fabrics makes it fashionable and useful. Here are three great brands that offer messenger bags with thoughtful and stylish designs:

1. Kavu rope bag

The Kavu rope bag retains the characteristic sack shape but comes in versatile, trendy prints. You can pick out a cross-body bag or go for a classic one-shoulder style. The ergonomic manufacturing ensures that you can carry the bag for a longer period. And don’t worry: Kavu’s unique designs aren’t just for guys. Both men and women can use it!

2. Kenneth Cole

Kenneth Cole messenger bags have a more modern shape to fit a more modern sensibility – imagine carrying your laptop, Kindle or iPad in these rectangular messenger bags!. One of their styles the “Sarah Mess-ica Parker,” inspired by character Carrie Bradshaw from the HBO show Sex and the City, is a perfect example of a stylish, unisex bag.

3. Marc Jacobs

If budget is not a constraint, then a Marc Jacobs printed canvas ranks high on the fashion quotient. You get all the features of a regular messenger bag with the added quality – and bragging rights – of a designer brand.