It feels like half of London is away on hols or just about to. And who can blame us given the ever-changing weather? What won't change is the need for stylish luggage. A stylish bag always turns heads at the airport so ensure your carry-on is up to scratch. Some of the best holdall options right now combine canvas and leather (or approximations of) in the style of the classic, Continental weekend bag. Topman's Premium Jude holdall combines natural 100 % cotton canvas with (yay!) real leather handles and detailing. Roll up a cotton tote bag inside it as a day bag and all your carrying requirements are sorted out.

Premium Jude Holdall £75: Topman

Seb Law is a grown up business Editor by day, dj by night, and in between finds time to maintain his blog at The Staple and keep us entertained on Twitter. He kindly provided us with his summer picks, which get us in the mood for long days at the park, day trips to the beach and lazy pub garden evenings. Read on to find out what he'll be wearing this season:

Bike
As the sun peeks around the clouds, bicycles begin to appear from garages. Travelcards are massively expensive, the bike lanes are brilliant, it's good exercise and there's nothing better than sailing past several of your usual buses en route to work; a bicycle is a summer Staple. If fixie simplicity is too hardcore, go Dutch as recommended by the NY Times and available at Bobbin, or delve into your Dad's garage, eBay or Gumtree for a vintage model.

Sometimes online shopping can be as exhausting as a trudge round the real shops (remember them?) So whilst all the coolest backs in town seem to have an old-school canvas rucksack slung across them, tracking said item down online is more tricky. ASOS had the most perfect option by Cuckoo but are now out of stock. If like me you lack the patience to request a restock, what else is out there? Foregoing the sometimes-scary world of army surplus sites (gas mask anyone?) there are still some options online.

Click image to enlarge, full product details after the jump

Raf Simons' AW colab with Eastpak is one of his most conventional yet but that doesn't mean there's nothing worth buying.
The shiny finish looks the best on the duffle bag, which would make a great bag for the weekend or the gym. The creased finish adds a twist to the classic Eastpak shape making a great bag for those who want a bit of fashion with their functionality. The one I'm least sure about is the check with patches, is it just me or does it look a bit Rage Against the Machine fan art?

As the lovely chap in our Yay or Nay heels debate demonstrated there is a burgeoning trend for men to co-opt traditionally female fashion status markers like heels and bags.
Pauric Sweeney's bag is no half-measure, it's pure luxury with a combination of python and leather and discreet hardware. It's such an intricate bag I'm not entirely sure I could see many men going for it, I wouldn't mind it myself I just need to find a boyfriend who can afford the £1,480 price tag so I can steal it off him!

If you, like me, look at your luggage and think "It's good, but it's just not white enough" then these beauties by Head Porter are for you. Quilted and whiter than anything I have ever seen this set of luggage, part of the Snow White / Blanc collection, will see you right through the dreary winter months, but for god's sake don't put it down these things will soak the dirt out of a tramp.

Available in store now at cotwo if you happen to live in HK and online soon if you don't.

More images after the jump.

[Source and images: hypebeast.com]

Now is the best time for a late summer break before autumn really kicks in and Fred Perry's vintage style bag is just the right size for a quick getaway. Whether you're off to Hastings or Barcelona the retro good looks will help you cut a smart figure as you dash for the train or plane.
It's made from brown vinyl and features the Fred Perry logo on the zips and subtly written across the bottom. It's available from End Clothing and will set you back £65.

ACL have once again given us another reason to break the credit card out with an interesting round-up of canvas bags from iconic American heritage brands.

One of the alternative labels picked out is Estex, a company that, in its 108 year history, has supplied portable receptacles for important bods like the US government and aerospace industry to store their crap.

Some of the designs haven't changed much in that century, leaving the brand with a cool range of 1950s style toolbags. Even better, the previous ubiquity of this stuff amongst the American workforce means there are loads of bargains to be had on eBay (e.g. this lived-in Klein Tools electricians' bag for 7 quid.)

Cotton bags are ubiquitous, every man and his dog now has a promotional tote with the most obscure logo and dubious green credentials.

Office furniture manufacturer Bisley has branched out into bags and their 'business' tote is far smarter than your average cotton bag. It comes in black and blue with a functional looking reflective stripe and external side pocket. The bag is made from sturdy nylon so it's perfect for carrying around your lunch or reading materials for your morning commute. Dover Street Market are stocking it for £155.

Click image to enlarge

So I am back from a rather long and horribly intense camping trip and I've decided that maybe I need to be a bit less full-on when it comes to fashion. How much longer can we go on with these studs and chunks of waxed crocodile leather? To be honest I am worryingly attracted to Jason's idea of living in pyjamas for a while.

However, when items like Pauric Sweeney's gem-coloured bags turn up on Brown's with white piping and "bronze perforated pockets" I am reminded of why I love fashion. Okay, at £800 this love may seem slightly conditional but who was it that said beauty is pain? Whoever it was they must have had a great wardrobe. This season has seen the reinvention of classic items and whether it be the Chanel 2.55 for the girls or the Chelsea boot for men, get on board this embellished bandwagon.

Whilst perusing Oki-Ni recently, I came across what has instantly became one of my favourite pieces from S/S '08.

This navy Jil Sander leather/mesh holdall will leave all your stuff open to the elements (and prying eyes), but who cares? It looks amazing. At £979 though, it'll take a few 'finance re-adjustments' before I can get my hands on it.

More pics after the jump

The Guardian had an article up about men with messenger
bags - I refuse to call them 'manbags' - Although I just did. Damn. They ask five people ranging from Topman's design director to NME's editor about what's in their bags, what make their bag is and how they feel about the term 'manbag'.

The answers as to what's in them are relatively the same; books, notebooks, ipods, phones, everything that's too big for your pockets. The fuss over 'manbags' is a silly one. They're just a replacement for rucksacks - not an example of a new breed of man emerging. The reason they're popular is because they're functional and fashionable, with the emphasis on functional. There's nothing more to it than that.

"I'd again like to apologize to those customers who have suffered disrupted journeys or baggage delays." Well Mr. Willie Walsh, I have just spent a day imprisoned (okay, voluntarily withheld) in my flat. I have also just finished watching 'The Ring,' munched three bags of salt and vinegar crisps and devoured two diet Cokes. On top of this, I have just left the protection of my covers not only because the Jerry Springer marathon finished but also because I feel obligated to comment on the fact that BA has still lost my luggage. Sometimes sorry isn't just hard to say but hard to take.

(Image Source: Telegraph)

Hey colleague Will, you want better looking, more identifiable luggage? What about this big canvas bag from Wood Wood? It's distinctive, it's roomy and it's the last word in hip. 
Wood Wood are the Danish label with the zany prints. They do a great job of being wholesome and a bit street at the same time.
They even have a cap in the same pattern should you want to co-ordinate a look. I wouldn't recommend it though. As Heidi Klum once said in her nails-on-chalkboard voice on Project Runway "I don't like so much this matchy-matchy".
Available from Tres Bien.

Those guys at Krane have thought of everything. Their Hawker bag is a piece of luggage designed for travel - small enough for an overhead bin, external zips for your passport, as shoulder strap or rolled leather handles for comfortable carrying. Pure genius.
What's more, it's in waxed cotton which is by far the best fabric for bags being hard-wearing and stain resistant. Like Sharon Osbourne's face it will get better with age.
The bags are new to Context. Get em here.