I’ve decided to give my DIL a nice leather work tote this year and I’m finding the shopping task almost overwhelming! Size-wise, I’m thinking about 11-13 inches by 9-11 inches; thinking about classic black. As for price range, probably in the neighborhood of $200 but I could go higher if the bag is worthy. She’d carry files, maybe a laptop or tablet and regular work ‘stuff’.
Thought I’d benefit from the experience of others and seek help from this group. Have you been down this road recently? Any particular brands, styles to look for or avoid? She doesn’t really seem to care much about particular brands and I am not ‘in the loop’ about brands either, so I’d appreciate feedback.
Do you agree this is a good gift for a young professional woman who doesn’t already have a nice tote?
I think it would be nice to give her a nice card and offer to take her shopping for one (your treat) with lunch instead of buying for someone else. It’s SO hard to get the right bag and she may now want leather at all due to animal rights sensibilities.
I’m a big fan of leather bags that you can find on Etsy. The quality is unbeatable and many of them are handmade. You can even customize it to her needs. I’m not too sure if I can link things on here, but I have the ‘Olive Tote’ by BuboHandmade that I received as a graduation present and it fits my laptop and books really well.
Some leather can be heavy. If she has to carry a lot of stuff, she might want the lightest tote she could find. I highly recommend my personal favorite - a Longchamp tote. Lightweight, a computer sleeve works as a divider inside allowing to keep files etc. separated. It is also water resistant and can be washed in a front loader.
What a great gift! I think I’d want to pick it out myself and I like the suggestion of shopping together or giving her money or allowing her to pick it out and let you know. In some ways it depends on how she will use it. For instance, I live in the city and really value bags that I can wear. So, I use a black leather cross body messenger style bag by Coach. I like that the flap closes and is not open as I walk through the city. I’ll use it to carry files to court twice a week, so you have to know what size files she is toting. It’s a lot to think about. Mine was a gift and I like it very much but I might have picked out something different.
What a nice gift.
I second what Bunsen said. I’ve purchased a couple of LongChamps totes for 20-somethings, and they all have loved them, and at least 2 have told me they use them every day. I have a very nice leather bag myself, but have started to use Longchamp for myself also. I can’t remember the size, but the $145ish one is a great size, as is the expandable one Nordstrom usually offers at Anniversary sale.
I suggest whatever you go with be returnable, and make it clear she is what elcome to return it.
Several years ago, my cousin was talking about her need for a tote bag for work. I scored a Michael kors at Bloomies, for sale, just over $200.
Last weekend, she showed me how she loved traveling with it. I said, “for all your traveling, u need a Longchamp”
So, I brought over 3 bags to her, tho one was not a Long hamp. For the same $, it had many more compartments inside, as well as 3 bags inside. I bought my fav color of that bag, but took pictures of other colors. She reviewed the 3 bags, and chose the one with the extra compartments. I returned the other two bags within a few days.
I think a bag is so personal. I’d take the person with me to chose. Or, if like my cousin who is soooo busy, I’d bring them the choice.
It made me so happy to see h,ow she liked the bag.
I carry a work bag everyday and avoid leather because it’s too heavy. I now carry the MZ WALLACE Small Abbey tote. I have been carrying work bags for 30 years, this one for the past 5 and it’s hands down the best bag I have ever carried. The compartments are amazing. It’s got places for small a lap top files etc. has separate places for my wallet and keys. but is very light weight. . It’s way more than you want to spend but for those willing I highly highly recommend.
I went to a sample sale and bought a lovely leather briefcase in light blue leather for $40. Honestly I use my backpack much more because it is lighter (nylon) and can hold a ton more stuff, but I like having both. I guess I see bags as very personal items and since I know I’m VERY picky and my D is also, I assume many are very particular about their needs and would want a nice bag that meets as many of them as possible. Buying something that is easily returnable and encouraging DIL to feel free to return for something that she prefers is always OK as well.
Both of my Ds like the leather tote from Madewell. I think it was around $160. Older D alternates her brown leather Madewell tote with her black Longchamps tote. She has used both of these for more than 5 years and they have held up well.
Definitely check with her because what she would like could be different than what you buy. “Professional” woman has so many diverse jobs and attire. Then add in personal style, or lack of it in my case. The weight is a definite factor.
Agree on the Longchamp - my lawyer D loves her and hated the leather tote she used when interviewing. It’s heaving and less flexible. Actually, she now bought a nice backpack and since she travels by subway, a lot, prefers that for day-to day.
I rarely ever use the leather briefcase, since it weighs so much even just empty, but DO use it sometimes when I want to look a bit more formal. I do NOT travel with it, as I prefer lighter-weight nylon instead.
This post was hot when I first started following CC. I could not believe a group of people could go on for 13 pages about a tote, but there it was. This site is a learning experience in many ways. And DD kind of needs a tote, so post on and teach a fashion ignoramus like me what to suggest for her. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1034652-longchamp-tote.html
I have bought D many bags over the years, including Longchamp bags. She has consistently been very particular and we generally end up returning the vast majority of them. In general, she likes inexpensive, lightweight bags that have a zipper closure, keeping everything zipped in. She had me return the Longchamp bags and nearly all the designer bags I have purchased for her over the years. She has liked a few of the bags, especially ones I have bought a craft fairs and inexpensive bags from Costco.
I have learned never to buy if I don’t want to have it if she doesn’t like it and it can’t be returned.
