How to Choose Wisely When Purchasing a Work Bag

Which are the great, professional, useful totes? If you always carry around a ton of stuff, should you downsize to look more professional? Reader A is about to make her first “really expensive purse purchase” and needs advice…

First: congrats on making your first really expensive purse purchase — it looks like there are a number of Saffiano totes available, but just for fun, let’s say you’re talking about the Prada Saffiano Lux Large Top Handle Bag, available at Saks for $2150.

{related: how many bags should you bring to work}

My own first expensive purse purchase did not go so well, and I hate to say it but I see similarities between your pending purchase and my purchase.  See, I have the LV Alma bag in black Epi leather. I loved (and still love) the way this thing looks: but if I carry it two days a year it’s a good year. I know I’m going to grow with it, but the problem is that it’s a satchel bag, and I’m a hardcore shoulder-strap kind of gal.

{related: how to upgrade your handbag collection}

Should I ever find myself in a car culture again (e.g., the suburbs) I can’t wait to bust this baby out — but right now, schlepping around NYC and having to carry, by hand, my very full bag, is not in the cards. (And yes, I know it has a messenger-like shoulder strap, but… nope.)

So: in my mind, this is not an insignificant question — whether a woman can change her long-established purse habits habits in order to carry a great bag. And I do think it can be done, but I think you should really assess why you have those habits — and what you will do to change them. For my $.02, I think the woman who carries multiple large bags, no matter how expensive they are, looks worse (more scatterbrained, more indecisive) than the woman who carries one XL bag, even if it’s just nylon. 

(Although: I think if you carry one L/XL bag and one S/M bag you can get away with it.)  And if you never carry the expensive bag, you’ll kick yourself repeatedly (trust me here).  Downsizing what you carry may not be a big issue — for example, I’ve gone from having a huge bag full of stuff to basically just a wallet/cellphone/lipgloss kind of existence, moving from diaper bag to clutch to handbag, since my son was born.  Changing from an XL shoulder-strap tote bag to a L hand-carry satchel/tote might be a bigger deal because of lifestyle issues though, as it was/is for me.

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Stay tuned for some of our latest favorite handbags for work!

My best advice: get a big nylon tote bag that you feel comfortable and professional carrying.  It’ll be lighter, you’ll save your back, and you can put some of the big money into a great wallet or wristlet to go into the big bag (or lots of money into a small/medium purse). 

We just covered weekender bags (probably too big for you) as well as interview bags (probably too small for you) so I’d encourage you to look to two other options: either Lo & Sons OG bag (so called for overnight/gym, pictured — it’s a nice, durable bag with TONS of space and lots of organization – my review here; it’s also a perpetual reader favorite) or the Longchamp bag that everyone has (no organization to speak of, but it has a certain cache to it).

Pictured below, some of our favorite laptop bags for work: 

(Or, of course, you can always donate money to a charity/attend a professional conference and then use that tote bag, which is what most VIP women I know actually do.)  The bonus to not spending a lot on the bag: if it gets worn out or you find you need multiples because you leave them places (e.g., one to leave at the office, one to leave at the house, etc.), you can happily replace the bag or buy multiples.

Or, alternatively, spend a bit of money on a less expensive, smaller bag the size of the Saffiano tote, and see how you like it.

Maybe I’m too negative because of my own experience — readers, what do you think?  Should someone who always carries an XL bag invest money into an M/L bag? Do you agree with me that the lady carrying multiple XL bags (or multiple L bags) looks a bit frazzled? Which are the best Mary Poppins-sized tote bags for the office?

Stay tuned for some of our latest favorite handbags for work!

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When Can You Buy an Expensive Briefcase for Work?

The Hunt: Basic Black Bags – Junyuan bags

The Hunt: Weekender Bags – Junyuan bags

Coffee Break – Soho Ostrich-Embossed Hobo Bag – Junyuan bags

Coffee Break – Lindy Bag – Junyuan bags

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