LucyStoner Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 After 10 years of scrub pants in a hospital tech type job, my husband is excited to be starting a job that is a foot in the door with healthcare related IT. For several years, he worked FT, went to school fulltime and plowed through many certs to get this sort of opportunity. It's a large company and the dress code is formal, suits and ties are the norm with a shirt, tie and slacks at a minimum. He's been a bike or bus commuter in a much more casual dress environment and his backpack is falling apart. It's held together at this point with some bad sewing, some safety pins and a smattering of duct tape. The new job is right downtown, on an express bus line and with the dress code, he's not going to be biking it to work at least at first. I'd like to get him a nice briefcase/work bag with a shoulder strap without spending a ton. Ideas? I am thinking brown but perhaps black would be more flexible. Needs to be large enough for laptop and lunch. Something reasonably stylish. His new work wardrobe is shaping up to be mostly charcoal and blue suiting. Nothing too bulky because he will be on the bus. It's sort of a new graduate/new job gift rolled into one and I figure on a large board, someone's been shopping for one too for a recent college graduate and might have some leads on deals or just cool bag options. Spam me with links. Please. Thanks in advance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 https://www.ebay.com/i/263434810718?chn=ps https://www.etsy.com/listing/577264150/lands-end-bag-square-rigger-black-twill?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-bags_and_purses-luggage_and_travel-briefcases_and_attaches-other&utm_custom1=1abc5bfa-80bf-4a6a-81cd-0ae82dea681d&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI98rB0Nyq3AIVW7jACh28VgMgEAQYAiABEgL4P_D_BwE I have one of these (I believe the original) and it has lasted me nearly 20 years. Just now, the zipper on one side is breaking and I am still using it. One of the links says "garment bag" but this is not what it is. If you click on the second link, there is a brown leather bag (not a square rigger) shown in a pic above the featured bag but it looks like it might work as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Look for secondhand Timbuktu messenger bags in thrift stores and online. Or spend the $80-120 on a new nylon one. There are some nice all-black ones that would work well in a business environment, they handle heavy loads and will last for years. I've known some people who carry all their casebooks and textbooks to law school in them every day (50+ lbs of hardbacks), and had them last all 3 years and still be in good shape. Everyone I've known said they are comfortable. I've heard the nylon ones might be more durable than the pricier options. Or it might be a coincidence that the person I know got a dud. https://www.timbuk2.com/collections/all-messenger-bags 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I purchased a messenger bag from LLBean years ago. I'm now very tired of the color, but the thing is in excellent shape, so we still use it! I don't know if they would be business dressy enough or not though. https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/845?page=messenger-bags 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 DH has the LL Bean continental briefcase and it's awesome - lots of pockets, and has held up well. He's had it for years and it doesn't show any wear. https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/848?&qs=3091716_GOOGLE&Matchtype=e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIouKN7Kar3AIVQlcMCh1xZAlmEAAYASAAEgLn_fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CJeD9O6mq9wCFVNlwQodSJcKCA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 What about a satchel like this. It also has backpack straps so that would be an option if he returns to biking to work. https://www.ebags.com/hproduct/sharo-handbags/three-in-one-backpackbriefmessenger/271752?productid=10298224&cat=attaches-&-briefcases&country=US¤cy=USD&couponid=94790994&sourceid=ADWPRODUCT&adtype=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-oyTkK-r3AIVy5yzCh0bHwlxEAQYAiABEgIdDfD_BwE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 My husband has the Tumi Alpha 2 expandable laptop briefcase for years and he sometimes takes the light rail. He use it for business trips as well. Link is to the black one at Nordstrom but it’s cheaper for us at Nordstrom Rack (about 50% off) and Tumi Outlet (about 30% off). I have the non-expandable one and it’s holding up well. https://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/tumi-alpha-2-expandable-laptop-briefcase/3792048 I have the Alpha - T-Pass™' Business Class backpack as well and that has last many rides on buses, trains and planes and still look new. https://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/tumi-alpha-t-pass-business-class-briefpack/3086599 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 If you have a TJ Maxx nearby you might check there. I do see these types of bags at good prices there. Having said that, I'm totally in love with my Ogio backpack for work. They have messenger bags as well as business backpacks. https://www.ogio.com/backpacks/briefcase-and-messenger-bags/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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