It comes with the ‘new year, new me’ territory, but I’ve decided that 2025 is when I should invest in one of the best work bags for women. Yes, I’m too old to be shopping for school supplies (hard to believe, I know), but that doesn’t mean I don’t still want that fresh-term feel via some exciting wardrobe upgrades.
Hybrid working means that, every couple of days, I have to swap my WFH desk for the office – which is all fun and games until it comes to transporting my belongings in one fell swoop. Investing in one of the best work bags, therefore, is where I’ve landed on the ‘making life easier’ front, and thankfully there are lots of styles to choose from.
Office days are exciting (it’s always nice to have to think about what to wear to work instead of joggers and slippers), but I’m done with the stress of trying to ram my laptop, notebook, headphones and water bottle into any old bag two minutes before I need to leave the house.
Sturdier than beach bags and just as innovative as one of the best laptop backpacks, though arguably more chic, a good work bag will see you through the years.
Take Mulberry’s Bayswater tote, for example; considered an icon, the slim silhouette is eternally practical and spacious enough to fit all the essentials – from your laptop to your makeup pouch. Or, Saint Laurent’s Bea bag; a slouchier alternative that has been seen on the arms of every means-business woman out there. It’s a Hailey Bieber favourite.
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Best work bags for women, tested by editors:
- Trending work bag: Oversized Edition The Brigitte Woven Faux-Leather Shoulder Bag by Melie Bianco, WAS £135 NOW £80, Anthropologie
- Best designer work bag: Cabas Longchamp M Tote Bag, WAS £640 NOW £448, Longchamp
- Best black work bag: Large Leather Tote, £110, & Other Stories
How we tested the best work bags
The best work bags for women need to be strong enough to carry all those important things (your planner and stationery etc), but for many of us, they also need to be stylish. That backpack you took on a girls’ weekend away with you a few years ago won’t suffice, and neither will your trusty bum bag or cute mini bag. Sorry. You need a practical design but one that won’t make you look like Will from The Inbetweeners – unless that’s your vibe. Team GLAMOUR is in the office three times a week, so we’ve taken the time to test, try and chose the majority of the work bags in this round up so you don’t have to.
Something like a tote bag is ideal and definitely on the right track, though you may want to go for one with a compartmentalised interior so that A) you can actually find things inside it and B) it’s more secure and safe on your commute. Think baby-changing bag – with all of its nifty pockets and various straps and handles – but more glam. It’ll need to suit your outfit, too, so go for something that can be worn with a blazer or trouser suit just as well as a summer dress.
If you’re less of a handbag more of a rucksack kind of girl, then find the best laptop backpacks for women here (including neoprene styles and a Tory Burch and Everlane design), as well as the best travel backpacks here. For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.