Fashion & Function - Do It All Tote Bags for Work & Travel
I love a good tote bag to use for work, conferences, or even for traveling. It’s hard to find one that looks nice and is functional, but here’s my guide to helping you find the perfect one. I’ll also share my tote bag essentials and what I always have on me when I’m on the go.
Finding a good tote bag is difficult without breaking the bank. I’ve gone through a couple of tote bags over the years, but have landed on one that I’ve now had for about a year that I absolutely love, and got it at a great price. There’s a few things that I always look for when I’m looking for a good tote bag. Today i want to share with you the key features that I look for in a good tote bag and hopefully if you are at the crossroads of needing a new one yourself, these features will help you narrow down the options!
My “Must Have” Features for a Tote Bag
1.) Good quality material: Whether you are looking for leather, canvas, or some other type of fabric of your preference, the quality is important to me. Mostly because this bag is likely going to be used on a daily basis and take a bit of a beating. Between traveling, conferences, work, etc. it’s going to house my laptop, notebooks, a planner, pens, personal essentials, drinks, food, and more. I’ve had two leather totes that I absolutely love. My current bag, and a previous one that lasted me a few years. I paid $32.99 for my first bag off amazon (and got LOTS of compliments, however it’s since been unavailable), the other was from the Coach outlet, and i scored it during one of their major sales, and paid $145 for it (Originally over $300).
2.) Plenty of pockets, inside and outside: Having a tote bag that has a lot pockets on the inside and outside of the bag is really important to me. outer pockets are helpful because you can quickly toss your phone in there or other important items that you need quick access to. inside, it helps to keep things separated and organized. the new bag that i have, is actually a “baby bag”, but you wouldn’t know it. inside it has two separate elastic holders likely for holding baby bottles, however i use it for my water bottles. it also has small internal pockets, great for storing lip balm, mints, cough drops, hand cream, etc. the internal zipper pockets work well for me to store the crossbody/shoulder strap that comes with the bag, important electronic accessories that i don’t want to lose while traveling, and safely storing other important personal items like my wallet or passport for traveling.
3.) Large shoulder straps: There is nothing worse than having a nice tote bag that doesn’t have large enough straps to carry it comfortably on your shoulder. My first tote bag the straps were just a little too short for my liking, especially when the bag was really full. I used this tote to do some field travel with my sales reps a few years ago and since i was flying and my suitcase was checked, i needed to store as much in my tote as i would need for a full day of travel with 4 layovers and crossing half the country. my new tote bag has longer straps which makes it much more comfortable to carry around, especially when i have a lot stored in the bag.
4.) overall tote bag size: I personally prefer a large tote bag. My first one was on the smaller side and held up well despite always being jam packed with stuff. my new tote bag is much larger, and as i mentioned earlier it’s actually designed to be a baby bag. this size of a bag allows me to store more stuff without it overflowing which I like, and keep things a little more organized. Having a larger tote also ensures that I can comfortably and safely fit my laptop and other essentials when I am traveling or going to a conference, like a cardigan, notebooks, and other business materials.
5.) color: This is something I take into consideration, but mostly based on my own wardrobe and preference. i like neutral colored bags because they look professional and match most of my own wardrobe, which is mainly a broad base of neutral colors. this plays a pretty big role in choosing a bag, but at the end of the day, the above 4 features are far more important to the functionality of the bag for me than the color. so if it was between a black and beige bag, i would pick the one that had more functionality. most of the time, you can get the same bag in multiple colors, so this is one of the last decisions i make.
An Inside Look: The Coach Baby Bag Features
As I mentioned, my current tote bag is actually a baby bag from the coach outlet. a friend of mine had this bag at work and raved about it, and when i started looking into it, there were a lot of things i liked about it and once I got it, I fell more in love. below are some of my favorite features of the bag.
Coach Baby Bag Features:
it’s a large bag with longer straps to make carrying it more comfortable.
came with a crossbody/shoulder strap which will be great for traveling and juggling many bags or other items.
nylon changing pad (because it’s a baby bag), and while i don’t have children and am not using this as a baby bag, i saw this as a unique feature for travel purposes. the changing pad can be used when traveling on long journey’s when you might need to lay out clothes to change or toiletries on public surfaces to freshen up (i.e. overnights in an airport due to delays or layovers, long road trips and you’re in a rest area, etc.).
Two large & deep outer side pockets, great for storing a water bottle, snacks, medications, and more.
one large magnetic-close front pocket. it’s nearly the width of the whole bag and is as deep as the bag is tall. this makes it great for keeping your wallet, phone, and other important items, plus it’s easily accessible.
sturdy zipper top, keeps all items inside your tote and a great security feature. many totes are magnetic close or totally open, so this was a huge win for me.
two internal zipper pockets, great for storing electronic accessories such as chargers and headphones, keeping personal items or hygiene items secure and private, or storing the crossbody strap.
two elastic bottle holders. these were obviously meant for baby bottles but are large enough to carry regular water/nalgene bottles as well. this feature is great for travel, especially if you carry a tumbler with you - no chance of spilling your drink!
smaller open pockets for your phone and other small items, making those things easily accessible.
all of these features were huge for me because it helps to keep my tote bag organized when i am traveling or using it for work purposes. you can separate out your personal/hygiene items from your work items such as chargers, headphones, pens, Photo ID, etc. the bag is also a durable leather material, has a sturdy base to keep the bag’s shape, little metal feet to let it stand easy on the ground, a table, etc and not fall over.
What’s Inside My Tote Bag - The Essentials
whether i am heading to work, running errands, traveling, or going to a conference, below is a list of essentials that you will always find in my tote bag.
Lip balm/lip gloss - usually a variety for switching it up between an impromptu dinner or evening out and just a day in the office or running errands.
hand cream - i get severely chapped hands, especially in the winter, so i always tote around a small tube or two of hand cream.
headache meds - depending on the headache will depend on what i take to treat it. if it’s strong and severe i will take advil or aleve, if it’s dull, i will take tylenol. so i keep all of them usually in my tote bag and even my car.
pens and a planner - usually have these with me in my work tote to keep myself organized. if i am attending a conference i’ll carry around a small notebook as well. at work i have plenty of notebooks and keep those on my desk.
a phone charger - i always have one in my tote bag and one in my car, this way i am never without no matter where i am.
headphones - sometimes i like headphones for grocery shopping when i want to be in my own zone, traveling on a plane, train, or bus, and for conferences when you need to zone out and focus during breaks on getting work done.
a water bottle & snack - whether it’s a granola bar or granola bites, crackers, etc. i usually have a snack in my bag because i suffer from chronic nausea. i always have a water bottle on me 24/7 to make sure i constantly stay hydrated.
a good tote bag is a must have in my life, and i think at some point it will be a must have for most people. whether you need it for a professional job or just to pack some important essentials when traveling. a good tote bag also dosen’t have to break the bank, whatever works for you and your life is the most important thing to remember! just because something works for me, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. however, if you are in search of a “do it all” tote bag, i hope some of my favorite features help you find your next one!
what are your go-to features or must haves when you are looking for a tote bag? do you mainly use it for work or travel? how much are you willing to spend? do you have a tote bag that you love right now? comment below and share with me your thoughts!