With Fall just around the corner, it's time for the kids and the university students to get ready to go back to school. I remember when I was in middle school, buying a new backpack was always an ordeal because I desperately needed something cool and unique but didn't want to step so way out of bounds that I got teased excessively.

TokiDoki for LeSportsac: I had a TokiDoki bag for a while, until I realized that it was too cute for me. The loud, bright, cartoony patterns didn't fit in with the rest of my surly wardrobe, so I had to chuck it. However, I understand that the Kidrobot/designer toys look is still very popular these days and this TokiDoki stuff is still in high demand. The line offers some backpacks, which are naturally suitable for back-to-school time, but the messenger bags may also work. These bags are a little more expensive than the normal high-schoolers' gear, costing about six times that amount, but it's another symbol of status, isn't it? If you -- or your kid -- are into that sort of thing, go for TokiDoki.

Classic Jansport backpack. It's tough to go wrong with Jansport. It's easily the most popular backpack among students who just want something simple to carry their books. Basic colors are always available, but every once in a while, Jansport comes out with a really nice pattern or texture. For example, my younger sister has a lovely brown and orange backpack. Normally, the very thought of that color combination is enough to make me grimace, but the plaid pattern turns it all around, making the bag surprisingly stylish.

Lacoste Casual Messenger: Now, this one is my absolute favorite. It's the one I've been using for the past two years or so. It's stylish but simple, it's large but not bulky, and -- best of all -- it's got all the quality of an expensive bag but not all the cost (it's only a little over $100). There is little to no wear on the bag that I have (except for one black spot across the strap, due to a rather clumsy accident when I was being careless with eyeliner), despite the fact that I use it nearly everyday. Messenger bags are ideal for those with lots of big, rectangular items, like textbooks, sketchbooks and laptops, but this Lacoste bag in particular is sturdy enough to hold a good shape, regardless of weight distribution. Also, having a bag on the side rather than the back means it's easy to grab stuff. I think I made the switch from backpacks to messenger bags way back in the 7th grade. I never went back.

DIY bag: If all else fails, one can always make their own bag.

And now, the bags to avoid...

Rolly backpacks: I'm talking about the backpacks on wheels that can be dragged around like luggage at an airport. No. Avoid. Evil. Bad. Everyone at school hated the kids that had rolly backpacks because they took up too much room in the hallways and caused people to trip. These should be reserved for the kids who are physically unable to carry regular backpacks or messenger bags. But if you have a good back and a set of shoulders, stay away from rolly backpacks or risk being the bane of everyone's existence.

Transparent backpacks: I could never understand why kids carried these clear, plastic backpacks. They looked cheap and revealed too much. It was as if the kids wanted people to see the old band-aids rolling around with broken pencils and loose paper at the bottom of the pack.

Purses: A few years ago, I noticed a significant influx of high school girls who carry nothing but a tiny purse and an armful of textbooks to class. It was never really a problem when they didn't have much stuff to carry, but when they started mooching off me and asking for paper and supplies all the time because they didn't have any of it in their itty-bitty purses, it became an issue. So, unless your knock-off Prada has enough room for a binder or two, darlings, leave it for after-school.