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Coffee Break: Harrison Webster Backpack

We've featured Tumi's Voyageur backpack when we've talked about backpacks for work, and it's still really popular, but I don't know if I'd noticed the men's backpack, which is the Harrison Backpack (from the Webster collection).

I kind of like how understated it is — pretty nondescript. It has a handle on top for carrying when you're not wearing it, and because it's nylon, it's very lightweight. It has exterior zip pockets, and the laptop sleeve fits laptops up to 15″.

In general, it's a very easy, versatile bag that's appropriate for a lot of different places — and, be still my heart, it's got a travel sleeve (but I guess most Tumi bags do, so that's not really surprising). The bag is $395 at Nordstrom. Harrison Webster Backpack

This backpack from Briggs & Riley is a more affordable option at $169; it's available at Zappos (but only eight are in stock).

Update: Hunting for the best work backpacks? Some of our favorites in 2024 are below — see the full post for all the details!

black backpack for work with gold hardware

The Overall Best Work Backpack

Tumi Celina Backpack

$475 at Nordstrom
black convertible backpack for work

The Best Convertible Laptop Backpack

Lo & Sons Rowledge

$485 at Lo & Sons
black backpack with laptop compartment; there are gold zippers

The Best Affordable Backpack for Work

Samsonite Mobile Solutions Classic Backpack

$79 at Amazon

Sales of note for 12.5

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

110 Comments

  1. I have wasted the last several hours being enormously nervous for my first big meeting at a job I’ve had for a few months. It’s the first meeting where I’m no longer a new comer “observer,” but am presenting important information to higher ups, some of which I’ve never met. And it’s on the phone which you’d think would make it better but for some reason it’s making me MORE nervous! T minus 30 minutes!

  2. What’s everyone wearing for casual clothes nowadays? I have a good work wardrobe and I have workout clothes but I am really struggling with casual clothes lately. I do a lot of coffee dates with guys for first dates and never know what to wear for those. Jeans + blouse feels too fancy, jeans + tee feels too casual.

    I also just bought black skinnies and love them but struggle with tops/shoes to pair them with. They feel too “cool” for all of my shirts. I have a LJ but it feels too biker chick with black jeans to me.

    Help dress me! I’m late 20s, long legs, slight hourglass shape, typically shop at Loft, J Crew Factory and Old Navy. (Open to other stores but in that same price range)

    1. I’ve been wearing my black skinny jeans with slouchy sweaters and black booties or black pointy-toed flats. It feels put together and on-trend without being too over the top. Old Navy has some good deals on slouchy sweaters if you want to try out the look without breaking the bank.

    3. Your body type seems similar to mine except I don’t think I have long legs, I’m just 5’7. You should wear whatever makes you most comfortable. For instance, I rarely wear jeans because I feel very “meh” in them, and would much rather wear a dress or a skirt. I also prefer to be overdressed than underdressed. So determine what you like, bc especially on a first date, you should be comfy and feel like yourself!

      That being said, I like skirts that sit at my natural waist (Loft has a bunch this season that are too short for work but cute!) which might work well for your shape/leg combo, and pair with “crop” sweaters that end right where your skirts start or a top you can tuck in. If that’s too young for you (I’m mid 20s), dress, scarf, and booties are one of my go-tos. If this is all too dressed up for you, ignore me!

      1. sweater dress with tights or leggings and booties is one of my fav first date winter outfits.

    4. I go for a cozy/casual vibe on first dates so I like black or dark denim skinnies with booties and a boatneck cashmere sweater in dark purple which is a color that makes my eye color pop. Boatneck feels more modern than crew or vneck and works well with hair down and dangly earrings. Sorel has cute winter booties if you’re somewhere cold.

      1. Sounds like a perfect outfit! I always like to go with a sweater that’s really soft to the touch, also.

    5. Jeans and a nice top is the exact right thing for a coffee date.

      I want to get rid of all my in-between fancy/casual clothes and just embrace athlesiure and wear leggings and sweatshirts when I’m not at work.

      1. +1. I had a fairly tailored style as a student, but I’m pretty much on the all-leggings-all-the-time track when I’m not at work now. Sigh.

        1. (I’m not anon at 3:19)

          Just ordered myself a million pairs of pants for the office that all billed themselves as leggings-like. Here’s hoping some of them work because wearing real work clothes is for the birds ;)

          2. Let us know which ones you like! My comfiest pairs are the knit pants from NYDJ.

      2. Saaaame. Gray sweater/sweatshirt, black leggings, thick socks and Doc Martens.

  3. I can’t tell anyone else in real life but I just paid off my student loans! I received an unexpected bonus and was able to send in the final payment after 15 years. OMG 15 years…Such a burden and now it’s gone. I still have a mortgage but I’m ok with that for now.

    6. Late, but congrats!!! This inspired me to through some extra money at mine tonight.

  4. How much would a corporate lawyer in DC make now, if they started in 2012 at around 6 figures? Is that considered big law?
    For years, my in-laws have been comparing DH’s career with a family friend (who I have never met–he hasn’t seen since childhood), apparently just because they are both lawyers? And they both had weddings the same summer? Usually it’s along the lines of, “Wow, you still haven’t paid off your loans?” “You live in such a shitty house!”–but also “[Friend] absolutely hates her job, and it’s not what she imagined doing” “You’re so lucky you found the job you always dreamed of having”…

    I’m pretty good at laughing off their complete lack of tact. But for the first time I have some details about this woman’s career, and I have to admit, I’m totally curious how the numbers actually compare.

    1. 2012 grads are making $325K this year on the standard BigLaw salary scale, not including a bonus (which was $90K last year for 2012 grads).

      1. Wow. Just for comparison, DH is one of the highest paid lawyer in his office, and made less than the bonus. If PSLF falls through we are so screwed.

    2. In DC in 2012, a first year lawyer at a biglaw firm would have started at $160k. Is that what you’re asking? I’m a lawyer in DC in financial services in what I would call the biglaw tier (meaning people who move in and out of biglaw firms), about 10 years out of law school, and my cohort (including in-house and at the SEC) makes $175k-400k. The numbers are much lower though for the non-biglaw tier.

      Also keep in mind that visible lifestyle indicators are not always aligned with net worth. For lawyers, there’s a huge difference between graduating with $250k in debt vs. getting a full ride or having your parents pay. And there can be a lot of social pressure to spend a lot on housing in certain neighborhoods, luxury car, private school for your kids, etc.

      1. To clarify- I’m pretty sure she was making around 100,000 in 2012 at the beginning of her career (sounds like that isn’t big law), and I know she graduated with debt and paid it off quickly.
        I’m curiously speculating her takehome might be now, because I hear so much about her lifestyle- mostly travel (I’m just a little jealous) and her wedding (not at all jealous). But it’s never supplemented with the kind of cost/benefit that ‘rettes offer.

        1. It could have been Big Law with that number, but what she was doing then isn’t really relevant to your question. Where is she working now? If it’s Big Law, then Chi Squared is right.

        2. Big law is all lockstep (meaning everyone makes the same based on their year the first few years)- so it she didn’t start at 160k, she’s probably not biglaw. Friends at med sized firms have told me they top out at around $200k. Over half my friends and my hubby did the big law schlag and we were all so busy paying off enormous loans that while we lived well, none of us lived completely exhorbitant lifestyles. And once we had kids…forgetaboutit! I’m in house and make as much as a lower level big law associate while another in-house friend (who started in big law) makes $100k more.

    3. Thanks for sharing, folks. I really appreciate the fact that this board breaks the social norm of silence around money.

  5. I need to ask a group of coworkers if they can help me provide coverage for something I said I could handle tomorrow but it turns out I can’t. A situation has arisen in my lady region that I believe needs medical attention ASAP so I’m going to the doctor. What’s a script that would get across the idea “I need your help because what has come up is REALLY important and there is no way I could possibly have seen it coming” without inviting well-meaning but awkward questions or saying something alarming like “I have an emergency medical appointment”?

    1. “I need to go to the doctor tmrw and am not available. Who can cover? Thanks.”

    3. “I’ve had an unanticipated medical issue come up that I need to address. I am ok, but I do need to take care of this immediately.”

    4. “Urgent medical appointment.”

      Followed by “I’d rather not discuss the details” if anybody is crass enough to inquire.

        2. I’d go with “it’s nothing life-threatening” instead. It *is* serious, that’s why it’s so urgent.

  6. I just got the email that I got volunteer leadership role with an organization that I’d like to be on the board of in the next few years! This one of my goals for 2019 and it’s look like I’m off to a great start! Yesssss!

  7. I’d love your take on this.

    A girlfriend is having her bachelorrette weekend in a different city. I am unable to take off work and with flights etc will only be able to get in late Friday night through Sunday (either afternoon on Sunday or early morning Monday where I go straight to work). The trip so far is ~$500, not including food/activities for the weekend.

    I informed the girlfriend I would be there when she sent out an invite around November, she booked an Airbnb around the same time (not relying on RSVPs but generally thinking of how many people could show up). DH thinks this is too much money to spend on a weekend. And since we will be going to a destination wedding for them later in the year as well, I should skip out on this.

    Friend is not in my city but will be visiting before bacholorette where I could treat her to a massage or something nice to make up for it if that is appropriate.

    We could TECHNICALLY afford the weekend but just set a monthly budget of ~$1000 per month for groceries +activities etc to give you an idea of our situation.

      1. To me I’d say it depends how many shared friends you have — if a lot, then GO; these weekends with girlfriends are fleeting and awesome. If you don’t know her other friends and are just going out of loyalty to her, then… I’d still probably go FWIW.

        1. Yeah either way you accepted the invite! You didn’t have to go until you told her you were going. Now, barring an actual reason, you’re stuck with it.

      2. Yes this. Nothing has changed in your circumstances or finances except your husband said no. Absurd.

      4. Yes this. Also your “husband said you should skip this”? Eff that. It’s one thing if you don’t want yo spend the money or your husband accurately believes you actually can’t afford it. But he doesn’t get to tell you to bail on a trip with friends you already agreed to go on.

    2. You told her you were going and she made plans (booking the AirBnB) based on that. Sorry your husband is apparently the boss of you but this is really not ok. Figure it out in your budget.

    3. I’d go but I’m biased because I got married last year and felt very hurt for a while leading up to my bachelorette party. But you said you’d go- already knew it was out of town and would require a flight, so you could’ve estimated that it’d be around $500, this is not a surprise. Also, if she already booked an airbnb, if you don’t go you’re raising everyone else’s costs. She probably booked a place that would fit enough people and could’ve picked a smaller/cheaper place if she knew there would be less people – are you going to pay for your share of the deposit if you bail?

    4. When is the bachelorette weekend? You seem to have left that out. I’m all for skipping events that aren’t within your budget even if you could technically afford them, but if you already RSVP’d knowing how much it would be, it’s pretty rude to back out. You said that she didn’t rely on the RSVP when booking the Airbnb, but she must have been relying on something, unless she was just assuming everyone invited would come. That being said, if the costs have ballooned since you confirmed, or if the bachelorette is still months away, then I’m probably back out and say you can’t travel for both the bachelorette and the wedding.

    5. I’d bag out. I think travel-required-bache parties are super optional, both from my perspective as a multiple-time-bridesmaid and also as a Bride. Flight too? Even more optional. Plus a destination wedding? yup. I didn’t throw a fit when people bagged out of my extra-wedding-events and my best girlfriends didn’t either.

      True best friends will recognize a burden (either travel or money or whatever!) and will not disown you or become a bridezilla for skipping one event .

      Also I like that you have the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with her. That would seal the deal for me. I’m 31 years old and $500+ is a lot of money for me for a frivolous weekend

      1. I’ll temper my comment by also saying — I don’t know if it’s just how you wrote the post, but skipping just because your husband said so, is yes, absolutely bogus. I understand being a team in a marriage and combined finances, but your wording makes it sound like he’s cross-checking your personal life choices. which is not cool.

      2. It’s totally cool to decline invites to these! It’s not cool to say yes and then back out.

    6. You can back out but you should still offer to pay your portion of the Airbnb and any other activities that have already been booked that folks were expecting to split.

      Though I’ll say, it’s pretty not awesome to back out at this point. It doesn’t sound like anything has really changed. You knew (or should’ve known) in November how much it would cost and you agreed to go. Look, life happens, mistakes are made, if you can’t afford it/it’s a hardship then it is, But your profuse apology should reflect the fact that it’s super not cool to agree to a trip and then cancel 2 months later.

      Also if this is all because DH is complaining… like did you not clear it with him before you agreed to go? Or is he being weird and controlling? I definitely would not cancel a girls weekend that my SO originally agreed to because he later decided to complain about it.

      1. Not at all controlling, very supportive of me going (although jokingly grumbling about me exploring a city on our bucket list without him).

        Once I looked up tickets, added the airbnb and did the math on dinners/activities I realized it was too much. There are some cheaper flights available, which is probably what I saw when i agreed, but they are not an option with my work schedule

        If i didn’t listen to my husband regarding financial decisions we would likely have zero savings so i do defer to him when out-of-our-budget type activities come up.

        1. So next time, be an adult and figure out the costs and your budget before saying yes. This time deal with it. You’ll learn.

        2. I think maybe you chalk this one up to lack of experience and use it as a learning moment. Before you commit to a trip – ESPECIALLY one that involves air travel – you should look very carefully at how much it’ll actually cost. Air fare can vary a ton depending on your dates/times and when you book. I’m tracking one flight rn that ping pongs between $700 and $1400 for seemingly no reason. It’s crazy.

          And no one is saying you don’t have to listen to your husband. But if you clearly laid out the expense ahead of time and he later went back on it, that’s not ok. OTOH if you weren’t up front with him about the costs (which, ahem, it sounds like you weren’t) then he’s totally within his rights to be upset.

    7. I think you’re still within cancellation range, but to be gracious, you should offer to contribute your share of the Airbnb. Maybe order a bottle of champagne or wine to be delivered to their table at dinner?

      1. I agree with this. I think you should go if you said you would and it’s really not a hardship (people rsvping yes and then canceling is a pet peeve of mine), but if you do cancel, at least offer to pay for your share of the air b&b since bailing raises everyone else’s cost on that.

    8. I’ll be the voice of dissent. If you don’t have shared friends and don’t feel like the expense is worth it to you, don’t go. I would offer to cover part of the joint lodging expense, though, especially if you can nail down whether you will be raising others’ expenses or the place booked is too big for the group that ends up going.
      I still resent the absurd amount of money I spent on other people getting married in my 20s and early 30s. I would have been far more judicious about it with 20/20 hindsight. I think there is a way to get out of this if you’d like to do so.

      1. I’m with the voice of dissent here. I read it as OP and her husband set a budget at the beginning of the year and then realized the implications of the trip. It sounds like OP and her husband pool their money and make decisions together about how to use it. There’s nothing controlling, in my mind, about a husband saying, “Hey, I don’t think we should spend our money this way.” That sounds like a normal money conversation to me. People get to express viewpoints. It didn’t sound like telling her, You can’t do this with YOUR money. Or, I’m telling you that you cannot do this.

        I don’t know; maybe he’s a jerk. But there’s no need to jump to that conclusion from one small sentence.

        OP, I’d be torn. I hate it when I can technically afford something but it’s not at all how I want to spend my money. If the bride didn’t make the plans based on your RSVP, then I’d say you’re free to cancel. but then, I’m not a bride, and I’m with dissenter in thinking that it’s absurd to spend $$$ on a range of wedding activities.

      2. I agree. The whole thing sounds EXHAUSTING and not fun. Unless this was for my very best friend, (in which case I’d be throwing the darn thing) I wouldn’t go. It would be totally different if you could take Friday or Monday off. But, jeeze, I cannot fathom working on Monday morning after a red eye. And cost doesn’t have anything to do with it.

        Explain that due to deadlines you can’t take the days off that you thought you could, and that you would rather spend some quality time with your friend when the timing is better.

    9. The shower is in two months.

      At the time I said yes, it was a casual email giving a headsup that she was thinking of doing this. She did not tell anyone that she was going to be booking an airbnb or discuss our budgets (which is fine). If need be, I will cover part of the airbnb rental. My plan was to ask her if she would prefer a massage/lunch or that I throw in money for the airbnb.

      Costs for tickets have gone up since she initially asked and now that I am actually looking for flights, I realize with the way the flights are scheduled and my inability to take off work I will be there for essentially 1.5 days which also seems insane to me given the cost.

      Thank you voice of dissent for understanding the situation rather than hurling accusations like my husband is the boss of me instead of perhaps talking to me about how we had planned our budget.

      1. ? you got two comments to that effect out of 15. Your phrasing of the budget discussion does make it sound like he told you no as opposed to “in reviewing our 2019 financial plans, I realized this weekend would take up all of my fun money for 3 months, and I now want to decline gracefully so that we have the funds to attend the actual wedding.”

      4. You seem to have your mind made up, but offering a massage/lunch to the bride vs chipping in for your portion of the Airbnb is not a fair offer. This is your friend and the point is to celebrate her. Your portion of the Airbnb is helping out the other guests. A massage/lunch is spoiling your friend and a bit of a make-up for skipping her weekend. Asking her which one she prefers isn’t equal. If I was her, i’d feel guilty for the other people going and ask for the Airbnb money, when really you should do that no matter what AND treat her.

        1. Yeah big plus one to that – no do not ask the bride which she would prefer. Unless she’s paying 100% of the airbnb herself, that’s not her call. You don’t spend other people’s money because you made a mistake with your own finances.

    10. I’d go because you said you would, and it doesn’t seem like anything has changed. If you decide not to go, I think you should still offer to split the cost of lodging.

      FWIW, I spent an absurd amount of money traveling to friends’ bachelor*tte parties and weddings. One year, DH and I literally spent $10K on the bachelor/bachelor*tte parties, showers, and weddings for 3 different couples. I don’t regret or resent it. We’re now past that stage of our lives, and we and most of our friends have young children. We see most of these friends, at most, once every 1-2 years, and catching up with other parents by phone or text is difficult. I’m happy that we had chances to travel, spend time with friends and family, and celebrate with people during that stage of our lives.

      1. Big plus one to SC’s last paragraph. The phase of life when you do these kind of trips with friends is so short. Go, you won’t regret it. You have the rest of your life to travel with your spouse.

        1. +2 – it’s a passing phase, life is short and meaningful relationships make it better.

  8. Trying to plan a long weekend away sometime in November – where would you go? So far we’re considering Antigua/Barbados…

    2. YMMV on November in the Caribbean unless you’re talking late (Thanksgiving). It’s low/off/rainy/hurricane season and many properties use Sept-Thanksgiving to either close or have pared back offerings. We did it once and after a week of cloudy-showery days when the sun came out ON OUR WAY TO THE AIRPORT we said never again.
      A more populous/commercialized, further-south island (Aruba?) might not pose these problems?

      1. We honeymooned in Aruba so we were looking at that but wanted to avoid because of rain. Antigua came up after googling “where to go in November…” hmmn

        1. West coast? Cabo?
          Agree with the London recommendations above but if you’re craving the tropics yeah no.

      2. Antigua should be good in November, which isn’t really hurricane season. It sounds like you had some crappy luck in one trip, but that isn’t really a reason to avoid the entire Caribbean in November.

  9. I’ve increased my donations to a number of organizations in recent years, and I’ve therefore started getting invited to “exclusive” donor events. I am contributing because it feels good to me to do so, not because I want to be on the board or hobnob or schmooze. To be honest, my life is pretty full these days, and I don’t have much free time to begin with. That said, as a professional and a lonely lady in her 30s, am I missing out on opportunities to make connections by skipping networking/socializing events like these?

    1. Yes! Omg yes! Your life is pretty full, but you’re lonely, so take some time to do this thing that might help you connect with people!!

    2. Just an anecdote: I didn’t meet my husband at a donor event, but we knew each other slightly in a professional context, and then when I went to the theatre I saw his name above mine on the donor list (yes, at the time we were alphabetically adjacent). And then we saw one another at an event and that was one of the one things that led to another.

      TL;DR there are nice men there. Also some of my organizations have special events for young professionals and you should definitely check those out. The others skew older.

      1. Great advice — and yes, go! It’s an excuse to get dressed up… bring a date or a girlfriend.

  10. I’m procrastinating – anyone want to have a round of f__/marry/k___? Mine: Trevor Noah / John Krasinski / anyone from Fox News

      1. Same on Noah/Krasinski/Fox.

        F/Michael B. Jordan
        M/Barack Obama
        K/Idris Elba :( This one is hard!!

    2. I would not F or M any man that was not someone I could bring home to Mom and Dad. I learned that lesson with my ex, who kind of F’d me (figurativeley and literally), and b/c of that, my Dad was mad, and therefore I did not ever want to M him.

    3. How would you feel if men did this about women. I’m guessing disgusted. And that’s how you should feel doing this

  12. Does anyone have any recipes for a crust-less quiche or other carb-free egg dish that can be made in advance and serve 8 adults and possibly a few kids?

      1. I might try that! I think my SIL is just avoiding simple carbs, but I’ll double-check with her.

    5. Thanks everyone! And keep them coming if anyone else has more suggestions. I’ll take a look tonight and pick something, and bookmark the others :-)

      1. Not a specific recipe but if you google frittata rather than quiche you’re going to find a lot of mostly carb free suggestions

    6. Seconding the Jennifer banz recipe! I used spinach instead of bacon to make it vegetarian friendly :)

  13. Any insight into how much a 2016 law school grad should be making today at an insurance defense law firm in a large metro area? I’m too uncomfortable to ask around, Glassdoor data is nonexistent, and have no idea what “market rate” is.

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