The 13 Most Stylish Tote Bags for Work, Travel and Errands
You won't have to struggle to fit everything inside with these styles.
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A quality tote bag should have one or two comfortable shoulder straps and a roomy main compartment that can fit a laptop, your water bottle and even farmers' market produce. Although simple in design, finding a tote that checks these boxes can be difficult given the sheer amount of options available.
Experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab narrowed down the best tote bags so you can carry on (in style). To find the best tote bags, our pros began with market research, surveying GH analysts and editors for their favorite styles, and then tested 20 different bags firsthand.
We made sure to include office-appropriate leather, casual canvas totes, lightweight designs and affordable options in case you'd prefer to splurge on a handbag instead. Although buying a new purse can certainly give you a thrill, there is nothing more practical than tote bag — and we feel strongly you won't regret purchasing one of the following.
Size: 14" x 10" | Colors: 5 | Material: Leather
Madewell's best-selling Transport Tote (no longer in stock) held our previous slot for best overall tote, but the Essential Bucket style has similar design features we know and love. Available in five neutral colors, this spacious tote is designed to fit a 15-inch laptop along with your water bottle, wallet, phone and other everyday essentials.
We appreciate the magnetic closure and wide shoulder strap that is adjustable via a stylish buckle. Although our editors wish this tote had more compartments, we do like the one interior pocket that can help separate smaller items like your keys from the large, unstructured space.
Size: 25.5" x 15.5" x 6" | Colors: 36 | Material: Recycled ripstop nylon
The Standard Baggu is popular for a reason: It's available in tons of fun patterns, affordable at just $14, lightweight and comes with an included carrying case so you can fold it up and take it with you just in case. Plus, it's versatile enough to bring to the beach, grocery store or brunch.
"This small, compact tote bag is ideal to throw in my purse when I don't want to schlep a huge bag but might buy something when I'm out," said one GH textiles analyst. "I'm constantly impressed with just how much it can fit."
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Size: 13.75" x 4.5" x 11" | Colors: 3 | Materials: Coated canvas, recycled polyester, faux leather trim
When Dagne Dover came onto the scene in 2013, the brand was perhaps best known for its bags made from scuba-like neoprene. If you prefer a sleeker look, the Signature Tote's exterior is made from coated canvas and features faux leather trim and brushed gold hardware.
It has padded laptop or tablet sleeve plus a large zipper pocket, two slip pockets and a water bottle compartment. Your workday essentials will be organized and secure thanks to a zipper closure.
Size: 11" x 14.25" x 6" | Colors: 7 | Materials: Faux leather, coated polyester, nylon zipper
Shay Mitchell's luggage brand has a cult following — and our style pros can see why. The Work Tote has over 4,500 online reviews and all of the organizational hallmarks we look for in a good tote, including interior compartments to keep everyday essentials easy to find. It can fit a 13-inch laptop and the trolley pass-through securely slips onto the handle of your carry-on.
Our tester rated the tote highly for its overall appearance and size. "The design is not only chic but also practical," they shared. The tester described the bag as lightweight and appreciated the removable crossbody strap, although they found the shoulder straps to be on the thinner side.
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Quince Classic Italian Leather Tote
Size: 11" x 18" x 5" | Colors: 2 | Materials: Top-grain Italian leather
Luxury leather goods usually cost hundreds of dollars, but this Quince tote is a total steal at just under $100. Testers especially liked how the tote bag looked on their shoulder and found it was easy to pack with roomy internal pockets for excellent organization. Note that the bag is on the heavier side (which is to be expected with leather), but it has a smooth finish and a flat bottom, allowing it to stand upright even when empty.
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Size: 16" x 12.5" x 6.5" | Colors: 1 | Materials: Neoprene, upcycled leather, canvas
The right tote for professional business trips needs to have a sleek look and a a well-organized and roomy interior. That's why we love this chic style from Lux and Nyx with an "absolutely stunning design and structure," according to one GH editor. She said, "it offers a great number of pockets to store anything from your laptop, books and loose items. In one of its outer pockets, it features a discreet zipper pocket so I can stash and remove my work badge or my keys with easy accessibility." She did note that the straps are on the shorter side, which can make them uncomfortable at times.
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Size: 12.5" x 17" x 4.25" | Colors: 8 | Material: Recycled cotton canvas
With a zipper closure and a cross-body strap for styling versatility, the Baggu Duck Bag is a major upgrade to your collection of freebie tote bags. This tote is available in a ton of fun prints, including embroidered flowers and bright stripes.
Testers were impressed that it "can withstand a heavy load" and one said that "since the bag itself is so big, it is nice to have a pocket so I can find my keys and wallet easily instead of getting lost at the bottom of the bag with everything else."
Size: 12" x 13" x 6" | Colors: 12 | Material: Cotton canvas
This iconic L.L.Bean tote has maintained its popularity over the decades, thanks to its timeless design you can elevate with a personalized monogram (that costs an extra $8). "I love how well this tote bag keeps its shape even if it's not fully stuffed," said one GH textiles analyst. "The thick canvas material is super durable and has held up great to constant use, even at the beach. It's a spacious bag that can hold everything I need."
Size: 11" x 12" x 4" | Colors: 9 | Material: Polyester
Don't risk damaging your handbag when there's inclement weather; use this weather-resistant tote bag on rainy days instead. This quilted tote features a water-repellent fabric and zippered closures to keep your belongings protected. We love that the interior lining features classic Vera Bradley prints. This bag is also entirely machine-washable for easy cleaning.
Size: 11" x 12" x 4" | Colors: 1 | Material: Polyester
Popular for its chic ballet flats, Mansur Gavriel also makes stylish and luxurious leather goods with versatile designs. This softly structured tote has a flat base for stability and a small zip pouch attached for your must-have items. With a large interior, this leather tote is ideal to use for any occasion, whether casual or formal.
There is no doubt this is a splurge buy, but since we first published this story, GH readers have been shopping the tote so much that it's currently the third most bought bag in this round-up!
Size: 12" x 12" x 7" | Colors: 7 | Materials: Nylon, embossed leather
A tote bag for school needs to accommodate a ton while looking cute enough to wear in class. Fitting a laptop and case, water bottle, notebooks, textbooks and more, this large tote from Longchamp blew away our testers for being able to hold an impressive amount.
It's made with durable nylon with a water-repellent finish and leather top handles for a stylish touch. The top has a zipper closure to keep all of your school supplies safe, especially important on rainy days.
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Size: 20" x 12.5" x 5.5" | Colors: 5 | Material: Full-grain leather, cotton twill lining
Most leather totes have an open top, but this style zippers closed to keep your belongings secure — ideal for commuting or traveling. We love that this pick is not only available in classic neutrals but also in a gorgeous bordeaux and navy blue.
There are also a few internal compartments to keep everything organized. Leatherology offers customizations like embossing and hand painting for a truly personalized bag, which makes it a great gift too.
Size: Not listed | Colors: 1 | Material: Nylon
Easily switch your tote bag to a backpack with this ingenious design. The backpack straps can be tucked away when not in use, so it looks just like a regular tote bag. Testers appreciated the option to wear this pick as a backpack when it was too heavy or if they were having shoulder pain that day.
It has a roomy interior with a padded laptop sleeve as well as a large outer pocket to hold essentials.
RELATED: The Best Men's Backpacks
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Emma Seymour is the associate director of the Good Housekeeping Textiles Lab where she oversees testing for all baggage categories, including totes. She tested over 20 different tote bags for this story and employed her background in fiber science and product quality expertise to evaluate each bag's construction.
Elizabeth Berry most recently updated this story to remove out-of-stock totes and incorporate newly tested styles. When she is running out the door to meet friends or run errands, Berry most often grabs a tote.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is the associate director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
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