Recommendations for laptop/work bags to bring to meetings/office? (vp and above)

  • promoted to VP and hence will be meeting clients more often/travelling, will probably have to bring laptop, pitch books, charger, notebook, pen, passport, documents etc.  Will also want need to dock onto luggage 

  • any tips on the material it should be? I.e. Nylon, leather etc. I was leaning towards nylon but know that it might seem a bit unprofessional vs tumi or leather - but i will be looking to start going back to the gym and actually prefer the casual/sporty look but happy to accommodate what is best 

  • not keen to buy a tumi since everyone in my office has one and it looks a bit large and maybe a bit expensive? But I do appreciate the space. Keen to see what options/recommendations they are. 

  • I'm not a large person so not keen to get such a large bag

  • always liked the leather brown bag messenger bag look, but think might be a bit casual for the client meetings so maybe grey/black/dark blue? 

  • do people have multiple bags? I.e. One they bring to office if they have no meetings and one for client meetings? 



Happy if any experienced monkeys (VP and above) can chime in on what style is good or any bag i should get! Also appreciate junior monkeys chiming in on what they will buy or what they've seen. Thanks all. if it's budget friendly, it will be appreciated, but i am able/willing to spend. 


Saw the below and thought it was something along the lines I wanted 

https://bellroy.com/products/via-work-bag?adgroup…


Edit: added some more stuff that i like: 

https://www.ll-porter.com/sg/product-detail/11821…

https://www.ll-porter.com/sg/product-detail/11746…

https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/osprey-arcan… (the logo might be a bit inappropriate?)

https://haerfest.com/products/apollo-briefcase-bl…

https://haerfest.com/products/apollo-satchel-black

https://aersf.squarespace.com/commuter-brief-2-bl… (though the bag looks pregnant.....)

https://stuartandlau.com/products/the-cary-briefc…

https://www.selfridges.com/SG/en/cat/samsonite-op…

https://www.allycapellino.co.uk/products/mansell-… (out of stock sadly)

https://maverickandco.co/collections/briefcases/p…

https://www.fossil.com/en-us/products/haskell-dou…

https://www.filson.com/bags-luggage/briefcases/ru…


There are too many to choose from....

 

Congrats on the promotion to VP! It sounds like you're going to be on the move quite a bit. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a work bag:

  1. Material: You mentioned leaning towards nylon. It's a great choice for durability and it's lightweight. However, leather can give a more professional look, especially in colors like black or dark blue. Full-grain brown leather can also work, but you're right that it might be a bit casual for client meetings.

  2. Size: Since you're not a large person and don't want a bag that's too big, consider the items you'll need to carry. Make sure the bag can fit your laptop, pitch books, charger, notebook, pen, passport, and documents comfortably without being too bulky.

  3. Brand: While Tumi is a popular choice, there are many other brands that offer quality work bags. You mentioned the Bellroy Via Work Bag, which looks like a solid choice. It's sleek, professional, and seems to have plenty of space for your needs.

  4. Multiple Bags: Some people do have multiple bags - one for regular office days and another for client meetings or travel. It really depends on your personal preference and how much you're willing to invest in work bags.

  5. Budget: Since you're open to spending a bit more, consider investing in a bag that's not only functional but also adds to your professional image.

Remember, the bag is not just for carrying your stuff, it's also part of your professional image. So choose something that you feel confident carrying into a client meeting.

Hope this helps and best of luck in your new role!

Sources: Any recommendations for leather laptop/messenger bags?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

Day to day - I use a backpack. It's simple, easy, and no one really cares what your bag looks like frankly. I bought an Aer for travel - they have a few sizes, but can't rave enough about it. Fantastic bag, well designed, and decently priced. Mostly Nylon or whatever - I don't like the look of most leather backpacks anyway. 

For travel - I do have a Tumi carryon and briefcase set (one of the alpha bravo series I think - can't recall right now). It's held up really well through a lot of abuse over the years. Tumi is expensive, probably overpriced, but at the very least they do deliver on the quality side - I've not bought anything from them in the last few years, FYI, so not sure if they've skimped there. They certainly haven't skimped price wise. 

As far as clients go - again - most really don't care or even notice your bag. I prefer something like the below (actually quite like it in a few of the color ways) as a more formal looking leather type briefcase. 

https://maverickandco.co/products/manhattan-leather-briefcase?variant=3…

Last thing - my personal bias nowadays is to travel as light as I can, with as few bags as possible. 

 

Omnis eligendi culpa quo quo. Ipsa id ab minima labore. Assumenda similique magni nostrum iure rerum.

Quia enim officiis asperiores doloremque eos perspiciatis consequatur. Et impedit amet vero blanditiis at facere tempora.

Et quo et dolorem numquam. Iure reiciendis et quaerat iste quaerat quisquam. Corrupti iure dolorum ipsum aut minus. Nisi sit rerum eos necessitatibus officiis provident doloribus.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”