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The Hunt: Professional Tote Bags

Interviewing· Job Hunting· The Hunt | · · · · · ·

collage of 6 totes, including 1) Street Level 2) Cuyana 3) Madewell Transport 4) Tory Burch Ella 5) Lo & Sons Seville and 6) Tory Burch leather tote

Above, some of the best work totes for women as of 2023: one* / two* / three / four* / five / six* (not pictured but also Tumi and Dagne Dover!)
* try this highly-rated organizing insert with some of the less structured bags…

Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

We haven’t done a Hunt for professional tote bags in FOREVER, so I thought we’d do one now. With OCI/EIW coming up we should discuss what makes a great interview tote, which I’ve always seen as a pretty major subset of professional tote bags. A great interview tote should:

  • be large enough to hold a folder that contains the absolute latest version of your resume
  • have structure to it — if you put it on the floor it will stand up or at least lean (so — while I love me my Planetes Longchamp bag, I wouldn’t interview with it — it’s also for this reason that most of these bags are east/west bags rather than north/south bags)
  • be mostly solid and lacking logos all over it (so in my book most Neverfulls, Goyard, and MCM bags are out — but a Neverfull in an Epi leather is a different issue)
  • have enough organization that you can ditch your purse and just carry the tote bag (or, put another way, it becomes your purse)
  • not be primarily as a laptop tote — unless you anticipate needing your laptop during the interview, you don’t need the weight and the added stress of keeping tabs on your bag (but see our laptop tote roundup if you’re looking for one)

I once joked that if you’re just looking for something to shuttle papers to and from the office, most of the rainmakers I knew carried boat bags, or at least the tote bags one gets for donating X dollars to charity or attending a conference, suggesting it was all part of “what your tote bag says about you.” Now I think it’s just because those suckers add up over the years and they’re perfect for sticking in your office closet! (Although I will note – an LL Bean rep recently told me that this bag can hold up to 500 pounds because it was designed for carrying ice blocks through the winter. Ice blocks, huge binders, whatever, right?)

So ladies, let’s discuss — do you carry a tote bag as your regular purse, or only if you’re interviewing or otherwise carrying a folder? What do you look for in a professional tote bag? Do you prefer hand-held briefcase/satchel styles, north/west styles, east/west styles? Leather, nylon, or coated canvas? Have you bought any great ones lately, or do you still carry any older ones?

Update: Our Latest Favorite Professional Tote Bags

collage of 6 totes, including 1) Street Level 2) Cuyana 3) Madewell Transport 4) Tory Burch Ella 5) Lo & Sons Seville and 6) Tory Burch leather tote

Above, some of the best work totes for women as of 2023: one* / two* / three / four* / five / six* (not pictured but also Tumi and Dagne Dover!)
* try this highly-rated organizing insert with some of the less structured bags…

As of Feb. 2023, some of our favorite luxury work bags for a splurge (large enough for work papers and sometimes even a laptop) are from Chanel, Louboutin, McQueen, Mulberry, MCM, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo, and Strathberry. Of course, note that a lot of our readers who are in big jobs note that they love their (more affordable) Lo & Sons bags, as well as their Tumi.

Looking for work backpacks to splurge on? Senreve is great, and Valextra has some men’s backpacks that look perfect.

Curious for other versions of this roundup? Here they are from 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2014,  2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010).

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Featured Professional Work Bags

Best-selling, classic styles are great, but sometimes you want to know what else is on the market today. So: six bags we’re liking today…

Please note that these featured styles are probably sold out by now, but check out the image at the top of the post for all of our latest favorites!

professional tote bag under $50I’m kind of surprised there are so few choices under $100 — but I haven’t found many online I’d like to recommend except for the ones listed above. Still, for $49, this bag is hard to go wrong — it’s got a zippered top, lots of organization, and it even comes with a little wristlet. It’s $49 at Target. Merona Solid Nylon Work Tote with Faux Leather Trim
nylon work toteThis nylon Baggallini bag has a TON of pockets and organization, and a zippered travel sleeve for rolling bags (love that feature!). Amazon and Zappos both have it, but Amazon has more color options, some as low as $93. The pictured bag is $158. Baggallini Errand Travel Tote Bag
laptop tote for womenI usually think of Knomo as specializing in laptop bags, but they have a ton of nice options that could work with or without laptops inside. We’ve featured the Curzon before and it still looks good; pictured here is the slightly sharper Grosvener tote — I love the bright red lining, the top zip, and all the pockets. It’s $199 at Zappos. KNOMO London Grosvenor East/West Top Zip Laptop Tote
nordstrom anniversary sale work totesThe Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has a ton of great bags, including the Kate Spade Spencer Tote we featured a few days ago and (pictured) this lovely structured number from Louise et Cie. I love the suede contrast panels at the side, and the fact that it’s so structured it almost looks like you’re carrying a very large book. It’s available in black and “warm taupe” at Nordstrom for $229 during the sale; after the sale it’ll go back up to $348. Louise et Cie ‘Yvet’ Leather Tote (Nordstrom Exclusive)
structural professional tote bagOhhhh. I like this one. The simplicity of the bag and the interesting folded details are calling my name. I wish it had more interior organization (it’s just got two slip pockets), but so it goes. It does have a zipper on top. It’s $395 at Bloomingdale’s, where it’s one of the best sellers. Vince City Tote
tumi sinclair vs voyageurTumi has always been a reader favorite, with both the Voyageur line and the Sinclair line getting lots of love. This newer Viera tote in coated canvas (in the Sinclair line) looks great — lots of interior organization, a top zipper, and metal feet. Unfortunately it lacks the travel sleeve that lots of Tumi bags have — I like the more structured Tumi Athens bag best if you’re looking for that feature — it’s on sale at Amazon for $263-$328. (Note that there’s a green version of their basic Voyageur nylon tote in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale also, marked from $292 down to $195.) The pictured bag comes with a laptop sleeve, and is $545 at Zappos. Tumi Sinclair Viera Business Tote

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

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About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Nora

    I have had such trouble trying to find a tote that fits all my needs: Big enough to carry my things, but not so clunky that it looks like luggage; strong and stylish but not prohitively expensive. I also would like a zipper rather than a fastener to protect against unwanted hands on the busses and trains. I prefer leather to faux leather, and would like to spend less than $350.

    Does anyone have a tote that fits my needs?

    • Anon

      The past few Furla items I have had have all been disappointments. And I get a 40% family discount to boot.

  3. Runner 5

    I actually find the bags with lots of organisation more difficult to use. As soon as I want to put a water bottle or lunch in they often go out of shape and it’s hard to make them look good.

    • Cat

      Me too. Even if you choose a bag that is the perfect fit for your current devices, something always changes and I agree that trying to fit an unusually-shaped item such as snacks, lunch, umbrella, change of shoes… etc doesn’t do well in an overly-“organized” bag.

      I also prefer a bag with more flexibility — there’s no way a Tumi shoulder bag is doing double duty as a “I’m visiting a city and need an attractive tote that can hold snacks, water, layers, and camera.”

    • Baconpancakes

      Same. I have this (an older version without the cringeworthy embroidery) and move it from purse to purse. This organizer + wallet + phone is everything I need, leaving the rest of the bag emptier and easy to find water bottles, lunch, etc.

      http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-limited-edition-knock-out-completely-organized-bag/-/A-50247345

      It holds: 6 Micron pens, highlighter, Tide pen, mini first aid kit, mini altoids tin, small hairbrush, slim phone battery brick, lipstick, balm, mini altoids tin with ibuprofin in it, small pack tissues, 2 hair elastics, roller perfume, 3 tea sachets, concealer, glasses cleaning cloth, anti-chafe ointment, random bobby pins, compact, mini leatherman, and phone charger cord.

      • Baconpancakes

        Multiple colors on Amazon for a bit of a markup, if anyone’s interested, by searching Sonia Kashuk Completely Organized. I might actually buy one to keep in reserve, since this bag has become so vital to my organizational abilities.

    • anon-oh-no

      totally agree. that’s why Im firmly on team LV “Neverfull.” Its the best bag I’ve ever owned.

  4. Sydney Bristow

    I use the Coach Stanton Carryall (the larger one) as my daily bag. It fits a notepad, so I think it would work as an interview tote. The structure is great. Not too much organization, there are zippers for 2 pockets along the edges, and a strong magnetic flap that keeps it closed as well. It’s not totally zippered, but I haven’t had anything fall out, especially since it always stands up on its own.

  5. KT

    I am a LL Bean Field & Town tote devotee. When my purse was stolen, I was crushed, bc I couldn’t find anything that was as durable and hard-wearing.

    And when I discovered it was discontinued, I scoured eBay and ending up buying 2, so I’d have a backup when it wore out–I just don’t like the Exchange Street (their replacement) as much.

    • anon

      +1000 4 years and going strong. Beautiful leather that wears great (Just noticed they are not selling online at the moment…)

    • anon

      East-west- bag is longer horizontally
      north-south- bag is taller/ longer vertically As a short person, north-south bags can be too long for my torso

    • JTX

      I believe an east/west bag is wide horizontally than vertically, and the opposite is true for a north/south bag.

  8. Mrs. Jones

    I carry my Lo & Sons OMG every day to work. I’ve had it for 2 1/2 years and it’s going strong.

  9. Meg Murry

    For anyone reading this and saying “interview tote?!? no one ever told me I needed an interview tote!” – I’ve never had or needed one in my non-law, suburban-dwelling, car-culture area. Since I have always been able to drive to interviews and therefore leave all my extra non-essentials in the car, I’ve always done fine with a small, plain purse just big enough to hold my phone, wallet, keys, a couple of pens and maybe a spare lipstick or tissues and then a padfolio or other non-ratty looking folder or notebook. Basically just consider whatever a guy would carry into an interview and then add a small purse if your suit doesn’t have pockets that will fit your ID and keys.

    Question for those of you who are lawyers/law students – do guys carry a briefcase or similar to their interviews or to the office once they get a job? or what do they use?

    • Anonymous

      I know a lot of male lawyers who carry a briefcase or leather bag to and from the office (for their laptop, since files are pretty much all electronic now). But I also know plenty who carry a backpack or leave the computer at the office and VPN from a personal computer at home. It’s a personal preference just like women’s bags.

    • Wanderlust

      As someone who has never been pregnant and has no knowledge of diaper bags, I think this bag looks fantastic and fashionable for all!

  11. Ms B

    In related issues — After almost 20 years, I need to replace my much-loved Coach messenger bag, which is what I take to court when I have more than a small Redweld and not enough for a wheeled lit bag. The problem so far is that I absolutely cannot find a bag that is wide enough for legal files, i.e. at least 17.5 inches wide and that has a messenger style (i.e. long) strap.

    I am not fussy about brand and have flexibility on cost, especially because my current bag has lasted almost 15 years. I do prefer black (goes with my fave trench and my winter coat) without logos and ideally want something that can hold 2-3 redwelds, a couple legal pads, pens, business cards, and a charger. Bonus points for a bag that meets these criteria and does not weigh a ton.

    Any ideas?

  12. bridget

    I love my L&S, but the part that holds the D-ring to the bag (i.e. The thing you clip the strap to) broke off.

    Is that something the company will repair? Are there purse versions of cobblers who can make those repairs?

    • JP

      They will actually send you a brand-new bag for free. My 2.5-year-old OMG got a small rip on one of the zippers that made it hard to close. I sent them a picture, asking if they could repair it. Their customer service was amazing. Literally one week after sending them the picture, the new bag was in my house. I was totally blown away!

  13. lost academic

    Question: senior partners at my firm tend to use backpacks. I’ve been shying away from backpacks for years. Has anyone else noticed this?

    • anon

      yes! but also, firm gave out backpacks as a holiday gift… no one uses them, except random senior partners – so weird!

    • girl

      Yes, I use a camera bag. Mine has a padded 13″ laptop sleeve. It holds a lot more than you’d think from looking at it.

  15. trish

    I have the Fossil Sydney in two colors and am considering getting it in a third. It is perfection.

    • Parfait

      I have it in red and I like it a lot. Hauls everything I need to haul and looks good doing it.

      Plus a drunk guy asked me if it was Prada one time, so there’s that!

  16. Wheelie?

    I will start taking the train in to work soon which will require a 15 minute walk to the station. What would you guys recommend for a wheeled bag – need to lug a 17″ laptop, a wallet, some notebooks and a few files. I’m in Boston so should be able to stand up to uneven sidewalks, and later, wet/snowy weather.

  18. Joanna

    I use the unstructured tote from Annabell Ingall for daily commuting as it allows me to stuff everything in it. However, since it is unstructured, I do not use it for traveling or if I have an out of the office meeting and definitely not for an interview but it is a great lightweight bag for just normal days.

  19. Bicoastal

    I’ve had my Lo & Sons OG bag for almost 5 years now, and it’s still going strong! Though I rarely use it as a standalone work bag (rather, work + gym or travel) because it’s on the larger side (before they released OMG). Their newer Seville line is great for work & interviewing, and has a bit more structure if that’s what you’re looking for.

    Would also like to throw in the Everlane Market tote – https://www.everlane.com/collections/petra/products/petra-market-black

    I’ve also had this bag for about 4 years (in a discontinued grey color), and it’s withstood a lot of abuse (banging into bus / subway doors, carrying heavy laptops, etc). Only downside is that it’s open-top – but I really never found this to be an issue, even on San Francisco Muni buses and NYC subways.

  21. Marta

    I bought Knomo Grosvenor shoulderbag based on a suggestion from an earlier Corporette post/comments. And it is absolutely amazing! I can fit my laptop, paper work, water bottle in one compartment. I wear my makeup bag, keys, pens in a separate compartment. And my private and business cell phones, charger and sunglasses in the front pockets. The bag fits comfortably over a luggage if needed. It also looks incredibly elegant and I get compliments when wearing it. It is made of fabric [not leather], which I prefer for everyday use [easy to wipe & I do not have to worry about wrinkling or peeling leather]. It holds its shape & structure. I have already used it as a gym bag as well – and it was perfect ;) I would definitely recommend and thank to others who have suggested it before!

  22. Mahbuba mili

    Thanks for compiling a list.
    Well designed, fashionable, professional bags. I personally love tumi bag.We can carry wallet, mobile phone, keys, cosmetics and tissues by this bag.

  23. Marry

    Hi ，

    My name is Marry and I am a blogger at http://www.pahajim.com.

    I was looking for some link round up posts and I came across yours. I was hoping I could submit some of my articles for consideration. I have split them into category, with a short description.

    Also I am writing a post highlighting all the different people with link round ups, so I’d love to feature yours too!

    Thanks so much for your consideration, and have a lovely day!

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