We’ve established that there are some seriously fug laptop bags out there for women – so what’s a girl to do? Where are we supposed to go to find comfortable, cute and non-embarrassing bags to tote our laptops around in?
As I would much rather send my money to a hard-working craftster than The Man, I’ve found that Etsy is essentially a techy girl’s best friend. You have no idea how many amazing laptop bags I’ve found from them. Honestly. Why hand $50 over to Amazon for some bag that you have no idea what conditions it was made under, when you can help a sister (or a brother) out by purchasing these homemade goods for the same amount of money?
While I could have easily just posted a link to all the “laptop bag” search results on Etsy, I wanted to share with you the insanely awesome Etsy seller, XcessRize. I found so many cute bags from them that I felt they needed their own round-up of the amazing laptop/messenger bags they sell:
1. Tea Tattoo Messenger Laptop Purse, XcessRize, $69
2. Skull Roses Tattoo Black Messenger Laptop Purse, XcessRize $69
3. Yoko Black White Messenger Laptop Purse, XcessRize, $69
4. Sugar Skull Dots Hobo Style Purse, XcessRize $54
While Xcessrize’s bags may not be perfect if you have a conservative, cooperate job, they should work perfectly for all the ladies in the media and other creative fields. (Or for those of you who just don't give a shit what your coworkers think about your bag...)
If you’re looking for a stylish laptop bag that isn’t, say, covered in skulls, try out these bags from Etsy sellers MadebyHank, Jymberry, Retrofied and Glorydaze:
1. Classy Tote, MadebyHank, $68
2. Cloisonné and Basket Weave Hobo Bag, Retrofied, $48
3. Cherry Tote Bag, Jymberry, $40
4. Peony Sand Messenger Bag, Glorydaze, $57
What's really cool about all the bags that I've found on Etsy, is that they're not necessarily specifically for laptops. Some are handbags, some are just meant to be for books, and some are just diaper bags. However, every Etsy seller tells you the exact dimensions of the bag, how deep it is, and extra fun bits like if the stress points of the bag have been given extra stitching - so, you'll know if it will fit your laptop, and if it will be able to bear the weight of all of your crap.
Unfortunately, I’m finding that if you want a bag that isn't ugly or poorly made, you’re going to have to spend a bit of money. Even laptop bags at Target are pricey! In all seriousness, I checked as many large online retailers (excluding Wal-Mart. Fuck Wal-Mart!) as I could and the three bags below were the best I could find:
1. Michael Graves 3 Tier Computer Bag, Target, $29
2. Sumdex Laptop Messenger Bag, Target, $69
3.Maddie Powers Cutebug Laptop Messenger Bag, Target, $71
The bottom line? It looks as though if you want a chic, comfortable laptop bag that won’t embarrass you or result in thousands of dollars in chiropractic bills – you’re going to have to shell out more than $50/£50, and more than likely shop on Etsy!
Looks like handmade is the way of the future...