Three Work Bags Under $100.00
You need a bag to get all your stuff to and from work, but you don’t want it to be so expensive that you’ll have to work overtime to pay for it. You want something that looks professional, is of decent enough quality, and would be respectable in a number of environments. It’s rare to find one that fulfills those requirments for under $100, but they’re out there. Here’s three of them, moving from left to right at the top of the page.
Kenneth Cole Roma Underarm Portfolio – SALE $87.50 (Reg. $125)
(UPDATE: As is sometimes the unfortunate case, the sale on this one just ended. So it’s back up to $125, but, in my opinion still a bargain. Kenneth Cole does sales a lot, so, keep an eye out if you need to keep it under $100). The most professional of the three. Razor sharp in design. A no nonsense brief for the guy who doesn’t find it necessary to lug around a lap top every day. Jet black, terrific hardware, and a thin shoulder strap for when you need it.
Marc New York Messenger – SALE $66.50 (Reg. $95.00)
Hardly anyone works in a suit and tie office anymore. Hardly anyone work in a shirt and tie office anymore. This is for the guy who wears a tie when he doesn’t have too, but anything more would make people raise an eyebrow. Sporty, tons of great details, and the color goes with anything.
ASOS Retro Satchel – $47.35
The cheapest of the bunch at under fifty bucks, the like-leather exterior is simple and the double buckle flap over gives it a distinct retro-satchel feel. Which is probably why they called it the ASOS Retro Satchel.
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I have watched and read as GQ and Esquire have quietly thrown the messenger bag “under the bus” in favor of a real leather briefcase. I couldn’t disagree more.
I find my messenger bag is functional, as well as comfortable. Best yet, I won’t forget it in the subway or bus (mostly because we don’t have them here.) On the other hand, I would forget my briefcase everywhere.
Now then, I owned a Kenneth Cole messenger bag a few years back, and I could not have been more profoundly disappointed. It lasted less than one year with normal use. The outside leather looked good, but its interior parted from the polyester material base within a few months. I had to sew and repair it myself.
My wife purchased one for me at Wilson’s Leather for Christmas more than a year ago, and holy cow, it’s holding up to the same use with flying colors.
I recommend really investing in a nice, well-built one, rather than something that simply looks good.
Well, if you always want to drop some serious cash, there’s Saddelback Leather Company. Here’s one of their thin briefs that’s as close to a standard messenger as they get. Comes with a 100 year warranty. That Kenneth Cole underarm brief is at the top of my list, but since it’s an under arm brief I’d only use it every so often. Not every day. Just bought a Ben Sherman messenger off Gilt for that. I also once spent $35 on a canvas messenger at Target. Its never given me any trouble.