25 Stylish Work Bags That Can Actually Fit All of Your Stuff

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A work bag is an essential for anyone who works outside of their home. Whether it’s to run to the local coffee shop for a change in scenery or for a full-on commute into the city to sit at your office desk, a durable, stylish work bag is a must-have. It provides a home for the day-to-day basics, such as your phone, wallet, and keys, as well as work essentials like your laptop, charger, and ID.

To make sure you invest in the right work tote for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best work bags. We enlisted the help of two style experts, because the bag you take to the office can (and should) be both stylish and practical. Ideally, it should have ample pockets for little things that tend to get lost at the bottom of a bag, and large compartments for bigger items such as paperwork and shoes — because women's walking shoes and dress shoes for work are often two very different pairs!

Meet the Experts: Allison Berlin is the founder of the private styling consultancy Style Made Simple and a prominent New York-based stylist who works with everyone from social figures to philanthropists and industry leaders. Samantha Brown is a world-renowned celebrity and personal stylist, also based in New York, who has over a decade of experience in the business.

In short, a work bag needs to be the bag of all bags because it essentially carries your livelihood to and fro. We've done the research and sourced 25 of the best work bags on the market, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

Vida Cotton Tote Bag

There's pretty much nothing that this roomy Dagne Dover tote can't do. With three interior pockets, four exterior pockets, and a water bottle holder, it can easily fit all of your work gear, plus it can also double as a gym, grocery, beach, or picnic bag.

The Work Tote

This best-selling BÉIS tote truly has all the bells and whistles. It includes exterior zip and slipper pockets, a padded laptop sleeve with velcro closure, a removable interior zipper pouch, and a thick removable shoulder strap that's ideal for long commutes.

Paricon Paint Brush Print East West Icon Tote

Although a neutral bag is great to have on hand, sometimes you need to mix it up and go bold! This Ted Baker tote is just the thing. The paint-like design matches any outfit because of its wide range of hues. The debossed logo adds an extra sense of luxury, incorporating the label into the design without taking centerstage.

Perry Triple Compartment Leather Tote

If you want a long-lasting piece that's classy yet subtle, try this Tory Burch tote. It has three interior compartments with a zipped divider. It has a lot of open space, which is great for chucking in larger items such as a lunch box, sneakers, or makeup bag.

Alex Work Bag

If you want to look official and well put-together, opt for this monogramed Leatherology tote. It has three options for personalization: debossed, handpainted, or trapunto (otherwise known as stuffed work). The work bag is great for travel too. The back pocket easily slides over suitcase handles. Plus, the monogram helps ensure you never lose your bag at the airport.

Julie Canvas Briefcase

The Julie Canvas Briefcase is the perfect middle ground between vintage and modern. It has the look of a 1950s book bag but is made from contemporary materials — 100% recycled canvas and vegan leather. The timeless briefcase can be worn as a backpack, crossbody, or carried as a purse. This is particularly great for lawyers who need something professional but don't want to sacrifice style.

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Convertible Organizational Nilah Tote Bag With Lunch Bag

Teachers need a bag that fits their needs — one that can hold 100+ papers for grading, a water bottle, lunch, and more. Minkeeblue's Nilah Tote is the answer to that wish. It comes with a laptop sleeve that fits laptops up to 15", a shoe bag (12"W x 17"H), pouch (7"W x 4"H), and insulated lunch box (11"W x 5.5"H x 5"D). Plus, it's cute — jackpot!

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Nurse Bag

For the nurse who practically lives at the hospital, this 21 pocket duffle bag has space for everything — drinks, sanitizing wipes, comfortable shoes, and more. Its waterproof exterior is easy to wipe clean. Plus, it comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

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The Everywhere Bag

If your job requires a lot of travel, it's worth investing in a chic, compact bag to take on flights. The Everything Bag easily fits under the seat in front of you and can hold essentials for a short trip. The trolley sleeve is great for sliding over the handle of a carry-on or checked bag for longer trips.

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Rolling Laptop Case

If your bag weighs more than your shoulder is willing to take, or you frequently have your hands full, this rolling briefcase will be the answer to your prayers. It has a laptop sleeve and adjustable handles, for carrying on-the-go or rolling when needed. With over 10,000 ratings on Amazon, this bag rounds out at a stellar 4.7/5 stars.

Laptop Tote Bag

When it comes to Amazon, our top-choice work bag is this stylish laptop tote. With a price just under $40 and a pocket for nearly everything, it's easy to see why this bag rises above the rest. It has sleeves for both laptops and iPads and comes in 10 colorways.

Mizuki Modern-Style Leather Briefcase

Bostanten knows how to create a stunning leather bag, and their Mizuki briefcase is only further proof. The bag is made from genuine cow leather with two main compartments and ample pockets. The traditional flap-close design immediately classes up any ensemble while the accordion flare on the sides adds a touch of color.

Professional Multi-Compartment Computer Bag

At the end of the day, it's really about the pockets. The ideal work bag has a place for everything — laptop, keys, work ID, wallet — to help you stay organized as you tote back and forth from work. This bag checks all the boxes. It has three main compartments, plus two large zipper pockets and one small exterior pocket for a phone or ID.

Haven Laptop Tote Bag

Besides the sleek look, our favorite part of the Calpak Haven Tote is the removable laptop sleeve. Yes, you read that right! The laptop sleeve completely detaches. When taken out, the bag is a roomy tote. When in, the laptop sleeve provides pocketed space for a computer, charger, notepad, pens, and more.

Tote Bag

This simple, yet spacious tote gets the job done and costs less than $40. It includes two front pockets for functionality, as well as two side straps for some understated flair.

The Zip-Top Medium Transport Tote

For the woman who's constantly losing her keys, this Madewell bag is impeccably designed to keep belongings secure. It's built with an exterior pocket, interior side zip pocket, and a zip-top.

Vegan Leather Backpack

Cruelty-free shoppers can rejoice at all of the different compartments this vegan leather bag includes, including an easy-access front pocket and a hidden anti-theft back pocket. It can easily fit a standard-size laptop, your wallet, phone, an umbrella, and more.

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Large All Day Leather Tote

Kate Spade has long been a go-to brand for women looking for elevated, feminine accessories, and this bag (which comes with a removable zip pouch) exemplifies what the brand does best. Opt for basic black, or there's a version featuring oversized black-and-white dots for a chic look, as well as elegant details like gold tone hardware and leather trim.

Simple Tote

Stylist Samantha Brown loves Clare V. bags because they "can seamlessly transition from work to weekend," which helps justify their more expensive price tag. They also come in a variety of colors and sizes, so if this tote isn't your bag, you can find the style that's perfect for your needs.

Megan Leather Tote

Reviewers of this Rebecca Minkoff bag have praised its lightness, size, and the softness of the leather. It doesn't offer as much organizational structure as other options, which makes it better suited for those looking for something easy and simple.

Large Le Pliage Tote

There's no need to fear rainy days with this Longchamp tote, which is made with a water-resistant finish, plus is spacious enough to pack your umbrella and jacket in. The functionality and wide variety of colors have made these bags a popular choice for years.

Hallie Tote

This VIVAIA tote can easily be cleaned on a cold wash cycle and hung dry, which makes it ideal for a bag that will get lots of wear and is potentially prone to scuffs. It's also a sustainable choice, since it's made from recycled plastic.

The Cactus Leather Hobo

This Everlane tote is made with the brand's first plant-based leather alternative, sourced from prickly pear cactus. It uses zero irrigation and regenerates soil, plus, half of the byproduct is used to support the food industry and feed cattle. As for the bag itself, the adjustable strap makes it comfortable to carry while commuting.

Julien Leather Tote Bag

Reviewers of this eye-catching Anthropologie tote comment that they frequently receive compliments on it. The modern shape, constructed with a classic buttery leather, makes for a stylish combination at a reasonable price point.

Large Mimi

One material that stylist Samantha Brown recommends for durability is canvas, and one of her favorite brands for canvas work bags is Parker Thatch. This option is roomy enough to fit your laptop and personal essentials, plus it comes in several fun strap colors.

What to look for when shopping for a work bag

✔️ Functionality: Brown says that when choosing a work bag, "functionality is key and style is secondary," but "luckily, it's possible to find both!" Start by looking for options without a lot of hardware. She explains that while hardware can add style, "the last thing you want is to add unnecessary weight when you're already toting a laptop, chargers, and all your work essentials." Another consideration is a shoulder strap to help distribute the weight of a work bag, which Brown says is also "ideal as it allows you to be hands-free."

✔️ Material: You'll be using this bag pretty much every day, so you want to look for a durable material like vegan leather, leather, or canvas. That being said, work bags "should also be fun to carry and add polish to your overall look," says Berlin. So look for special details; that could be anything from color to pattern to texture.

✔️ Size: What will you be carrying in this bag on a day-to-day basis? Think about how much room you'll need. For example, an extra compartment for your gym shoes or a laptop sleeve for your work computer. Another tip from Berlin is to watch out for totes that can "turn into a ‘black hole,’ making keys, IDs, and other small items impossible to find." One way to avoid this is to to seek out styles with multiple interior pockets and compartments for organization. Or, "just pick up an organization sleeve online to trick out the interior."

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