It Took Me Forever to Find a Decent Laptop Bag, So I'm Sharing My Wisdom

One of the most tenuous aspects of a daily commute, especially for those of us who have to contend with the hordes of travellers on the tube to get into the office, is the constant battle to fit the required contents into a laptop bag. (Read: An emotional support water bottle, tangled wired headphones, the latest paperback and a fistful of lip products like liners, oils and glosses.)

I am a self-proclaimed perpetual schlepper, so I know the feeling all too well of lugging around what feels like a weighted medicine ball over your shoulder. The result is always the same. No matter how pure our intentions are, a zealously stuffed laptop bag will lead us to feeling dishevelled and flustered, even if the outfit we’ve put together is the height of chic.

The solution is to invest once and invest well. After road-testing nearly every iteration of work tote imaginable throughout my career so far, I’ve learnt that the best laptop bags must adhere to a few ground rules. Integrally, aesthetics must be taken into consideration. It may seem frivolous, but how can we look like we mean business if you have your work paraphernalia falling out of an overstuffed canvas bag or an unsightly backpack? The only exception is if you go for one of Teflar’s new jumbo plastic totes or take a designer route with Saint Laurent’s Icare maxi shopping bag.

The bag you purchase must be complementary to your expensive-looking wardrobe, meaning it’s suitable enough to take you from a 9 a.m. boardroom call to a 5 p.m. after-work drinks session at your favourite small plates and wine bar. I’m coining this the Jacob Elordi effect. The Australian actor’s penchant for transporting a covetable Bottega Veneta bag at all times is not only admirable but also aspirational for how we all should look when lugging around our respective laptop bags. Remember, it’s not just about what you carry, but how you look doing it, too.

Silhouette is on par with durability and practicality when it comes to primary concerns. Of the latter, I can not stress enough how important it is to select a laptop bag that’s cavernous in size. Quips about the shape being "ludicrously capacious", to quote Succession’s Tom Wambsgans, aside, it really is essential to ensure the style is spacious enough for any last-minute items you need to pack.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve taken essentials home after a long day at my desk, only to look like Blair Waldorf after she went on that extravagant Parisian shopping spree in the fourth season of Gossip Girl. After much trial and error, I’m fortunate enough to have a few chic laptop bags on rotation: a slouchy woven leather style from Aussie label St. Agni, and a scrumptious blue suede Le Cambon 35 from Manu Atelier.

I firmly believe that the best laptop bags are once that will help us romanticise our journeys to and from the office. So, rather than grabbing any old dusty tote and heading out the door, I’ve entrusted the advice of Manu Atelier's co-creative directors, Beste Manastır Bağdatlı and Merve Manastır, to bring you a comprehensive guide to choosing the best laptop bags for your needs.

From high-street finds to designer iterations, keep scrolling for a style insider’s edit of the best laptop bags, below.

The 18 Best Laptop Bags for Women

What Laptop Bags are In Style in 2025?

According to experts, the best laptop bags that are in style for 2025 are the ones that strike the perfect balance between style and functionality. "For us, it’s about designing pieces that keep their shape, stay comfortable to carry, and adapt to the reality of women’s lives," explain Bağdatlı and Manastır. "The future lies in modularity and transformation, bags that evolve with women throughout the day. Today, no one wants separate pieces for every occasion; they want one design that can shift effortlessly from desk to dinner, weekday to weekend."

This is something the founders tell me they prioritised when creating the new Le Cambon Cabas. With two elongated handles that fit snug over the shoulder, the style bridges the elegance of Manu Atelier’s signature trademarks—a belted accent and luxurious material—with ease. "The [style] was born from our desire to create a true everyday icon," they add.

"We began by asking ourselves a simple question: What would we and the women who inspire us want to carry every day? From there, it became about combining sophistication with effortless functionality—an object that would be reached for in any situation. Our work totes are born from lived experience. We know what it means to step out with a laptop, documents [and] chargers. That reality shapes the way we think about weight, handle drop, interior space, and overall comfort."

What to Look Out for When Buying a Laptop Bag?

"A beautiful bag must also live up to the demands of daily life," Bağdatlı and Manastır explain. "That’s why details like multi-carry options, modular components, and thoughtfully considered interior space are integral."

It's these factors, like specifications about the strap length, gross dimension and whether the bag boasts any inside pockets, that are crucial to finding the best laptop bags.

How to Style the Best Laptop Bags

The best laptop bags are those that complement your personal style, without feeling too techy or utilitarian. Styling laptop bags is a matter of embracing oversized shapes, so you can choose to play with proportions and reach for tailored staples, or lean into something that's slightly more billowing, too, like a floaty dress.

Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.

We regularly try on pieces ourselves—everything from best-selling jeans to designer shoes—and speak to external experts and fashion insiders, staying closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise, and each and every buy we feature has to meet our exceptional taste standards—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.