Y'all, I need a bag that screams Professor

[dazedandbemused]

Okay, so that title was clickbait. But basically, I'm in the market for a new bag and I'm looking for an investment. If all of the writing lines up as hoped, I'm about a year and a half out from the job market, so I'll need at least a year to decide on the best bag because I'm extremely indecisive when it comes to spending good money. So my question is, what kind of bags do you all recommend? I'm traditionally a jansport kinda girl, but I'm hoping to get a messenger bag with good capacity and quality materials. I'd like it to be my bag for a good few years, so durability and clean construction are a must, but style is absolutely my biggest factor here. Anybody have a bag or know of a bag like this? Gotta shed that grad student skin sometime! (though not for awhile)

[DBear]

Samsonite has some work-worthy backpacks for laptops and other stuff that works for women. I found one that looked good with a pantsuit

Mandarina Duck has some nice, not-studenty bags and Tumi as well, but these are a bit more pricey. Perhaps worth the investment... 

Have fun shopping!

[TakeruK]

From the start of my PhD to about 3 months ago, I had a nice Swissgear Messenger bag. I can't find a version of it online (probably because they no longer make it?). I really liked it because it felt more "professional" than a backpack and it also does not mess up my nice clothes like a backpack would. I mostly used it for work travel, e.g. conferences and visiting schools etc. I liked it because there are 3 inner compartments plus a sleeve/pocket on the outside. The inner compartments are large and I usually used one for my laptop, one for miscellaneous stuff (snacks, cords, books, sweater, etc.) and the last one had pen holders and little pockets for USB sticks, my business cards, laser pointer, etc. The "misc" compartment was actually designed to hold some clothes and I sometimes pack an extra change of clothes if I am checking my main luggage in case that gets lost. For one very short trip (1 day, 2 nights), I packed all the clothes I needed into this compartment! The sleeve/pocket on the outside is very useful, I stash my boarding pass, flight confirmation, hotel confirmation, and other similar documents for easy access. I like the size of the bag because it was just the right size to go under an airplane seat but also still let me put my feet legs under the seat (i.e. it could fit nicely between my feet). And finally, I can slide it onto my rolling carryon luggage so it's "one piece" when I'm moving around the airport etc.

After 4 years, that bag broke so I now have a new one. It's the Samsonite's "Tech Locker" (https://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Luggage-15-6-Xenon-Locker/dp/B008HY5ZNI). The inside is a slightly different design, but I think it works a lot better for me. It's a little smaller, which is also good, because it fits under the airplane seat even more easily and it is less heavy. From the Amazon pictures, you can see that the interior has multiple compartments to organize electronics. The laptop area is well designed, it's actually in a pocket that is suspended inside the bag so that there is some cushion in all directions to protect it. It also has a pocket for my tablet, which is an improvement over my old bag (I didn't have a tablet back then though). It has all of the other benefits of my last bag though, except for the big miscellaneous compartment. However, these days, I'm very unlikely to travel with anything more than my electronics and my notebook, so it's perfect for me. 

Both bags cost me about $60 at the time of purchase. I got 4 years out of the last one, which was longer than expected and I expect to get at least 3 years for this one. I'm not sure if this meets the style requirement though, I generally just look for something that is black and looks like an adult would have lol. I got my Samsonite bag at one of their outlet stores and I noticed that they had bags that looked a lot nicer (leather) but they were out of my price range (several hundred dollars). 

 

[Neist]

This last fall I purchased a Waterfield Designs (https://www.sfbags.com/) sleeve for my tablet, and while it certainly was not cheap, it is very attractive, durable, and well-made. I'll probably leap for a full bag next time I'm in the market for one.

I'm not too sure what I'd recommend, but I thought I'd throw another brand/option out there.  

[pebs]

16 minutes ago, Neist said:

This last fall I purchased a Waterfield Designs (https://www.sfbags.com/) sleeve for my tablet, and while it certainly was not cheap, it is very attractive, durable, and well-made. I'll probably leap for a full bag next time I'm in the market for one.

I'm not too sure what I'd recommend, but I thought I'd throw another brand/option out there.  

Not the OP, but wow - their Staad attache is exactly what I've been looking for.  Thank you!

[Eigen]

I use a Chrome messenger bag, personally. I have several more professional ones, but the utility of waterproof and how it fits on my back has been a lifesaver for traveling around to give seminars and navigating airports. 

I also bike to work, and it's great for that. 

I find very few of my colleagues have bags that scream professor, they all tend to be more practical backpacks or messenger bags. 

[Need Coffee in an IV]

This is more on the fashion side than the practical side but I've always been happy with the quality and look of kate spade bags. They look professional but usually don't have extreme amount of pockets, zippers, etc. But they usually have surprise sales where you can get great deals. Also if there are department stores near you, I think Dillards, Macy's, and Nostrdom have a great selection too.

[Neist]

4 hours ago, wet gremlin said:

Not the OP, but wow - their Staad attache is exactly what I've been looking for.  Thank you!

Np! I've quite enjoyed what I've bought from them. Made in the USA, too, if that matters. I'm rather ambivalent on that point, but some people care.

[rising_star]

I don't know that there's any bag that screams "Professor". To give a sense of my department, one person uses a leather messenger bag, another a Timbuk2 messenger bag, another a Jansport backpack, another a more outdoorsy-style backpack, and another an all-black backpack. I alternate between a messenger bag and a daypack depending on the weather and what I need to bring with me. There's another thread on here about bags with lots of recommendations that you may want to check out. 

But, if you're thinking about an interview bag, then that's another story altogether. I'd go for professional, able to fit a tablet, and something that can hold your notebook, pens, a bottle of water, and a granola bar. The styling of that will depend on your personal preferences.

[dazedandbemused]

9 hours ago, rising_star said:

 

But, if you're thinking about an interview bag, then that's another story altogether. I'd go for professional, able to fit a tablet, and something that can hold your notebook, pens, a bottle of water, and a granola bar. The styling of that will depend on your personal preferences.

Yes, exactly! I'm sure if I actually get a job, I'd be much more like my current casual self, but I want to have a great interview bag so I don't give off grad student vibes. Thanks for the suggestions!

13 hours ago, Neist said:

This last fall I purchased a Waterfield Designs (https://www.sfbags.com/) sleeve for my tablet, and while it certainly was not cheap, it is very attractive, durable, and well-made. I'll probably leap for a full bag next time I'm in the market for one.

I'm not too sure what I'd recommend, but I thought I'd throw another brand/option out there.  

These bags are gorgeous! Thanks for the idea! I'm seriously just bookmarking my favorite bag from all the sites y'all suggested.

[fadedfigures]

On 12/31/2016 at 0:57 PM, rising_star said:

I don't know that there's any bag that screams "Professor". To give a sense of my department, one person uses a leather messenger bag, another a Timbuk2 messenger bag, another a Jansport backpack, another a more outdoorsy-style backpack, and another an all-black backpack. I alternate between a messenger bag and a daypack depending on the weather and what I need to bring with me. There's another thread on here about bags with lots of recommendations that you may want to check out. 

But, if you're thinking about an interview bag, then that's another story altogether. I'd go for professional, able to fit a tablet, and something that can hold your notebook, pens, a bottle of water, and a granola bar. The styling of that will depend on your personal preferences.

That's such an important distinction. If it is an interview bag, I agree with @rising_star. It needs to be something professional (such as a briefcase or a leather messenger bag), because you will need to look sharp and cohesive. 

As for an "around the department" bag, I think it'll all come down to you, your style, and the general tone of your office. Messenger bags do look a bit more professional (in my opinion, anyway), but they can be pretty impractical, especially if you're carrying a lot of papers/books. I myself use a Jansport backpack, because it has everything I need built in. I used to use messenger bags, and I found them awkward and painful after a while. Just go with what works for you. 

[Eigen]

While an interview bag should look more professional, I think this is somewhat field dependent. It shouldn't look ragged, or wildly unprofessional, but I don't think it needs to be especially different from what you'd use every day. At least in my field, form is just as important as function, and I don't think anyone judges based on the choice of bag. 

Even clothes for interviews- it needs to not be wildly unprofessional (not jeans and a t-shirt, not a cocktail dress), but there's a huge range in between that's very acceptable.

In general, you want something that doesn't detract from the rest of who you are, but it should be comfortable and relaxed enough that you feel good in it and that comes across, imo.