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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. Below are 20 of the best work bags for schlepping, hauling, transporting, etc. all your stuff to and fro.
so, you need a work bag?
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ FAQs
➼ Our experts
Our top picks
The Most Stylish Work Bag
Everlane Italian Leather Studio Bag
Material: 100 percent leather | Colors: 4 | Dimensions: 13 inches high x 6.25 inches deep x 9.75 inches wide
Your favorite brand made the perfect work bag.
The Closet Staple
Cuyana Classic Easy Tote
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.
The After-Work Tote
Strathberry Midi Leather Tote Bag
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, fashion and beauty writer 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.”
The Standout Work Bag
Anthropologie Oversized Shaggy Slouchy Bag
Material: Polyester, cotton | Colors: 3 | Dimensions: 21 inches high x 19.75 inches wide x 3.6 inches deep
“I recently got this as a fall work bag because I’m tired of carrying around a basic black bag — which I love, but some days I just want something extra,” Ware says. “The slouchy shape of this sold me. It’s big enough to fit my laptop, but the silhouette still feels cool and like I could keep my night going even with a simple look on because the bag is such a statement.”
The Editor-approved One
Cuyana Oversized Linea 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.
More tried-and-true favorites
The Most Practical Work Bag
Dagne Dover Signature Tote
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.
The Best Durable Work Bag
Madewell The Transport Tote
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.
The Work Tote for Fashion Girls
Fréja New York Lafayette Tote Espresso
Material: Custom-developed pebbled vegan ultrafiber leather; vegan ultrafibe 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.
The Best Affordable Work Bag
Hoxis Minimalist Faux Leather Tote
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.
The Best Recycled Option
Ganni Banner Recycled Leather Medium Tote
Material: Italian leather | Colors: 9 | Dimensions: 14.17 inches high x 9.84 inches wide x 3.54 inches deep
This very cool tote from Ganni features an adjustable strap so you can make it a cross-body bag.
The Most Comfortable Tote Bag
Harper The Everyday Crossbody
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.
For Phoebe Philo Fans
BOSTANTEN Leather Designer Shoulder Bucket Bag
Material: Leather | Colors: 19 | Dimensions: 9.1 inches wide x 5.3 inches deep x 12.1 inches high
And if you were into Philo’s bucket bag, here’s a similar version that’s under $100.
The Most Versatile Work Bag
Away The Everywhere Tote
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.
The Best Everyday Tote
Marc Jacobs Traveler Canvas Tote
Material: Cotton canvas | Colors: 6 | Dimensions: 17 inches long x 6 inches deep x 13 inches high
The best of both worlds: the luxury of a designer tote, without breaking the bank. And this one doubles as the perfect travel carry-on when you take your PTO.
The Bold Option
Poppy Lissiman Lio Tote
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.
The One You’ll Use on Weekends Too
Kaan Bucket Tote
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.
The Affordable Option
Charles & Keith Tubular Slouchy Tote Bag
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.
The Monogrammed One
Louis Vuitton Neverfull Inside Out MM
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.
The Best Work Bag for Traveling
Beis The Work Tote
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.
The Best Splurge Bag
Ferragamo Large Tote Bag
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.
The Not-So-Basic Work Bag
Quince Italian Leather Triple Compartment Work Tote
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.
The Other Really Good Splurge …
Bottega Venea Intrecciato Leather Shoulder Bag
Material: Leather | Colors: 1 | Dimensions: 12.6 inches high x 15.7 inches wide x 2 inches deep
No one does oversize slouchy bags quite like Bottega. This one feels especially dressy and luxurious, thanks to the gold metal handle.
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