The 12 Best Crossbody Bags of 2021

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The Rundown

Best Overall: Madewell The Medium Transport Tote at Shopbop

"Equal parts functional and stylish."

Best Designer: Kate Spade Margaux Convertible Crossbody at Saks Fifth Avenue

"Simple, classic, and versatile."

Best Splurge: Cuyana Half-Moon Mini Bag at Cuyana

"A very splurge-worthy pick with supple, full-grain Italian leather."

Best Style: Botkier Cobble Hill Leather Crossbody Bag at Nordstrom

"Adds a funky, whimsical touch to all your outfits."

Best Mini Bag: Everlane The Leather Sling at Everlane

"Opt for this miniature shoulder bag to achieve a hip minimalist look."

Best Cruelty-Free: Matt & Nat Erika Crossbody Bag at Matt & Nat

"Crafted from ultra-soft vegan faux leather and recycled nylon lining."

Best Leather: Coach Beat Saddle Bag at Saks Fifth Avenue

"Buttery-soft, glove-tanned leather brings timeless style to your wardrobe."

Best for Moms: Baggallini Big Zipper Bagg with RFID at Baggallini

"A hands-free bag that's lightweight yet holds all the must-haves."

Best for Men: TUMI Organizer Travel Tote at Amazon

"Built to last and crafted to hold all your essentials."

Best Anti-Theft: Travelon Luggage Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag at Amazon

"Boasts a bevy of protective, travel-friendly features."

Best Alternative: Fjallraven Kånken Sling Bag at Amazon

“Everyone’s favorite backpack in a crossbody bag version.”

Best for Travel: J. Crew Camera Bag at Amazon

“The J. Crew Camera Bag was designed for frequent on-the-go use.”

Crossbody bags are a great accessory to bring with you on trips. They sit securely on your body, keep your hands free, and carry all the essentials without being bulky. These cute carryalls won't put a strain on your back or shoulders either, unlike backpacks and larger tote bags. Look for one that's in a vibrant color to showcase your personal style, or in more versatile neutrals that can go with any outfit. We've scoured the internet for our top picks to help narrow down your search.

Keep reading to see the best crossbody bags available.

Our Top Picks

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Best Overall: Madewell The Medium Transport Tote

Madewell's Transport Tote is equal parts functional and stylish, with its sleek, minimalist design and sizeable interior — an interior so sizable, that it fits a laptop and other essentials. This doesn’t mean it’s bulky, though, as the Transport Tote lives up to its name with its streamlined form. Made of 100 percent vegetable-tanned leather, you'll be getting a good bang for your buck with this bag. It also features a zippered closure and a detachable strap, so you can wear it as a crossbody or on your shoulder.

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Best Designer: Kate Spade Margaux Convertible Crossbody

Kate Spade Margaux Medium Convertible Crossbody — Kate Spade

Kate Spade knows how to craft gorgeous, streamlined bags, and the Margaux Medium Convertible Crossbody is no exception. Made from buttery-soft, refined grain leather, this bag’s slim silhouette belies its rather roomy interior and ample organizational storage that includes dual interior slide pockets, along with exterior slide pockets. Conveniently, this fashion-forward bag also converts into a clutch via an adjustable crossbody strap that clips off, so you can wear it on your evenings out. Simple, classic, and versatile, the Margaux will look good with virtually everything in your closet.

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Best Splurge: Cuyana Half-Moon Mini Bag

Treat yourself with the Half-Moon Mini Bag from Cuyana — a very splurge-worthy pick with supple, full-grain Italian leather, signature gold-tone hardware, and a clean, sophisticated shape. It may be an investment piece, but this crossbody bag will last and will only get more beautiful as the years go by, thanks to its high-quality construction that wears in and softens over time. Plus, add a monogram for a personalized touch and choose from six gorgeous colors, including blood orange, black, caramel, forest, stone, and textured black.

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Best Style: Botkier Cobble Hill Leather Crossbody Bag

Step up your fashion bag game with the Botkier Cobble Hill Leather Crossbody Bag, a super-chic accessory that adds a funky, whimsical touch to all your outfits. The bag’s thoroughly modern appeal can be found in the details: its gilded hardware accents and an 80s-inspired, asymmetrical flap. Carry it via its top handle, minimalist leather strap, or woven crossbody strap.

Continue to 5 of 12 below.

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Best Mini Bag: Everlane The Leather Sling

Opt for this miniature shoulder bag from Everlane for a hip minimalist look. Made from silky-smooth Italian leather that burnishes beautifully with wear, this simple bag comes in two attractive shades: black or forest. It can hold all your accessories—like your phone, keys, sunglasses, and wallet—and the super-adjustable strap makes carrying a breeze.

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Best Cruelty-Free: Matt & Nat Erika Crossbody Bag

Crafted from ultra-soft vegan faux leather and recycled nylon lining, the Erika Vegan Leather Crossbody Bag by Matt & Nat is elegant, luxurious, and best of all, cruelty-free. It comes in elegant colors (black or red) and features a cute flap and hidden snap closure, plus an adjustable strap for the best fit possible. Classy and sleek, this crossbody bag proves that the more sustainable, humane option can oftentimes be as fashionable as real leather alternatives.

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Best Leather: Coach Beat Saddle Bag

Give yourself the gift of a Coach leather crossbody bag—you’ll have it forever, so you won’t soon regret it. The Beat Saddle Bag is luxuriously handmade with buttery-soft, glove-tanned leather that brings timeless style and authenticity to your wardrobe. This bag features inside multifunction pockets, an outside pocket so you have easy access to your essentials, and a secure snap closure that’s accented by the elegant golden Coach buckle. You can opt to wear it on the shoulder or crossbody and it comes in four cool colors: red sand, ivory, black, and natural.

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Best for Moms: Baggallini Big Zipper Bagg with RFID

For traveling moms, the Baggallini Big Zipper Bagg is an incredibly convenient option for when you need a hands-free bag that’s lightweight, yet holds all the must-haves. It’s super spacious, with exterior zippers and interior pockets that easily house all your daily essentials like your wallet, keys, and phone. It's also crafted from water-resistant nylon, so you don’t have to worry about stains (always a plus for those with kids).

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Best for Men: TUMI Organizer Travel Tote

Come for the extra-durable ballistic nylon, stay for the extra-roomy interior: the TUMI Organizer Travel Tote for Men is built to last, and it’s crafted to hold all your essentials when you’re traveling, whether it's just for the weekend or for an overnight flight. The bag’s main compartment expands by two inches, while the back zip-around section has multiple pockets and slots. All that, and its adjustable strap fits cozily on your shoulder, freeing up your hands while you’re on the go.

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Best Anti-Theft: Travelon Luggage Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag

Frequent travelers may want to consider investing in a high-quality, anti-theft bag like the Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag, which boasts a bevy of protective, travel-friendly features, like a slash-proof shoulder strap, RFID-blocking slots for all your important cards, a removable LED light, and secure locking compartments. All in all, you’ll instantly feel more protected when wearing this bag. Not to mention, it comes in a wide variety of colors and prints.

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Best Alternative: Fjallraven Kånken Sling Bag

Everyone’s favorite backpack comes in a crossbody bag version, too: the iconic Fjallraven Kanken Sling Bag is made of durable, water-resistant nylon fabric that’s easy to spot clean, and the bag’s boxy, hip shape doesn’t droop or sag. Conveniently, your belongings stay super-accessible via the zippered pocket on the back. This bag comes in yellow, slate, pink, light grey, and many other colors.

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Best for Travel: J. Crew Camera Bag

The J. Crew Camera Bag was designed for frequent on-the-go use—it’s ideal for long jaunts by plane, car, metro, or however else you’re traveling. For one thing, it’s made from scratch-resistant pebbled leather, so you don’t have to worry about it getting scuffed up in transit. For another, it has ample storage for all the basics (phone, keys, wallet) in the form of an external pocket and an internal zippered pocket.

This bag is also just plain chic and versatile, with a simple, classic silhouette, monogram-friendly front, and detachable crossbody strap, so you can change up how you carry it in an instant. We’re extremely partial to the gorgeous raffia color, but it’s available in neutral shades of black and sepia, too.

Final Verdict

It’s gotta be the Medium Transport Tote from Madewell (view at Shopbop), the beloved brand’s signature bag. It’s streamlined, impeccably designed, and timelessly chic. The fit is comfortable, with an adjustable shoulder strap, or you can elect to carry it by the top handle if you’re feeling fancy. What more could you want from a good crossbody bag?

What to Look for in Crossbody Bags

Price

Crossbody bags run the gamut in terms of price, largely depending on the material and brand. Leather tends to be at the most expensive end of the spectrum, while materials like faux-leather or polyester tend to be the least expensive. As with anything, you get what you pay for.

Material

When it comes to material for crossbody bags, the sky’s the limit. You’ll want to select something durable, of course—canvas, leather (or vegan leather), and suede are three of the most durable materials to choose from.

Capacity

Keep in mind that, generally, crossbody bags are smaller and more compact than tote bags or backpacks. Everyone’s specific criteria for bag capacity will differ, though. Before deciding on a bag, think about what you’ll be using it for. What do you need to carry on a day-to-day basis? Maybe you want a smaller crossbody bag to hold your phone and wallet (and that’s it) because you already have a large backpack that you’ll be layering it with. Maybe you need a more spacious crossbody tote to use as a diaper bag. Be realistic about what you’ll be using your bag for and then go from there.

Pockets

Most crossbody bags are slim and compact, with just one interior pocket and an exterior pocket. If you want something with more organizational features, look for a bag with multiple hidden pockets or even an expandable design, with a laptop sleeve.

FAQs

Are crossbody bags good for your back?

First, it must be said—if you have back pain at all, the most important thing you can do is make sure that you’re carrying a light load and that the weight from your bag is distributed as evenly as possible. With that in mind, the answer is yes, crossbody bags can be good for your back. These bags tend to be lighter anyway, giving you true freedom of movement as you walk around.

How can I tell if my bag is waterproof?

Bags that are made from nylon or polyester with a durable water-resistant (DWR) coating usually do the best job of repelling moisture.

What are some security features to look for in a crossbody bag?

Look for a bag with sturdy zipper closures, slash-proof straps, locking compartments, and RFID-blocking slots (to protect your credit card info from being stolen) if you’re particularly concerned about security.

Why Trust TripSavvy

Justine Harrington is a travel bag connoisseur who made it her mission to research and find the best crossbody bags in terms of durability, style, storage, and functionality for this piece. As such, she spent several hours combing reviews, consulting top brands, and comparing and contrasting various bag features to narrow things down.

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