Canvas totes are all you need.

Canvas totes are the unsung hero of beach bags. They‘re cheap, washable, don‘t hold sand like mesh does, and they won‘t disintegrate after one summer like straw. They also look fine with any swimsuit — nobody is going to judge your bag if you‘re wearing a Speedo.

Don‘t overthink this. The best beach bag is the one that holds your towel, sunscreen, a book, and a sand-resistant snack. Canvas totes do that without looking like you‘re about to go on a survivalist camping trip. Mesh bags let sand escape into your car. Straw bags trap sand in the weave forever. Plastic coolers scream “I’m here to drink, not swim.” Canvas totes just say “I’m a normal person who wants to go to the beach.”

If you want to be extra, buy a canvas tote with a zipper top — keeps the sand out and your wallet from falling into the ocean. But honestly, a $10 tote from a gift shop works just as well as a $60 designer one.

Your swimsuit will look better with a pastel tote than a neon cooler bag anyway.