10 Best Bags of the Month: July

A woman's bag is her sanctuary. How could you possibly leave the house without it? A quick poll of the FLARE office revealed that no fewer than six handbags dwell in our closets, on average, in regular rotation. Where else would we keep our lip colours, both gloss and stick, electronics (whether Pad, Pod, Berry or Droid), keys, wallets, mints and other daily miscellany?

To celebrate our love of the handbag, we're starting a new feature: Best Bags of the Month. Check out our top 10 favourites from backpacks and totes for a leisurely picnic date, to shoulder bags and cross-bodies for daily commutes, to clutches that won't crowd the dance floor.