Messenger bags have become ever more popular over the past couple of years with men and women choosing to use them as more stylish alternatives to conventional briefcases and laptop bags. With growing popularity has come increased choice of style, material and color. A few years back messenger bags really seemed to have come straight off backs of cycle couriers working on the streets of New York and San Francisco. At the time bags were usually made of heavy PVC type material and they often came in weird colors like bright blue. Many also had all sorts of reflective gear attached to them.

Now all of these were useful features when the messenger bags were mainly used by bicycle couriers. And they were a fashion statement in their own right. But over the past couple of years people have also demanded a wider range of materials and styles. At the top end of the market is the leather messenger bag. Some of these are made of really high quality material such as Italian leather. A handmade leather bag made of fine leather will easily cost you $300 or more. You get great quality for that money but it may be beyond the reach of many buyers.

A cheaper option with a great retro look is the canvas messenger bag. A really nice canvas bag can cost you as little $20 for a bag with a great look. A canvas bag will also last really well. The other great thing about both canvas messenger bags and leather messenger bags is that as they age, they being to acquire a slightly beaten or weathered look that a lot of people really love. The whole point of owning one of these bags is because of its slightly retro or old world look so they just get better with time. That said, a really quality leather bag can last a lifetime. A canvas bag will start to wear out after a couple of years.