Dappered

Affordable Men's Style

Style Battle: Under $60 work bags

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Ben Sherman Laptop Bag – $49.99 | Topman Grey Fabric Brief – $60.00

For the guys who have Saddleback on their wishlist, but can’t shell out $400 right now.

If you’re some high powered attorney or maybe a sales rep, you’re going to want a high quality briefcase/work bag to show your clientele you know what you’re doing.  If you’re a standard desk jockey or work in a pretty casual work environment, then pretty much anything more sophisticated than a backpack should be sufficient.

But it’s not about being sufficient.

Both of these keep the cost low by using fabric instead of leather.  I’ve had the Ben Sherman bag for about a year and it’s treated me well.  It’s casual, it’s cheap, and it’s (so far) holding up.  Plenty of room for a medium to small laptop, it’s simple, and the top grab handles are well anchored & easy to grab.

The Topman is a new arrival and easily wins the looks battle.  Nice herringbone pattern and shape.  But cheap Topman bags have been known to fall apart, and my Ben Sherman bag has stood up to a nice beating.

Which would you carry?  Leave your vote in the comments section below.

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Comments

  1. I actually got the Ben Sherman bag during the endless sale a few weeks ago. I like it a lot, but the only caveat I’d offer that it’s JUST a laptop bag. Tough to fit my charger in there without making it look pregnant, much less larger sized headphones or anything else.

    With that said, it’s still a very sharp looking bag!

  2. The Ben Sherman looks nice but like Aaron said it IS just a laptop bag. I prefer more of a briefcase style bag like the Topman so I can fit in my charger, papers, and other assorted work gear without my bag looking overstuffed. The topman is a very sharp looking bag I have to say. I’d be tempted, it’s a good price point.

  3. do you have any suggestions for a business “case”. I am looking for a bag and need more room than this since I really don’t have an office. Laptop, some files, etc

  5. I ordered the Topman Grey Fabric Brief a couple of weeks ago. I’m excited to see if it is durable for my everyday use.

    Beware of the shipping times though, I have ordered two things from Topman. The first took a month to get to me, and this bag is 2 weeks and counting… Their international package tracking is non-existent at this point.

  6. A few of the Nordstrom Racks in my area have these Ben Sherman bags in all kinds of colors. Unfortunately, like the man said, it’s a no-go if you rock something like a full-sized MacBook Pro.

  7. I bought the Ben Sherman bag in November. Typically I’d carry a laptop, a binder and one large book which, along with the charger, barely fit.
    Lasted about a month and a half before one of the metal clips which hold the shoulder strap suddenly broke. Wasn’t too impressed

  8. I’ve got the Ben Sherman bag– it’s great if you want something slim and functional for a laptop and some papers, maybe a book. There’s not much padding but an incase sleeve for my 13inch laptop works perfectly.

  9. I’m a big fan of the old-school Danish School Bag – particularly the 8118 style. They tend to be made rugged, and the black style listed here actually looks more professional in real-life:

    http://amzn.com/B000NZKXCW

    Simple, well-made and will last you until the Sun burns out. The only drawbacks is no padding (use a sleeve case for your laptop) and they are only waterproof for about the first 15 minutes in the rain.