By Chadner Navarro | Photographs by Elizabeth Coetzee/WSJ; Prop Styling by Jacqueline Draper

Los Angeles stylist Mark Holmes likes his work bags the way he likes his trousers: "slim with the right pockets to fit specific items." For him that means a streamlined, soft leather briefcase with slots for a laptop, notebooks, phone, keys and chargers. Of course, "there's no one-size-fits-all" when it comes to work bags, notes Michael Knispel, editor in chief of Carryology, a website about items we carry. "A lawyer carries briefs; an illustrator carries sketchpads. And if your workday doesn't end at the office -- say you're hitting the gym or playing pickleball afterward -- that changes the equation too," said Knispel.

Still, if you value order, it's worth keeping in mind a few organizing principles. If you favor a lighter load, reach for bags with a capacity of about 10 to 15 liters. Want room for gym clothes or tech items beyond a laptop, like a tablet? Shoot for at least 25 liters. And whether you prefer the look of a sharp briefcase or a chill tote, don't settle for a carrier lacking features like a laptop sleeve, an easy-to-reach phone slot and a zippered interior pocket for valuables.

Briefcase

With tons of soft leather and nylon briefcases available, you needn't buy a rigid box. Holmes finds that big briefcases enable clutter, so he prefers slimmer models. Until he recently misplaced it, he carried Shinola's supple, premium-leather $995 double zip briefcase (pictured below). He liked its compactness (roughly 13 liters) and how its central divider helped maintain order. Whether heading to shoots or meetings, he would slide his 13.5-inch laptop into the padded sleeve side, while his phone, chargers and pens went into four leather-trimmed slip pockets on the other side.

Other briefcases with enviable layouts: Bleu de Chauffe's handsome Zeppo model in nubuck leather (about $710), with a felt-lined zippered compartment for a 16-inch laptop; Filson's bigger 24 Hour tin-cloth briefcase, a rugged $399 design.

Tote

If tidiness is the goal, skip sack-like totes and grab one with a laptop sleeve, a few smaller pockets and a zip closure "so your life doesn't spill onto the sidewalk," said Knispel. Those who lug a lot will appreciate Mission Workshop's $335 cult-favorite Drift Tote (pictured below, in waxed canvas). Atlanta videographer Michael Larkin praises the structured base that lets the 28-liter Drift stand upright (most totes sag). He stores lunch, cameras and a change of clothes in the main chamber. A mesh pocket, bottle holder and other slots hold his memory cards, power bank and phone; a 16-inch laptop lives in the padded tech sleeve.

Don't carry that much? Grab Troubadour's urbane $199 16.5-liter Apex Everyday Tote, with its laptop slot, phone pocket and sleeves for bottles and umbrellas.

Backpack

Though we're focusing on organization, let's not ignore looks: Knispel advises picking a backpack in leather or premium nylon that doesn't scream "hiking bag." For super practical, attractive-enough options, Tumi is tough to beat. We like its $695 Brief Pack (pictured below), with its futuristic ballistic-nylon exterior and interior zip pocket, pen loops and key leash. It can hold a massive 29 liters, yet it looks surprisingly compact. Dave Reyna, a Californian audio engineer, favors Tumi's 22-liter $725 Reserve Backpack. His 16-inch laptop goes in the built-in slot; chargers, headphones and mics find homes in zipper pockets and open slips.

This writer's longtime pick is Freitag's $430 sculptural 19-liter Hazzard, which comes with two padded tech slots and a main cavern that easily fits a change of clothes, sneakers and a bottle.

Streamlined Shoulder Bag

One selling point of relatively compact shoulder bags, including messenger bags? You can rummage through them without taking them off. A standout carrier: Bellroy's $189 Tokyo Work Bag (pictured below). Made of a recycled-nylon blend, the 20-liter navy model is full of nooks like a padded sleeve for a 16-inch laptop, internal slip pockets, a side bottle pocket and an exterior cavity with a divider, pen hooks and a key clip. Those after a modern messenger bag should try Bellroy's $229 nylon Tokyo Messenger fitted with a magnetic fold top.

Pack light and prioritize elegance? Get your hands on Ghurka's tumbled-leather $995 Docket No. 7, a dressy messenger-attaché hybrid. The svelte design houses a sleeve for a laptop up to 16 inches, a card slot and pen hooks. A gold-zippered exterior pocket on the chestnut version ups the sleekness.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 11, 2025 16:30 ET (20:30 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.