Yo yo yo coming at you live typing away on a Tuesday night while sipping on my fave wine ever. And I'm super juiced for this post because we're talking about one of my favorite things: HANDBAGS.
I'm a full fledged bag lady. I freaking love handbags. I've written about my first designer bag here, my fave designer handbag dupes here, and my tips and tricks for buying designer bags on eBay here. I love bags. Capeesh?
Today we're going to chat all about the best handbags for work. I wanted so badly to be the girl carrying dainty little designer bags around - but reality struck as soon as I started a corporate job. I had a lot to carry and a Gucci Soho Disco wasn't going to cut it.
I'm all about function and fashion. I'm all about timeless pieces that can handle a full work day. So I'm breaking down all the best work bags. Let's do this.
The best work bags
Ava Bucket Bag by Dagne Dover
Price: $325
Pros:
Cost - I like to keep it real. Just because I think $325 is a reasonable price doesn't mean you will. And that's okay! But honestly for a quality bag I'll wear to work weekly, a few hundred dollars is a worthwhile investment in my mind. Pro tip! I actually found my Ava Bucket Bag on Poshmark for half the price...and it was brand new. You can find amazing gems shopping pre-loved!
Quality - Dagne Dover does quality well. The Ava Bucket Bag is real leather and stitched to perfection. The strap is also thick and not flimsy.
Organization - The Ava Bucket Bag is easily my most organized handbag! There's actually an insert on the inside that has card slots, pen holders, etc. It's insane. It's like having a purse organizer built into the purse.
Cons:
Space - The major con to the Ava Bucket Bag is the lack of space. While I love the internal organization, the insert on the inside does cut into the available space.
Final feels:
I'm think the Dagne Dover Ava Bucket Bag is amazing. The organization may limit the space, but it's worth it. I'm never digging through my bag to find my keys or a pen. I also totally branched out and didn't get a black bag (lol because dark red is SO DIFFERENT).
Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM
Price: $1,260
Pros:
Space - The Neverfull really is almost never full. Almost. Admittedly I'm like a hoarder when it comes to piling crap inside my bags so I can fill my Neverfull, but it does an amazing job carrying everything I need for a long day at work.
Quality - From a materials standpoint, the Neverfull may not be made with luxe fabrics (like leather), but the materials are durable. For a work bag, I'd say durability is more important than luxury anyway. The PVC material means you can easily wipe it clean and rumor has it the straps are tested to hold up to 200 pounds.
Longevity - The Neverfull is classic and timeless. Some work bags may eventually go out of style, but the Neverfull will not! The Neverfull is an investment piece, but has years of life.
Cons:
Price - Price is an obvious con of the Louis Vuitton Neverfull. It's so expensive. Especially when you consider that the bag is made of PVC and not leather.
Final feels:
I'm in love with my Neverfulls. They're expensive, but I've actually gotten an amazing dollar per wear because I end up grabbing them for work multiple times a week. I actually did an entire YouTube video all about the pros and cons of the Neverfull if you want a full breakdown!
Longchamp Le Pliage
Price: $145
Pros:
Price - The Longchamp Le Pliage is an amazing bang for your buck. With the large size coming in at just under $150, the dollar per wear is there, people.
Space - Where the Le Pliage really excels is in its ability to carry everything. I can fit more inside my large Le Pliage than I can in my Neverfull. Lunch box? Check. Planner? Check. Scarf? Check.
Durability - The Le Pliage is made of a super durable nylon material. The inside is lined in a plastic like material. These two ultra durable fabrics make for an indestructible bag. Spills and rain can't bring you down. Do note though that the place the Le Pliage does tend to wear the most is on the very corners of the bag. A well loved Longchamp will experience some corner fraying.
Cons:
Over saturation - The biggest con of the Le Pliage is that everyone owns one. It's hard to go a single city block in SF without bumping into another Le Pliage. That being said, I'm a big believer in buying things everyone has because it means they're amazing items.
Casual - The other con of the Le Pliage is that this is a very casual bag. While the Neverfull can go from cubicle to dinner, the Le Pliage can sometimes be too casual for a night on the town after work.
Final feels:
I'm a huge fan of the Longchamp Le Pliage. I even wrote a full post on how the Le Pliage is the best every day handbag back when I first started blogging!
Herschel Backpack
Price: $75
Pros:
Price - Coming in at under $80, this Herschel backpack is a serious value. Awesome bags don't always have to come at a cringe worthy price point.
Function - Well, this one's obvious (lol). It's a backpack so therefore it's super functional. I love that I can be fully hands free and also appreciate that this backpack isn't one of the little itty bitty on trend back packs. This bad boy has zippers and pockets and puts in work.
Space - This Herschel backpack has one large main compartment with a built in laptop sleeve. Plenty of space to store all your every day work chachkis!
Cons:
Casual - The biggest con to this backpack is that it's super casual. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable meeting my boyfriend's parents for dinner after work in this backpack. That being said, I usually don't like to have plans on week nights (other than wine with my cat) so it's not a huge issue for me.
Final feels:
Into it. I don't wear my Herschel every week, but I love to break it out on days when it's raining or I have a lot going on. Nothing beats hands free convenience.
I'm sure these bags won't be my last - so definitely tell me all your favorite work bags in the comments below!
What styles do you think are the best work bags?
Graphics by the talented Lola Adewuya