Already, we are hearing that laptops are one of the #1 purchases for the 2009 holiday gift season. So, why not get that someone special a laptop bag to protect his or her laptop in style? Several styles from athena, including the flap laptop bag(pictured), offer a stylish choice at less than $50 for the ladies. Netbooks, laptops 10″ and smaller, have come on strong this year. Whether male or female, there are cool netbook cases under $50, like the tucano vertical laptop messenger bag, mobile edge portable laptop backpack, and the sumdex mini notebook case.

Giving a laptop sleeve is a great way to go if you’re not really sure what style bag will make sense. A sleeve can be carried solo or in another bag (even ones that are not necesssarily laptop friendly). Many of these are priced as low as $20-$35. If you can be sneaky enough to find out the dimensions or size of your recipient’s laptop, it will make for a better fit, as laptop sleeves are meant to be form-fitting. We especially like the polk dot collection from isis dei. There are also greensmart’s neogreen laptop sleeves, which are eco-conscious, as they are made with 25% energy than neoprene.

We have written about Isis Dei’s laptop sleeves before, but by far, they are one of the top sellers for the summer. Coming both in neoprene and memory foam, these sleeves feature everything from funky prints to basic black, in sizes for laptops from 12” to 17”. This designer is one that doesn’t play favorites: the laptop sleeves have styles that work for both guys and gals. Given the focus on budget this back-to-school season, we are seeing some people opt for sleeves so that they can continue to use their existing book bag but carry their laptop in style and safely.

Tucano is like the best friend who starts school with you every year. This Italian collection offers a clean style and is popular with all ages. The Tucano multi-fit laptop backpack not only comes in unique colors like graphite, copper, steel blue, and green (pictured), but it does what its name says. The laptop compartment can be adjusted to fit different sized laptops. This means if you swap different laptops for different purposes (work v. personal, for example), you no longer need two bags. The styling is also sleeker than many backpacks, which gives it a more sophisticated look that goes beyond just a campus.