For those who are heading back to the office daily or at least once or twice a week: We found some of the best work bags to bring along with you. You didn’t need a hefty tote when you were “commuting” from, say, your bed to your kitchen table, but you might need one now that you’re lugging your laptop, chargers, lunch, extra sneakers, and multiple lip balms.
We found a lot of nice-looking, practical options that won’t set you back thousands of dollars (and a few that are investments, too).
Below are 19 of the best work bags for schlepping, hauling, transporting, etc. all your stuff to and fro.
Material: Italian leather | Colors: 11 | Dimensions: 12.5 inches high x 20.5 inches wide x 5 inches deep
Say hello to the basic work bag, you can always rely on. The Cuyana Classic Easy Tote is spacious, versatile, lightweight, comfortable (thanks to the unique double handle), and available in nine different colors. It is designed to be your “everyday companion” for years to come. Shopping editor Hanna Flanagan owns it in black and uses it daily, and she can confirm it’s a closet staple.
Material: Leather | Colors: 1 | Dimensions: 9.4 inches high x 11.6 inches wide x 4.9 inches deep
If you want something that looks good in and out of the office, beauty editor Asia Milia Ware’s go-to tote is perfect no matter the occasion. “This is one of my favorite bags to wear from work to a dinner,” Ware says. “It’s spacious and the sleek metal bar design is a simple added detail that elevates the whole bag.”
Senior shopping editor Bianca Nieves swears by her Cuyana tote. She carried it during all of Fashion Week and hasn’t stopped using it since. It’s incredibly stylish, so it goes with all her outfits. Plus it’s big enough to carry all her work belongings, gym clothes, and then some. It’s on the pricier side, but she swears it’s well worth it.
Material: Custom-developed pebbled vegan ultrafiber leather; vegan ultrafiber lining | Colors: 5 | Dimensions: 19 inches long x 11 inches high x 5.5 inches wide
Whether you’re going to happy hour with co-workers or meeting up with some friends after a long day at the office, this is the effortlessly cool tote you’ll actually want to carry. It will add to the vibe of your day-to-night look instead of taking away from it.
Material: Coated canvas and vegan leather | Colors: 3 | Dimensions: 14.75 inches long x 11.5 inches high x 6 inches wide
If you’ve ever owned a Dagne Dover bag, you knew the brand specializes in durable and intentional designs that make life easier — and this work bag is no exception. It’s sturdy and spacious, plus it’s equipped with a padded laptop sleeve, phone and wallet sleeves, a lipgloss loop (!), and a water-bottle holder. so you can stay organized during your commute.
Material: Leather | Colors: 2 | Dimensions: 13 3/4 inches high x 14 inches wide x 6 1/4 inches deep
The brand’s aptly named Transport tote is a perennial favorite, and for good reason — it’s soft, lightweight, and looks just as good after years of wear and tear.
Material: Faux leather | Colors: 14 | Dimensions: 17 inches long x 11.8 inches high x 4.5 inches wide
Your eyes are not deceiving you: This really does cost only $19. It just looks much more expensive because of the understated design and pretty light-blue hue.
Material: Vegetable-tanned leather | Colors: 4 | Dimensions: 12.5 inches high, 12.5 inches wide, and 5 inches deep
For me, an absolute no-no when it comes to work bags is an uncomfortable strap that digs into my shoulder blade while I’m commuting. By the time I finally make it to my desk, I’m in pain! Enter the Everyday Crossbody by Harper. It features an extra-long and extra-thick strap that can be worn as is or tied in a variety of different ways to achieve maximum comfort and functionality. Also, the minimalist, chrome-free design will go with everything in your closet.
Material: Nylon, leather | Colors: 7 | Dimensions: 16 inches wide x 12.6 inches high x 7.9 inches deep
You trust Away’s luggage with your vacation essentials, so why not trust it with your work laptop? The nylon Everywhere tote zips closed and features a compartment that can fit a 16-inch laptop as well as your other workwear essentials. It also makes a great carry-on.
Material: Recycled cotton, faux leather, and post-consumer plastic | Colors: 5 | Dimensions: 16.14 inches high x 22.4 inches wide x 4.72 inches deep
If your office is a fashionable place full of very cool people (à la New York Magazine), you should absolutely dress to impress and choose a tote bag that shows off your personality. This Poppy Lissiman one, which features the work of artist John Prince Siddon, will make even your most boring office outfit feel more fashion-forward.
Material: 100 percent polyester with a waterproof coating | Colors: 1 | Dimensions: 19 inches long x 14 inches wide x 2.5 inches deep
Durable and waterproof, this tote is the perfect size for all your essentials during the work week and everything you might need on the weekends too. You don’t have to worry about forgetting your shopping bags during your next farmers’ market run.
Material: Faux leather | Colors: 2 | Dimensions: 12 inches high x 14 inches wide x 7.8 inches deep
Your work bag doesn’t have to cost as much as your laptop to be good. Luckily, Charles & Keith has chic and affordable options under $100 that look like they cost more. This slouchy bag is spacious and comes with an additional pouch for storing your stuff.
Material: Leather | Colors: 3 | Dimensions: 10 inches high x 15 inches wide x 5 inches deep
Quince is a favorite for its reliable, no-frills basics like this work tote. It has three compartments for your laptop and anything else you might need.
Material: Coated canvas, leather | Colors: 1 | Dimensions: 12.2 inches high x 11 inches long x 5.5 inches deep
Louis Vuitton refreshed its classic Neverfull tote with a reversible design. One side is the brand’s flashy monogram, and the other is black leather with a subtle gold logo. So you can flip it depending on your mood or occasion.
Material: Vegan leather and coated polyester | Colors: 7 | Dimensions: 14.25 inches wide x 11 inches high x 6 inches deep
Yes, Béis’s work tote is just as good as its weekender bag. Shocker! Available in five colorways, this tote marries fashion and function. It’s spacious enough for your laptop and water bottle and has a trolley pass-through so you can slide it on your carry-on.
Material: Pebbled leather | Colors: 3 | Dimensions: 11.6” H x 12.4” L x 6.7” D
Both Cut Shop market editor Morgan Evans and features writer Chantal Fernandez have been eyeing this tote bag from Tory Burch. Its wide shoulder strap is ideal to wear with even the puffiest of coats.
Material: Pebbled leather | Colors: 7 | Dimensions: 15.25” L x 17.0” H x 4.75” D
If you want an elevated tote bag, look no further. With no compartments for your laptop or belongings, this bag might not be the best to keep all your things in place, but it will fit everything you need (and probably don’t need, too).
Material: Calfskin | Colors: 1 | Dimensions: 12.9 inches length x 17.3 inches wide x 6.2 inches wide
For busy days that require a few different pairs of shoes, a change of clothes, and makeup products for touchups (along with all your other work essentials), this extra-large tote is unrivaled. Its rare star-shaped silhouette and soft-to-the-touch material is worth investing in.
Glad you asked. Totes, shoulder bags, and backpacks are all options, but if you’re more of a minimal person, you can go with a smaller crossbody. Just like the best dresses, it must have pockets and come in a color that would either go with all of your clothing or clash pleasingly with everything you own. And, of course, it has to be non-hideous. Plus, durable materials like leather and nylon are preferable since it’ll get a lot of use.
What qualifies as a good work bag?
We’re judging totes, shoulder bags, and backpacks on three main factors: functionality, strength, and durability. The best work bags on the market feature plenty of pockets, straps, and clever design details that make the process of transporting your work and personal items to and from the office so much easier. They also need to be strong enough to hold heavy laptops and durable enough to withstand commuter wear and tear. Our picks below are stylish, too — you definitely want a work bag that adds to your business-casual office outfit, not one that takes away from it.
By submitting your email, you agree to our
Terms and Privacy Notice
and to receive email correspondence from us. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
or
Already a subscriber?
What is your email?
This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:
Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)
This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
You’re in!
As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.
or
Already a subscriber?
What is your email?
This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:
Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)
This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
You’re in!
As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.
Already a subscriber?
Already a subscriber?
`;
// integrate Sub(x) scripts and elements
if (hostname !== 'subs.nymag.com') { // do not integrate on this subdomain
document.head.appendChild(trackingScript);
document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', subXAnimationElements);
}
There was an error processing the request. Please try again later."}).catch(e=>console.error("Error verifying email: ",e)))(r.querySelector(".content"),o.bannerCTAVerification)})):(l.remove(),s.remove()),o.dismissable||n.remove(),o.useAlertIcon||a.remove(),r.classList.add("show"),n.addEventListener("click",()=>{u(),r.classList.remove("show")})}else r.remove()}});
}, {"3":3,"6":6,"17":17,"35":35,"40":40}];
window.modules["global-nav.client"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";const dom=require(4),auth=require(17),signInButton=dom.find(".user-signin"),signOutButton=dom.find(".user-signout"),globalNav=dom.find('[class^="global-nav"]'),body=dom.find("body"),dropdownItems=dom.findAll(".dropdown-wrap"),gtm=require(3),appendLandingPageParams=require(135),pageUri=require(124).getPageUri(),subscriptionPromoLinks=dom.findAll(".persist-params"),searchString=window.location.search||"";function closeDropdowns(e){let n=globalNav.querySelectorAll(".dropdown.open");dropdownItems.forEach(function(t){let i=t.querySelector(".dropdown");!n||t.contains(e.target)&&27!==e.keyCode||i.classList.remove("open")})}function gtmSendReport(e,n,t){let i={eventCategory:"ecommerce",eventAction:"componentClick",brand:e,dimension23:"global-nav",list:pageUri,pageZone:"header",variant:"nav-link"};"global-nav-link"===t&&(i.eventLabel=n.href),gtm.reportNow(i)}function updateElementTargetUrlsIfQueryStrings(e){if(searchString){const n=new URLSearchParams(searchString);let t=e.href;if(t.includes("?")){const i=t.split("?"),o=new URLSearchParams(i[1]);for(let e of n.entries())o.set(e[0],e[1]);t=`${i[0]}?${o.toString()}`,e.href=t}else e.href=`${t}?${n.toString()}`}}function init(e){const n=e.querySelectorAll(".to-landing-page");window.addEventListener("auth:init",()=>{signInButton.addEventListener("click",function(e){e.preventDefault(),auth.showEmbeddedLoginFlow("top navigation")}),signOutButton.addEventListener("click",function(e){e.preventDefault(),gtmSendReport("Sign Out",e.target,"user-info-link"),auth.logout()}),auth.isAuthenticated()&&e.classList.add("signed-in"),(auth.isSubscriber()||auth.isMobileAppRequest())&&e.classList.add("subscribed"),e.querySelectorAll(".user-link").forEach(e=>{e.classList.add("active")}),subscriptionPromoLinks.forEach(e=>{updateElementTargetUrlsIfQueryStrings(e)}),appendLandingPageParams(n)})}dropdownItems.forEach(function(e){e.addEventListener("click",function(){e.querySelector(".dropdown").classList.toggle("open")})}),body.addEventListener("click",closeDropdowns),document.addEventListener("keydown",closeDropdowns),globalNav.addEventListener("click",function(e){let n=e.target;n.classList.contains("global-nav-track")&>mSendReport(n.text,n,"global-nav-link")}),module.exports=init;
}, {"3":3,"4":4,"17":17,"124":124,"135":135}];
window.modules["aaa-module-mounting.legacy"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";const _pickBy=require(221),_each=require(408),Fingerprint2=require(407),DS=require(406),Eventify=require(246);function registerGlobals(){window.DS=DS,window.Eventify=Eventify,window.Fingerprint2=Fingerprint2,DS.value("Eventify",Eventify),DS.value("Fingerprint2",Fingerprint2),DS.value("$document",window.document),DS.value("$window",window)}function mountDollarSliceComponents(){DS.service("components",["$document","$module",function(e,n){var o=_pickBy(n.definitions,e=>e.providerStrategy===n.providers.controller),r=Object.keys(o);function t(e){return o=>{try{n.get(e,o)}catch(e){logMountError(o,e)}}}_each(r,n=>{var o=e.querySelectorAll('[data-uri*="/_components/'+n+'/"]'),r=e.querySelectorAll('[data-uri$="/_components/'+n+'"]');_each(o,t(n)),_each(r,t(n))}),this.components=r}]),DS.get("components")}function logMountError(e,n){const o=e.outerHTML.slice(0,e.outerHTML.indexOf(e.innerHTML));console.error("Error attaching controller to "+o,n)}registerGlobals(),"loading"===document.readyState?document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",()=>{mountDollarSliceComponents()}):mountDollarSliceComponents();
}, {"221":221,"246":246,"406":406,"407":407,"408":408}];
window.modules["ads.legacy"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";const _map=require(118),_forEach=require(106),_isString=require(268),_intersectionWith=require(409),_isEqual=require(274),_each=require(408),_debounce=require(182),_sortBy=require(205),page=require(124),visit=require(114);DS.service("adService",["Eventify","$cid","$document","$window",function(e,t,a,i){var o,n,s,r,d,c,u,l,g={},p=this,h=[],f=visit.getQueryParamsObject(["utm_campaign"]),m=document.querySelector('script[data-type="ad-a9"]'),b=[],w=!1,v=[],y=document.querySelector('script[data-name="ad-doubleverify"]');document.querySelector('script[data-name="concert-ads"]')||(i.NYM={},i.NYM.analytics={},i.NYM.analytics.adStartTime=i.performance.now(),i.googletag=i.googletag||{},i.googletag.cmd=i.googletag.cmd||[],u=i.googletag,(m||y)&&(i.googletag.cmd=i.googletag.cmd||[],i.googletag.cmd.push(function(){i.googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad()})),m&&(l=i.setInterval(function(){void 0!==window.apstag&&void 0!==window.apstag.timeout&&(i.clearInterval(l),window.apstag.cleared=!0,l=null)},10),setTimeout(function(){l&&(i.clearInterval(l),i.googletag.pubads().refresh(),window.apstag||console.log("MESSAGE: Timeout for A9 load exceeded, aborting"))},500)),y&&(b.push(new Promise(function(e){w?e():v.push(e)})),c=i.setTimeout(T,2500)),o=function(e){var t,a,o=e.data,n=[];return o.loaded?e:(o.loaded=!0,t=null,(t=o.sizes?u.defineSlot(o.name,o.sizes,o.id).addService(u.pubads()):u.defineOutOfPageSlot(o.name,o.id).addService(u.pubads())).setTargeting("adid",o.id),f.hasOwnProperty("utm_campaign")&&t.setTargeting("utmcamp",f.utm_campaign),a=p.getAdCount(o.label),t.setTargeting("label",o.label+"_"+o.site+"-"+a),u.display(o.id),u.pubads().addEventListener("slotOnload",function(){i.NYM.analytics.firstAdLoadTime||(i.NYM.analytics.firstAdLoadTime=i.performance.now(),i.NYM.analytics.firstAdLoadLabel=e.data.label)}),n=_(o),Promise.all(b).then(function(){n?window.apstag&&window.apstag.cleared?window.apstag.fetchBids({slots:[n],timeout:window.apstag.timeout},function(){u.cmd.push(function(){window.apstag.setDisplayBids(),u.pubads().refresh([t],{changeCorrelator:!1})})}):y&&u.pubads().refresh([t],{changeCorrelator:!1}):u.pubads().refresh([t],{changeCorrelator:!1})}),e.slot=t,e)},n=function(e){var a,i,o,n=t(),s=e.getAttribute("data-name"),r=e.getAttribute("data-sizes"),d=e.getAttribute("data-label"),c=e.getAttribute("data-site");n=e.id,r&&r.length?(r=r.split(","),a=[],_map(r,function(e){e=e.split("x"),i=parseInt(e[0]),o=parseInt(e[1]),a.push([i,o])})):(e.classList.add("oop"),a=!1),this.data={id:n,name:s,sizes:a,loaded:!1,label:d,site:c},g[n]=this},r=function(e){u.cmd.push(function(){var t=o(e);g[e.data.id]=t})},s=function(e){var t=[];e.slot?(t=_(e))&&window.apstag&&window.apstag.cleared&&window.apstag.fetchBids({slots:[t],timeout:window.apstag.timeout},function(){u.cmd.push(function(){window.apstag.setDisplayBids(),u.pubads().refresh([e.slot],{changeCorrelator:!1})})}):e&&r(e)},u.cmd.push(function(){var e,t,o,n=page.getMeta("article:tag"),s=page.getMeta("author"),r=i.location.href,d=(e=a.head.querySelector(".head-gtm"),t=a.body.querySelector(".gtm"),e&&"top"===e.getAttribute("data-gtm")?"gtmtop":t&&"bottom"===t.getAttribute("data-gtm")?"gtmbottom":"");o=[],_forEach([n,s,d],function(e){_forEach(e.split(","),function(e){(e=e.trim().toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g,"-").replace(/\'|\’/g,"")).length&&o.push(e)})}),u.pubads().setTargeting("kw",o),u.pubads().setTargeting("entry_group",o),r=r.slice(r.lastIndexOf("/")+1),u.pubads().setTargeting("pn",r),u.companionAds().setRefreshUnfilledSlots(!0),u.pubads().enableAsyncRendering(),u.enableServices()}),this.load=r,this.create=function(e){return new n(e)},this.refresh=function(e){var t;_isString(e)?(t=this.getById(e),s(t)):s(e)},this.remove=function(e){var t=e.data.id;a.getElementById(t).innerHTML=""},this.getAdCount=function(e){var t,a=0,i=Object.keys(g);return _each(i,function(i){(t=g[i]).data.loaded&&t.data.label===e&&a++}),a},this.getById=function(e){return g[e]},d=_debounce(function(){var e={TopLeaderboard:1,RightColTopMPU:2,outOfPage:99,"homepageTakeover/TopLeaderboard":1},t=_sortBy(h,function(t){return e[t.data.label]||10});_forEach(t,function(e){return e.data.sizes?r(e):i.setTimeout(function(){r(e)},2e3)}),y&&window.PQ.cmd.push(()=>{try{window.PQ.loadSignals(["ids","bsc","vlp"],T)}catch(e){T(),console.error(`There has been an error loading Double Verify signals: ${e}`)}}),h=[]},10),this.addToPageLoadQueue=function(e){h.push(e),d()});function _(e){var t,a=e.sizes;return a=_intersectionWith(a,[[970,250],[970,90],[728,90],[300,600],[300,250],[320,100],[320,50]],_isEqual),e.sizes&&e.sizes.length&&(t={slotID:e.id,sizes:a,slotName:e.label}),t}function T(){i.clearTimeout(c),w=!0,_forEach(v,function(e){e()})}}]);
}, {"106":106,"114":114,"118":118,"124":124,"182":182,"205":205,"268":268,"274":274,"408":408,"409":409}];
window.modules["cid.legacy"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";DS.service("$cid",function(){var r=Math.floor(100*Math.random());return function(){return"cid-"+ ++r}});
}, {}];
window.modules["client.legacy"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";require("cid.legacy"),require("ads.legacy"),require("facebook.legacy"),require("aaa-module-mounting.legacy");
}, {"cid.legacy":"cid.legacy","ads.legacy":"ads.legacy","facebook.legacy":"facebook.legacy","aaa-module-mounting.legacy":"aaa-module-mounting.legacy"}];
window.modules["facebook.legacy"] = [function(require,module,exports){"use strict";DS.service("facebook",[function(){this.fb=function(i){window.FB&&window.FB[i].apply(this,Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,1))}}]);
}, {}];
require=(function e(t,n,r){function s(o,u){if(!n[o]){if(!t[o]){var a=typeof require=="function"&&require;if(!u&&a)return a(o,!0);if(i)return i(o,!0);var f=new Error("Cannot find module '"+o+"'");throw f.code="MODULE_NOT_FOUND",f}var l=n[o]={exports:{}};t[o][0].call(l.exports,function(e){var n=t[o][1][e];return s(n?n:e)},l,l.exports,e,t,n,r)}return n[o].exports}var i=typeof require=="function"&&require;for(var o=0;o typeof key === 'string' && key.match(/\.legacy$/)).forEach(key => window.require(key));
}
function tryToMount(fn, el, name) {
try {
fn(el); // init the controller
} catch (e) {
const elementTag = el.outerHTML.slice(0, el.outerHTML.indexOf(el.innerHTML));
console.error(`Error initializing controller for "${name}" on "${elementTag}"`, e);
}
}
/**
* mount client.js component controllers
*/
function mountComponentModules() {
Object.keys(window.modules).filter(key => typeof key === 'string' && key.match(/\.client$/)).forEach(key => {
let controllerFn = window.require(key);
if (typeof controllerFn === 'function') {
const name = key.replace('.client', ''),
instancesSelector = `[data-uri*="_components/${name}/"]`,
defaultSelector = `[data-uri$="_components${name}"]`,
instances = document.querySelectorAll(instancesSelector),
defaults = document.querySelectorAll(defaultSelector);
for (let el of instances) {
tryToMount(controllerFn, el, name);
}
for (let el of defaults) {
tryToMount(controllerFn, el, name);
}
}
});
}
// Make sure that a `window.process.env.NODE_ENV` is available in the client for any dependencies,
// services, or components that could require it
// note: the `` value is swapped for the actual environment variable in /lib/cmd/compile/scripts.js
window.process = window.process || {};
window.process.env = window.process.env || {};
if (!window.process.env.NODE_ENV) {
window.process.env.NODE_ENV = '';
}
// note: legacy controllers that require legacy services (e.g. dollar-slice) must
// wait for DOMContentLoaded to initialize themselves, as the files themselves must be mounted first
mountLegacyServices();
mountComponentModules();
// ]]
