Every real professional woman knows you need to fit much, much more than a laptop, blackberry, and wallet inside your work bag — try a laptop, BlackBerry, a half-eaten baggie of dried mangos, gym shorts, a toothbrush, your tablet, a month-old New Yorker, loose business cards, a random necklace, and your pound of keys.
Women who have jobs (and lives) require a work bag that has all the room of a backpack and all the sophistication of a Birkin…and we think we've found exactly such a solution, which — cha-ching — rings in under $50! Measuring 11 inches by 19 inches, this Zara bag will fit everything you need (plus a few things you probably won't ever need, but can't part with just yet ).
Carry it by its top handle while you're standing in the elevator, sling the long strap over your shoulder as you're hoofing it to the subway, loop your arm through the handle when you're out to a working lunch, and set it on the ground (it stands!) while you're waiting for your train to come…this bag won't let you down. Now, if you could only say the same thing about the new temp down the aisle.
Zara City Bag, $49.90, available at Zara.