Fashion people share their hardest-working bags
image via @project.catherine/instagram
words by fashion journal
The ultimate workhorse.
Finding the perfect work bag can require some dedicated soul-searching. It’s a relatively high-stakes task – after all, it’s something you’ll be using every day. However, the challenge isn’t a lack of options, but having too many. A quick search online will leave you with an endless list of styles, shapes, colours and fabrics, making it almost impossible to choose.
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A work bag needs to be versatile, pairing seamlessly with your rotation of work outfits while holding every miscellaneous item you inevitably end up carting to and from the office each day. It should be durable enough to last through the years, yet lightweight enough that it doesn’t give you neck pain.
It’s a tall order, but it is possible. To prove it, we asked seven of our favourite fashion people to show us their most-worn work bags.
Elena Kingham, account manager at Square
I’m a firm believer that a work bag should work as hard as you do. Mine needs to fit my laptop, headset, lunch and usually a change of clothes for Pilates, so practicality always wins. My Pan After plaid bag wasn’t intended to be my work bag, but it’s become exactly that. To the untrained eye, it might look like a grocery bag, but if you know Pan After, you know. At $65, it’s a steal.
Cassandra Yuan, creative
I carry a seven-year-old Longchamp Le Pliage tote to work. It’s a total workhorse, and though it might be a basic choice, I just haven’t found the need to upgrade it. It holds my heavy laptop, one-litre Frank Green water bottle, chargers, and daily essentials and after all these years, it’s still in amazing condition!
I’ve loved adding personal bag charms as a playful way to change up its style; currently, I’m loving these earthy beads that tie the colours of the bag nicely together. I enjoy celebrating the items that quietly do their job year after year. There’s a distinct kind of elegance in utilitarian pieces that withstand the daily corporate grind.
Jasmine Wallis, writer and host of Culture Club
I recently picked up my first proper work bag from the Australian brand, Marcs. The Havana tote bag in chocolate suede is a chic addition to my wardrobe while also holding everything I need to schlep around town. It fits my laptop, a book (or two), my wallet and multiple lip products with room to spare. It also holds my giant overhead Sony earphones, which poke out the top of most bags. While it may be ludicrously capacious, it helps me get around between work events and media making.
Daisy Henry, assistant editor
I’m a bit like Goldilocks with my bags at the moment – I can’t pick just one. When I’m not carrying much, I usually reach for my Nagnata tote – it’s sturdy and adds a nice pop of colour. Other days, I’ll reach for my pre-loved Ganni bucket bag (a steal from Swop) or my Mimmi Terra traveller. But if I have a work event or need help feeling put together, I reach for my Yu Mei Jane bag. It’s a classic shape, beautifully made and makes even the most thrown-together outfits look chic.
Hayley Peppin, writer
In late April, I popped into retail museum Swop in South Melbourne and inadvertently locked eyes with my second skin: a pre-loved Miu Miu Vitello. Her grooming was impeccable. She was beige leather, gold hardware, sturdy and gloriously portly – perfect for carrying all my crap through Australian Fashion Week and my return to London.
Since then, Vitello has come with me everywhere: planes, trains, cabs, parks and even the counter of my local bakery during remote working sessions. I’ve styled her with everything from a mocha Penny Lane Husk coat to pistachio-green boho pants and a bone tank. Inside, lives my daily novel, diary, wired earphones, tissue pouch, wallet, Kosas concealer, Violette_FR Bisou Balm, mini Glossier You fragrance, and petite hair brush (fringe maintenance stuff). My advice? Invest in pre-loved designer.
Catherine Jia, digital creative
This is the Songmont Medium Yore Hobo Bag and I can confidently say it’s my favourite work bag. It’s a real-life Mary Poppins bag because somehow it fits absolutely everything. My laptop, notebook, water bottle, sunglasses, makeup pouch, snacks, chargers… I keep adding things and it just keeps fitting them all.
What I love most is how thoughtfully designed it is. There are multiple pockets inside to keep everything organised, plus pockets on the outside for things you need to grab quickly. There’s even a little clip for your keyring, which makes it perfect for the bag charm girlies. My little charms finally have a proper home instead of just hanging on for dear life.
The patented vegetable-tanned leather has also surprised me. I’m not precious with my bags at all, so I love that it’s durable, doesn’t mark easily, and if it does get dirty, it can be easily wiped clean.
The design is so timeless that I know I’ll be reaching for it for years. It’s one of those pieces that feels classic rather than trendy, and I love that I can take it from work straight to dinner without needing to switch bags. It’s definitely a forever piece that I hope I can pass down one day!
Lucinda McGarrity, fashion creator and construction project manager
For over two years, I’ve been loyal to July. I rotate between a few of their styles, but the Juliette Soft Large Tote is my favourite. I’m a big fan of midweek socialising, and often head straight to plans after work, so I carry a lot with me. It fits everything I need while still holding its shape, and never looks overstuffed.
For more work bag inspiration, try this.
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