I need a good 'adult' bag...where to start?

This is a great thread! Personally, I feel armored-up and ready to intimidate at the office, once I grab my purse and head out the door in the morning.

Favorites in my closet that can fit a laptop or tablet:
  • I was gifted a Banana Republic purse that can fit a 22" laptop a few years ago. The same one isn't on their website, but their selection changes periodically.
  • A BCBG tote that my mum gave me. Again it isn't on their website, but the quality of the one I have is so great, that I would recommend this line.
  • Modalu London makes beautiful "big girl" purses at reasonable price points. I love the outside zipper pockets on these purses, because they are the perfect place to keep your boarding pass and passport, while traveling internationally. ;)
 
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Great thread! I have mixed feelings about Dooney and Burke, personally. Part of me thinks they're classic and pretty and a little fun, and they seem well made. Sort of like Coach, but without the overexposure dragging down their cache. Then there's the other part that notices it's mostly 40ish-60ish women who take themselves a bit too seriously who have them (at least where I live). Sort of the low-level executive's wife who drives a leased BMW and organizes charity fashions show with her friends at the country club. Which makes them like Coach in a way, but only among a certain set of people. But maybe that's not the connotation where you live--in which case, have fun! They're great bags for the price point.

Someone mentioned Rebecca Minkoff a ways up, and I can second that. I bought this one three years ago for, I think, $225, and it's held up pretty well. Big enough for a laptop or lunch box, and there are some pouches sewn into the lining for keys and a phone. There's also an interior zip pocket for whatever small things you have, and a credit-card-sized slot that's perfect for a bus/train pass and your office key card.

Mine's lost its shape a little, but I've been pretty hard on it. A purse shaper probably would have helped if I'd used one. And the saffiano leather is pretty durable: a little rain hasn't hurt it, and anything that's gotten spilled on it was easy to just wipe off.

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It's still for sale on Amazon at least. Maybe a little plain for some tastes, but it's not so trendy it will look dated in a couple years, and the logo is very discrete, unlike a Michael Kors or some Tori Burch bags.
 
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First of all, I really like your bag - super chic and clean lines. I kind of hate bags that are covered in labels.

Then there's the other part that notices it's mostly 40ish-60ish women who take themselves a bit too seriously who have them (at least where I live). Sort of the low-level executive's wife who drives a leased BMW and organizes charity fashions show with her friends at the country club. Which makes them like Coach in a way, but only among a certain set of people.

You literally just cracked me up with your spot-on description LOL - I definitely got a similar feeling from some of their bags. :lol:

On a very good note: I'm super-stoked, my bag came in yesterday and it's gorgeous. Definitely feels like a quality purchase - very heavy-duty. I should be able to carry a kitchen sink without worrying about the straps cracking. OH! And thank God, the inside isn't actually fabric, it's either more of that coated canvas material or some type of plastic-coated something (but it doesn't look tacky/cheap) - perfect for an idiot like me who manages to constantly spill crap in my purse, like lotion and stevia powder.