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Nov 12, 2024

20 Best Work Bags for Women 2024

For more of the Cut’s favorite fashion, beauty, and home finds, sign up for the weekly Cut Shop Newsletter . For those who are heading back to the office daily or at least once or twice a week: We

For more of the Cut’s favorite fashion, beauty, and home finds, sign up for the weekly Cut Shop Newsletter.

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.

➼ Our top picks➼ More tried-and-true options➼ FAQs➼ Our experts

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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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Glad you asked. Totes, shoulder bags, and backpacks are all options, but if you’re more of a minimal person, you can go with a smaller crossbody. Just like the best dresses, it must have pockets and come in a color that would either go with all of your clothing or clash pleasingly with everything you own. And, of course, it has to be non-hideous. Plus, durable materials like leather and nylon are preferable since it’ll get a lot of use.

We’re judging totes, shoulder bags, and backpacks on three main factors: functionality, strength, and durability. The best work bags on the market feature plenty of pockets, straps, and clever design details that make the process of transporting your work and personal items to and from the office so much easier. They also need to be strong enough to hold heavy laptops and durable enough to withstand commuter wear and tear. Our picks below are stylish, too — you definitely want a work bag that adds to your business-casual office outfit, not one that takes away from it.

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