Stylish Laptop Bags for Professional Women in 2025

Your new laptop bag needs to assert professionalism and style, as well as keeping your tech safe in transit.

Sure a nylon backpack might do the job, but it screams unprofessional and junior.

For a real statement, you need a proper laptop bag, ideally made of leather - the material of the workplace.

Best Materials For Your Bag

To answer this question, we first need to know what you’ll be expecting from your new bag.

Determine Bag Use

Some materials are better for certain situations, and there are a few all-rounders that can suit almost any demand.

Different styles, likewise, do better in certain situations. In order to be as happy as you can be with your new bag – and to get the best value for your money – first determine where and how you’ll be using it, then choose a short list of suitable bags.

Commuting

If you commute with your bag, or use it often for travel to and from meetings and appointments, then you’ll want something light and hard-wearing. Nylon can sometimes look very cheap, but it doesn’t have to; a good quality nylon bag might surprise you.

Presentations & Meetings

Many professional situations demand a certain level of style to properly represent your company and what it is offering to a client. If this is the case, something in leather can elevate your look to the proper level.

Leather looks great on a briefcase or tote, and can even elevate a backpack style into something suitable to high-end casual look. A good rule of thumb is, if you feel great carrying it, it probably looks great on you too.

Higher-end materials can mean a higher price, or more care necessary, but it is often worth it in order to show the quality of the work you do, reflected in the way you look.

If that’s less of a factor, and it’s fashionable practicality you’re wanting to display, then you’ll get away with cheaper – but still robust – materials like nylon or canvas.

Weight

Laptop bags tend to have shoulder straps, a couple of compartments, at least one with padding, and some smaller pockets for cables and things.

This means a laptop bag usually comes in between 2.5 to 5 pounds… empty.

Bags that are leather, or have additional buckles, zippers, or heavy logos, are at the high end of the weight spectrum, and the simpler (plainer) the bag, the lighter it will be.

Price

As with anything, you can pay as much as you want once you get into designer labels and custom work, but for most of us, a great-quality bag is still within reach, if that’s what we want.

Why would you want to pay more? A couple of reasons. First of all, paying more for a higher quality bag means it will last longer, look better for longer, and often function better.

Each of these adds value to your purchase. As long as you’re careful to choose a classic style that isn’t likely to fall out of fashion anytime soon, your money will be well spent. High-quality leather also gains a patina over time, which is a mark of high quality that a discerning eye will pick up on.

If that’s the kind of clientele you deal with, or want to deal with, or want to become, then the extra cost is definitely worth it.

Best Styles

Again, this depends on what the bag will need to do.

Primary and Secondary Uses

If you use your bag only for a certain kind of work, then there might be a style that is the clear winner for you.

Most people, though, use the same bag for work that they use in other situations as well – or work itself may demand transitions from one setting to a different one without time to change-up the tools and wardrobe. For those people and situations, the key word is “versatility.”

Types

Laptop bags come in many forms, including smaller briefcases, purse style tote bags, backpacks, and larger duffel style bags.

Briefcase Style

We’re all familiar with briefcases, as these are the best shape for a laptop, they look very professional in most office situations, and there is a wide range of looks and quality levels to choose from.

Tote Style

If you need to carry more than that, a tote might be the solution. Laptops fit in them of course, but their softer structure allows for a bit more flexibility.

In other words, you can stuff a few more things in there, including items of odd shapes. Totes also transition well to a night out after work, or even a trip to the gym.

Backpack Style

Backpacks fell out of style for a while because they were drab and lacked a fashionable look – but they have evolved, and are now riding a wave of popularity. A high-quality backpack in leather, for example, can be at home in many office situations as well as job sites and social functions.

These bags maintain the traditional comfort levels and ability to carry heavy loads for longer commutes too. They are the – fashionable – workhorses of the modern workforce.

Duffel Style

Large duffel bags are ideal if you want to carry a large amount of gym gear as well as your work gear, with dedicated laptop compartments.

What's a Laptop Tote Bag?

Laptop bags tote bags have all of the fit and function of a traditional laptop bag, but they can also handle your lunch, workout clothes, or other additional items that those other laptop bags just can’t accommodate.

Add to this the wider straps and ability to throw it on cross-shoulder for longer trips, and a tote is a great option.

Do keep in mind that totes are often open-topped, and don’t have a rigid structure to protect what’s inside against bumps and falls though. If you need something to act as travel armor for your laptop, go with something more traditional.

Related:

• Women's Laptop Bags
• Travel Tote Bags
• Laptop Tote Bags
• Women's Briefcases
• Best Tote Bags for Travel
• Best Backpack Purses

Wheeled Bags are Reserved for Travel

For a while, wheeled laptops looked poised to take over the market – they were able to carry the bulky laptops of yesteryear, along with all manner of heavy cables, mice, mousepads, external drives and so on.

As laptops got smaller, lighter, and memory levels exploded, however, consumers moved back toward smaller, more fashionable bags.

Wheeled bags are still around, but they are harder to find and may not offer as many style choices as the non-wheeled types.

Bag Sizes To Consider

A good first step is to measure your laptop and other major items before buying a bag to put them in. Sounds obvious, but in the excitement of finding that great-looking bag, this is sometimes overlooked!

We list bags appropriate for Windows laptops, Apple MacBook computers, and tablets/iPads, both with and without crossbody straps. We also have bags for both 15-inch laptops and 17-inch laptops in the main compartment, making them a perfect work bag, an alternative to the traditional leather briefcase.

How Big is Your Laptop?

All of our laptop bags include a padded compartment. Each one has a specific measurement, from 8” tablets to 17” laptops. Compare the listed dimensions of your laptop to these compartment types and you’ll know if your device will fit.

Most laptop measurements are for screen size, but don’t forget to consider the space around the screen as well (called the “bevel”). This can add an inch to your machine’s dimensions.

Different brands and styles of laptop have different thicknesses too, so that is a consideration. Make sure, if you have a thicker machine, that you choose a compartment a bit bigger than what would be standard for your device.

Related posts:

• Stylish Work Backpacks
• College Backpacks
• Cute Leather Backpacks

What Extra Space Do You Need?

Are you a minimalist, or a ready-for-any-contingency kind of person? If you currently have sanitizer, tissues, power cables and mints in your bag, you might want to go for a size with more than “just enough” room in it.

If, on the other hand, you prefer a sleek look and are willing to duck into a convenience store for anything you may need in an emergency, then you can estimate to a tighter degree.

Either way, begin by laying everything out on a table, so you have a good mental picture of what needs to go in your bag. Note any pockets that particularly suit certain items.

If you are a traveler for instance, consider a bag with a pocket that suits carrying travel document, or that inflatable travel pillow you’ve had your eye on.

An easy-to-find, reliable place for important items can be the difference between fumbling a presentation or chance meeting, and showing that you know what you’re doing… that’s worth some planning.

FAQ's

Is there a preferred brand of laptop bag?

You can go with a well-known brand like Von Baer, or find a great generic bag that has all you want or need – probably at a lower price point. If the name brand is important to you, there are lots of options – and if it isn’t, you can still find a great quality bag that hold up just as long, and looks just as good.

What's the best material?

Many bags are made of fabric and/or canvas, but are still good-quality bags that keep out the water and keep your items safe. There are other options too, such as rubberized plastic, neoprene, and a popular favourite of course: leather.

As long as your bag is waterproof, will hold together, and fits the bill in the looks department, there is no wrong choice.

However if you ask us, leather is the best all round option, as it offers a more fashionable look for those who care about their appearance.

Are there any essential features?

There are particular features that certain users want – a lockable closure, for instance, is popular with those who transport private documents or valuables as part of their work – but there are a lot of features that are common to most bags as well. Additional padding, pockets, address tabs, straps, inserts, phone pockets, headphone holes, etc. are pretty common offerings. As far as these go, it comes down to personal choice.

What we recommend every good bag has, though, is some degree of padding or protection for your devices, and that the whole bag is at least water resistant – better yet if it is waterproof. That, and comfortable straps, are highly recommended.

Backpack vs Shoulder Strap Bag

If you are in a more formal office situation, a side carry is usually more appropriate. As you move toward the less formal, a side carry laptop bag or more stylish backpack might work. In casual situations, the backpack is the most popular – and probably most fitting – choice.

Ultimately, it is up to you and the image you want to (or are expected to) project in your particular workplace.

Can I carry a laptop in a normal bag?

In some cases, once in a while, yes it can. For most people though, it is far better to have a bag that is suited to work first, and might be usable in other situations too.

Add in the extra protection for your devices and other work items, and it’s worth it to invest in primarily for work. That first time something is spilled on your bag, or it tips into an unnoticed puddle or fountain, you’ll be thanking yourself for ensuring the safety of your items.

Best Alternatives

The most obvious alternatives to a laptop bag would be either a laptop backpack or a laptop handbag.

Shoulder bags are also a popular choice if they are big enough to hold a laptop.

We have some useful articles comparing other alternatives below:

• Best Backpacks
• Best Laptop Backpacks
• Best Commuter Backpacks
• Best Travel Backpacks
• Best Backpacks for High School
• Designer Laptop Bags for Women
• Women's Work Bags with Laptop Compartments
• Cute Laptop Bags
• Crossbody Laptop Bags
• Women's Designer Briefcases

Conclusion

That was our post looking into the best laptop bags for women, we hope you found it useful. If you want to know anything else, then feel free to ask a question in the comments, or email us at info@vonbaer.com.

Author: Albert Varkki

Albert Varkki is the co-founder of Von Baer. He understands leather products as a consumer, supplier, and a manufacturer, helping you with the inside knowledge you need, to choose the perfect leather product for you.

We strive for the highest editorial standards, and to only publish accurate information on our website.