Courtesy of Michael Kors
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A casual handbag for Everyday use is arguably one of the most important items in your wardrobe. Yes, it needs to be practical, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful, too. If you’re considering a designer bag, the cost per wear needs to make sense, while more affordable options should be equally well made and versatile. Ask yourself, will it go with lots of items in your closet, and will its fabrication stand up to the challenges of day-to-day life?
The best everyday bags for women should also suit your lifestyle and fit those essential items easily and comfortably — from your gym kit to your wallet, keys, family essentials (if you have kids), tech, sunglasses, and phone. It may also need to be work appropriate if you’re heading to the office, and align just as well with smart tailoring as it does sweatpants and baggy jeans on the weekend. Emily Blumenthal, a handbag industry and design expert, says that while there’s so much choice available, there are a few key styles and shapes to focus in on.
“In this day and age, a great everyday bag consists of a crossbody bag, an oversized shoulder bag, or a soft hobo that has a wide-enough strap that could be worn as a crossbody as well,” Blumenthal says. “Although backpacks are still going strong, carrying a fashion-driven bag is still key. Having a pop of color integrated on the strap, top stitch, or pop-lining continues to bring the element of joy to the handbag purchase”.
If you’re ready to make the commitment but don’t know where to start your search, we’ve got you covered with classic everyday handbags. From super-luxe trophy bags by fashion heavyweights such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, to the more affordable everyday totes from contemporary labels such as Cuyana and Uniqlo, we’ve found a bag for every daytime occasion. Ahead you’ll find 15 of our favorite picks for 2023, chosen with the help and guidance of Blumenthal and Samantha Brown, a professional and celebrity stylist.
Related:
Best Slouchy Bags
The Top Everyday Bags for 2023
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Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Signature Crossbody Bag
Best Everyday Bag for Traveling
- Materials: Coated canvas
- Special features: Adjustable cross-body strap makes it ideal for travelling and commuting
- Pros: Lots of organization with rear slip pocket, card slots, and front zipped compartment. Coated canvas is also easy to clean.
- Cons: Some reviewers note that the strap doesn’t have the most high-quality finish
- Retailer availability: Amazon, Michael Kors
- Amazon Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
- Michael Kors Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
If you travel and commute a lot, you’ll need a well-organized bag to get you from A to B in style. This compact, crossbody bag from iconic American designer Michael Kors fits the bill with a rear slip pocket for your passport and tickets, front zipped compartment, and card slots for valuables. The logo coated canvas is a signature of the label that goes with almost everything and is easy to clean, too. Reviewers also say that this casual handbag for everyday use can fit practically everything you need for a short flight.
What the reviewers say: “It’s very practical: I carried my passport, small wallet, small packet of wet wipes, packet of tissues, charging bank, pen, 2 lipsticks, sachet of paracetamol, iPhone 11 Pro max and still had more space! It had a front zip compartment for things like tissue packet, lipstick, pen, etc. Middle large compartment for main things like wallet, charging bank, passport. It even had a sewn-on side pocket where I’d slide my passport without it getting damaged or bashed around. The outside sewn on flap pocket (back of bag that rested again your body) was great, hidden and secure to slide my mobile in.”
Price upon publish date of article: $79
Prada Re-Edition 2005 Re-Nylon Bag
Best Everyday Shoulder Bag
- Materials: Textile made from purified plastic collected from the ocean, iconic Saffiano leather trim
- Special features: Triangle logo plaque and keyring, available in 7 colorways
- Pros: Ideal size and shape for fitting under the shoulder, lightweight fabric
- Cons: No option for longer cross-body strap
- Retailer Availability: Saks Fifth Avenue, Prada
Carried by Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Lori Harvey, Prada’s Re-Edition 2005 Re-Nylon bag is one of the bags of the season. It’s inspired by the Italian fashion house’s original mini hobo but is updated in a fabric made from purified plastic trash collected from the ocean, textile fibers and fishing nets. Aside from its sartorial kudos, it’s practical, too. The bag fits snuggly under the shoulder and can also be worn as a crossbody. Yes, it may be small, but it packs a punch like no other.
Price upon publish date of article: $1,950
Courtesy of Prada
Saint Laurent Le 5 à 7 Hobo Bag
Best YSL Everyday Bag
- Materials: Leather
- Special features: Available in five colors
- Pros: Shoulder strap can be adjusted for your preferred drop
- Cons: Small size will only suit days when travelling lightly
- Retailer availability: Saks Fifth Avenue, MyTheresa
- MyTheresa Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
Saint Laurent’s gold logo plaque brings a ‘90s feel to its cult Le 5 à 7 hobo bag. Often carried by Hailey Bieber, this compact accessory is loved by celebs and fashion editors alike for the easy way it elevates a look. The craftmanship is also exceptional with gold hardware, a suede lining, and neat shoulder strap that can be adjusted to alter the drop. Choose from five very chic shades, including classic black and cream, and swing it proudly from your shoulder at every occasion.
Price upon publish date of article: $2,400
Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
Medea Leather Tote Bag
Best Everyday Bag for Women
- Materials: Vegan Leather
- Special features: Invisible magnetic button fastening
- Pros: Easy to find things inside, and the understated design goes with nearly everything
- Cons: Compact size can’t fit larger tech
- Retailer availability: Ssense, Cettire
- Ssense Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
If your work week requires you to look slick and put together, you’ll need a bag to match. This understated and elegant bag from Medea looks like a luxury shopping bag. But the minimalist bag is actually made from beautiful Italian vegan leather with a removable strap and convenient top handles. We think its beauty lies in its simplicity, plus it’s super easy to find what you need as it’s spacious but not expansive. Note that this may not fit larger laptops.
Price upon publish date of article: $300
Courtesy of Ssense
Gucci Ophidia GG Shoulder Bag
Best Designer Crossbody Bag for Everyday Use
- Materials: Leather and canvas
- Special features: Internal zipped pocket, adjustable strap, GG logo
- Pros: Can be worn on the shoulder or cross body, has secure zip fastenings and is made from durable canvas
- Cons: Smaller size can only fit essentials
- Retailer availability: Net-a-Porter, Gucci
- Gucci Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
- Net-a-Porter Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.9/5 stars
Gucci’s Ophidia bag is an icon of the bag world, characterized by its slouchy half-moon shape, signature GG canvas and red and green stripe. We love that the strap is adjustable so you can wear it cross body or slung over your shoulder, plus it has an internal zipped pocket for keeping valuables secure. An unmistakable work of the Italian fashion house, this is the kind of bag that will have a place in your wardrobe forever. Treat it well, and it will pay you back in spades.
Price upon publish date of article: $1,390
Courtesy of Gucci
Kate Spade Sam Icon Recycled Nylon Tote Bag
Best Sustainable Everyday Bag
- Materials: Recycled nylon and patent leather
- Special features: Contains 30% sustainably sourced materials
- Pros: Has an external back pocket for cell phone, zipped top, internal zip pocket, fits small laptop or tablet
- Cons: We’re hard pressed to find anything negative to say about this bag
- Retailer availability: Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s
- Nordstrom Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
- Bloomingdale’s Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
Kate Spade is a beloved handbag label, and the Sam Tote remains one of its core heritage styles that appeared in its very first collection. This incarnation is updated in sustainable recycled nylon, recycled polyester, and patent leather making it super lightweight yet structured. Ideal for the working week, this casual everyday bag has an external pocket to house your cell, a secure zipped top and internal pockets for your wallet and keys. It also has room for a small tablet or laptop, so it’s sure to become an essential part of your everyday roster.
Price upon publish date of article: $298
Courtesy of Bloomingdale’s
Cuyana Classic Easy Tote
Best Everyday Bag for Work
- Materials: Pebbled leather
- Special features: Made in Turkey, LWG certification, no synthetic lining
- Pros: Soft unstructured shape means it easily fits in essentials
- Cons: No compartments inside but can be paired with matching pouches
- Retailer availability: Cuyana
- Cuyana Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.4/5 stars
An editor favorite, Cuyana’s Classic Easy Tote has quite the following thanks to its versatility, elegance, and practicality. It’s made from butter-soft pebbled leather that looks better as it ages, and LWG certification that means it’s tanned using environmentally friendly methods. One of the best elements of this bag (other than its soft, unstructured shape that fits so much inside) are the customizable options. Choose from a range of shades such as terracotta and stone, and classic, tall and small sizes. You can even choose between having a zipper or open top.
What the reviewers say: “It’s everything you could ever want in a tote: the design is simple but polished, the leather is soft and beautiful, and the quality is so high that we’ve all owned ours for years.”
Price upon publish date of article: $268
Courtesy of Cuyana
Clare V. Agnes Backpack
Best Everyday Backpack
- Materials: Vegetable-tanned Italian cowhide
- Special features: Fits 14-inch laptop with room to spare, can be monogrammed.
- Pros: Top handle as well as shoulder straps, front zip pocket and double zipper at top, two-year warranty
- Cons: We’d like it in more colors
- Retailer Availability: Clare V.
If your everyday bag needs to comfortably hold a larger laptop with room to spare, consider Clare V.’s Agnes backpack. Made from vegetable-tanned Italian cowhide, it’s super soft and spacio
