Important Update: Why Work Bags for Women Are Not Working
I thought I found the "One," but like so many others, it failed miserably. My next one is an under $200, Italian suede steal.
Clockwise from top: Cuyana Double Loop Satchel; Polène Cyme Bag; Saint Laurent 5 à 7 Bea Bag
March 17th, 2025
Important Update! After 3 months of use, I can now tell you that the “One” that I bought in the end from St. Agni was a big disappointment. The leather straps are cracking all over the place! This is so frustrating given the amount of money that I spent. So my next leather tote is an under $200 Bottega-esque steal, which you can read about at the end of this newsletter.
Welcome to my second ever newsletter! This one is about the never-ending quest for a functional and stylish work bag and why the patriarchy hates women careering so much that you can’t find a go-to-battle bag no matter how much you’re willing to pay. (Just kidding, this is a fun countdown to the one I chose to invest in, and why I didn’t waste my money on the plethora of subpar designer bags that are woefully missing the mark.)
Let’s begin with a tale about the day that my water bottle popped open and created a small puddle at the bottom of my canvas tote bag, wherein my laptop, iphone and airpods all went for a little swim. When I bought my new computer, I dug out a 15 year-old Marc Jacobs nylon (read: water-resistant) tote, with handy water bottle compartments on each side, that you can now only find on sites like the RealReal. Functionality-wise, this bag WINS, however, esthetically, it’s not exactly current, and not particularly elegant.
This Prada “Re-Nylon” Tote is the closest glow up that I could find, but at well over $2,000, it lacks the desired water compartments and features an even more heinous design crime: thin straps.
Prada Re-Nylon Tote Bag
See, roomy, elegant options like the classic Louis Vuitton Neverfull abound, but these designs can only have been created by a man. As facetious as that may sound, the straps are so thin, stiff and wiry, that only jumbo, muscled up shoulders could possibly withstand the weight of a laptop, water bottle, wallet and other modern-day necessities being toted around. We’ve all bared the strap marks to prove it, and I for one, am not having it anymore.
It’s for this reason that for many years, I used a Gucci diaper bag like this one as my work bag. Durable interior? Check. Plentiful compartments? Check again. Comfy straps? Check mate, mother fucker. If I hadn't worn out the corners of the canvas exterior, I’d probably still be using it to this day. (Sadly, Gucci’s current diaper bag has turned into this crossbody-briefcase monster, its side pockets, ironically, fitting only of flasks.)
Saint Laurent’s Le 5 â 7 Bea Tote is a thing of absolute beauty, designed with girthy, 2” straps and inner ties that allow the sides to be collapsed or expanded. My only beef is that with its porous, suede interior and a price tag of $4,000+, it’s simply too posh for real life.
Toteme’s Belted Tote
Because let’s be real. As the workhorse of our bag wardrobes, work totes have to occasionally be stuffed under the seat in front of us, or placed upon a Diet Coke-abused restaurant table. I may be a victim of fashion, but I’m not dumb rich. Hence the reason that I researched every respectable contemporary option on planet Earth.
Mansur Gavriel’s Everyday Cabas and Toteme’s Belted Tote are both acceptable iterations of The Row’s north/south Park Tote, while Mansur’s Soft M Hobo is a decent substitute for Khaite’s balls-out Lotus Tote. In the end though, I’m not a big fan of knock-offs, which are kind of the opposite of ‘quiet luxury’. Which brings us to the runner-ups and eventual winner.
St. Agni Large Woven Bag
All of the credit for discovering Cuyana’s Double Loop Satchel goes to Liv Perez, a guest on this episode of my podcast about building the perfect capsule wardrobe. At $598 USD, the price is justifiable, checking all of the boxes for wide straps, exterior pockets for water bottles and bonus points for the ability to hold a laptop securely. I like that the design features shades of the Hermès Lindy, though I couldn’t help but feel that there was maybe something Amazon-ish about it, without seeing it in person.
Earning high points for genuine, made-in-France sophistication, Polène’s Cyme bag bears the craftsmanship, esthetics and shape-changing cleverness of the aforementioned YSL 5 à 7 Bea, at a comparatively affordable $560 USD, but sadly it falls prey to the industry’s locked-in affliction for shoulder-scissoring straps.
Perhaps that’s why I eventually opted for this St. Agni Woven Large Tote in black. I love that it’s an obvious hat tip to Bottega Veneta, without going so far as to be a direct dupe. It also has the same, day-to-cocktails sensibility of the appropriately named YSL 5 à 7. The high quality leather is phenomenal to the touch, and I appreciate the broad strap and wide design that means I don’t need a flashlight to find my lipgloss.
Alas, it’s not without its drawbacks. Even though it features a side pocket for my phone, I still don’t have a home for a water bottle. And with its slouchy design, it fits my laptop, but not in a way that’s snug. Sometimes the bag gapes open in spite of its magnetic closure, and I have to worry about my wallet being pinched from behind. It’s far from perfect, but at a relatively affordable $800, it’s right for right now.
Important Update! I can admit when I’ve made a mistake, and the above purchase from St. Agni was a big one. Three months in, and the straps are cracking all over the place. My next purchase will be much, much less expensive. May I present, the Quince Italian Suede Shopper Tote – you’re reading this right – at $149.90 USD. This bag offers it all: fully lined, zipper closure, an internal side pocket that can hold a 13" laptop, multiple slip pockets on the outside. It’s even got those little buttons at the bottom so that your suede tote doesn’t rest in table puddles and get stained.
If you’re not familiar with Quince, they offer high quality goods at fast fashion prices by cutting out the middlemen. And they only work with factories that pay fair wages and maintain sustainable practices. The sad news is that they currently only ship to the United States, so if you’re based in Canada like me, you’ll have to wait until your next trip and have it shipped to your hotel. Shipping is free, but be sure to order a full 2 weeks in advance of your trip, as shipping requires 6-9 business days and I always build-in a few days buffer. I cannot wait and I just had to share!
Thank you for saving me $900! So disappointing about your St Agni! The Quince one is stunning.