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Someone tweeted (X’ed?) at me just last week, asking about the best briefcases for women… I suspected that they meant “general work bag,” but on the off chance that they meant a traditional briefcase, I was intrigued.
(In general, the correct answer for “best work bag for women” is either Cuyana or Lo & Sons.)
We haven’t talked about the issue in a LONG time, though… so I thought I’d round up some briefcases for women.
Do YOU use a briefcase? (And if so, please list your city!) What brands do you like best?
Here’s another question — have you ever had a briefcase made? One of my family members swears that she and all the other working women she knew had that done in the early ’80s…
Are Briefcases Right for Professional Women in 2023?
Readers have discussed this in comments from time to time — the briefcase. One commenter advised the readers that in her big city, “not a single woman lawyer I know under the age of 50 carries a purse.” This led to a small debate between briefcase-carrying women and non-briefcase carrying women.
To my eyes, though, in 2023 it’s rare to see a briefcase. Most women I know carry a tote bag for when they need space to carry documents, and/or a backpack when they really need to carry a laptop.
Those frequently carrying files may switch to a tote/purse combo, but even then it seems like something I saw a lot more of a few years ago, before the cloud, flash drives, remote logins, and other convenient telecommuting tools were as common.
(I’ve even written about what your tote bag says about you.)
What is a Briefcase, and How Is It Different From a Tote?
In my mind, the defining feature of a briefcase is that it has a short handle and is meant to be carried at your side, or maybe dangling from the crook of your elbow. It should be large enough to fit at least a pad of paper, ideally a legal size. They don’t have to be deep, but they should be large enough to fit at least a 1″ binder. They can be made of a fabric or leather, although I tend to think of them as a being made of a good-quality leather. I also tend to think of them as having enough structure that they can stand up by themselves.
Contrast that to the classic tote bag: These generally have much longer shoulder straps, although they may also have a short handle as well. Tote bags are also frequently much deeper than briefcases; some even fit an extra pair of shoes, a water bottle, or even a lunch bag.
If you prefer a more modern idea of a briefcase, you may want to look into some of the larger padfolios or leather document holders out there. These can be carried under your arm like a clutch, or carried in your hand like a redweld folder. (See below for some of our latest favorites!)
Our Favorite Briefcases for Women
Here are some classic briefcases for women that have been around for a while — in fact the Dooney & Burke option has been around since at least 2010.
Some Great Trendy Briefcases
The Luxury Briefcase: Mulberry Bayswater
If you’re hunting for a gorgeous leather bag with some designer cachet, check out this Mulberry satchel. like the fact that it has feet (so rare these days!!) and smartphone pockets, but do note that it’s unlined.
The pictured Bayswater is one of the largest sizes; it’s $1,650 at Nordstrom.
The Modern Semi-Briefcase: Leatherology
I feel like this is briefcase-adjacent, but a reader had been looking for a large leather clutch/folder just like this, and this was suggested by one of the readers. It’s gorgeous! I love how it’s like a cross between a padfolio and laptop sleeve — almost like an elevated redweld.
The pictured holder is $150 at Leatherology; it’s available in five colors.
Hunting for something similar but more affordable, or with a wider range of colors? Etsy shops have a number of options, including this $30 leather folder, this Macbook laptop sleeve with pockets for $90, and this option for $50. And, of course, you can just buy plain redwelds (or, hopefully, get them from your office supply closet).
The Affordable Briefcase from Amazon: Cluci
This “briefcase for women” at Amazon looks great. I like the options of the long strap (handy for your commute) and the shorter handles (more attractive), and the fact that it’s real cowhide but under $180 is great.
There are seven colorways (including burgundy, always great with navy), and I particularly like the multicolored accordion side, which reminds me of a redweld in the best way. It has tons of great reviews at Amazon.
The Convertible Briefcase: Senreve
It’s somewhat rare to see a briefcase that converts into a backpack, so this entry in the category from Senreve is appreciated! It is more on the “satchel that CAN be a backpack” side of things, perhaps with a healthy dose of “so long as you don’t put anything heavy into it while wearing it as a backpack” kind of caveat.
The bag comes in a ton of colors, and there are even “vegan leather” options for $695-$995. The pictured version is $995.
The Best Alternatives to Briefcases for Women
The Best Work Tote Bags
(Looking for a luxury work bag? Here’s our latest roundup…)
The Best Laptop Totes for Women
The Best Work Backpacks for Women
Update: Hunting for the best work backpacks? Some of our favorites in 2023 are below — see the full post for all the details!
Looking for work backpacks to splurge on? Montblanc, MCM and Senreve are great, and Valextra has some men’s backpacks that look perfect.
Stylish Padfolios for Women
Psst: Check out some of our latest favorite office padfolios as of 2023, below! If you want something monogrammed, check out Leatherology, Levenger, or (for a splurge), Smythson. (Slightly different, but similar: This gusseted document and laptop holder from Leatherology is also lovely; Cuyana also has something similar!)
Admin note: this post was originally written in 2010 but has been updated substantially as indicated.
Jen
I have never carried anything I’d call a “purse”. When I was a student, I loved the backback book bags with extra pockets for small items. For a while in and after grad school I used a fantastic leather bag that I had initially bought as a present for my little sister on the Plaka in Athens. It was probably intended to be for a schoolchild, but the interior pocket was big enough for a laptop and a few books, and it had a front pocket big enough for a couple steno pads, and little pockets on the sides–one for pens, etc, and the other for chapstick, hand lotion, etc. Eventually the stitching wore out. I allowed my mom to throw it out with the stipulation that she would get me another, similar one as a present. Instead she got–egad! a huge wheelie briefcase. It’s horrid. After a couple of years she & dad realized that I didn’t use it and tried again. This effort does not have a shoulder strap (which I consider essential) and is really slick shiny leather. It reeks of greasy salesman. I want natural leather that looks like Laura Croft on a good-behavior day.
Can anybody help me find such an item? I have no idea where to start looking.
Thanks!
anon gal
I posted this a couple weeks ago but thought I’d share again. I’m a lawyer at a mid-size NY firm. I use a black leather Chanel tote. Its structured, sophisticated, professional and pretty darn good looking (if you ask me). It has multiple pockets, comes with a removable pouch that is perfect for pens/highlighters/post-its/etc, as well as a removable leather strap – allowing you to carry it over the shoulder, and fits legal size documents. It’s pricey but I love it! On days requiring that I tote around a lot of docs I use this and a black longchamp tote.
http://www.chanel.com/fashion/8#8-tote-1,1,17,4
Anon
Biglaw Dallas here. I can think of one woman at my firm who regularly carries a roller bag briefcase. Everyone else carries very fashionable purses. When I go to court, I take a plainer black tote to avoid looking flashy.
shallotry
I’ve never been a purse sort of girl, and roller bags (unless you’re really carrying a LOT of files) are no friend to anyone on crowded sidewalks. I carry a good-quality messenger-style bag every day, it holds my laptop, water bottle, wallet, other essentials for schlepping across the city. I find it more comfortable while walking, and it’s organized so that I can get a meeting started without digging around in my things, so I’m willing to risk the rare bird who may sniff in disapproval at my combination of bag + nice a suit and heels.
Susan
NYC 1980: Yearned for a black Coach briefcase, which I saved for. We were wearing Brooks Brothers suits or coat dresses, a silk bow tie and nude hose. By the time I retired from VP job to real estate in 2001, I was wearing Armani suits, people were still using briefcases, but that was because there weren’t many good-looking totes that could stand up to files, just ones that looked like my great-aunts used. Now, the accessory industry has a much better variety of big handbags, which eliminate the need for a briefcase. Still haven’t found THE one, though. The Coach briefcase still comes out once or twice a year, though, if I have tons of files to carry.
Downtowngirl
I’m a Sr. Buyer at a large retailer based out of Seattle. Seattle is all over the map for style, but those who work in Downtown have to commute on foot more (ie, on the metro and walking) and prefer larger, durable bags that help us on our treks. We usually carry totes – for the of the briefcases vs totes discussion, I’ll define a tote as an open-topped bag with 90 degree angles and either hand straps or shoulder straps. Briefcases have a flap that closes over the top, buckles and less small pockets for personal items like a phone, makeup and credit cards. You will see a lot of signature items from designers like Louis Vuitton, Dooney and Burke and Coach. I guess some people are brand whores (I might be part of that sect)! I love my large Diane Von Furstenberg signature fabric tote with optional shoulder straps. It’s durable, huge, and comfortable enough to carry around all day. It holds my laptop, lunch and personal items. Of course, venture outside of Downtown Seattle to some of the kookier neighborhoods and you’ll see everything from hand-knit hobo bags to seat belt bags to perfectly preserved 30 year old vintage leather.
Dr. M
I usually bring a briefcase to the surgery.
I had one made from Italian red leather with my name embossed on it.
Does the job; and full marks on the aesthetics :)
Thrift Saving Plan
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