Winter does a lot of things to us. We bulk up – not only in our waistline but in our clothes, socks, bags, etc. As the weather warms up, the sweaters and bulky coats go into storage. The laundry piles get smaller simply because of less ‘mass’.
This is a good time of year to re-evaluate your briefcase. Everything is essentially getting smaller – think MacBook Air. Everything is moving to the cloud (or hard drive for you old-schoolers), so there isn’t much need to carry around folders full of documents. How may pens, chargers, and office supplies do you need to carry with you EVERYWHERE? Slim briefcases are an excellent option for commuters. Their 4″ (max) width gives them a sleek look.
Successfully navigating a slim briefcase has a couple requirements: 1. You have to trust technology. Get a smaller/lightweight laptop and a thumb drive or two if needed. 2. Get a good one. This can be a big investment, but skimping will come back to bite you sooner than later. 3. Don’t buy one that looks like a purse.
A few approved options:
1. Jack Spade Davis Briefcase: The folks at Jack Spade have the slim briefcase thing perfected. The Davis is a great example.
2. Orvis Heritage Leather Briefcase: The aged leather gives this a great touch. Perfect for the director-level corporate guy.
3. Lotuff Leather Zip Top Briefcase: The kind of bag that gets conditioned once a year, and handed down to a son or nephew when they graduate from college.
4. Ralph Lauren Purple Label Saddle Single-Gusset Briefcase: The Cadillac of the Ralph Lauren line. A big investment, but it’ll turn heads.
5. Hermes Etriviere II Briefcase: It takes a certain type of guy to carry a Hermes briefcase, but for those that do, this one is serious business.
6. Jack Spade X Barbour Waxed Canvas Briefcase: Anything Barbour gets automatic inclusion into this list. Oh – it’s on sale, too.
7. BILLYKIRK #237 Padded Zippered Briefcase: This one is prime for a 20-year lifespan. It should age gracefully.
8. Martin Dingman Rudyard Carriage Laptop Briefcase: MD does well with the Rudyard collection – it has a ‘heritage’ look that can be dressed up or down.
9. Blue Claw Co Frankfurt Field Briefcase: Very minimalistic, but extremely functional. Great looking bag.
10. Filson #256 Original Briefcase: It’s hard to argue against anything Filson. The 256 looks great in their ‘otter green’ as well.
Which one do you like?
It’s not a purse, it’s a satchel.
Its not a purse its european!
Also worth a look: http://shopmulholland.com/bags/briefcases/deerskin-negotiator-brief
I like the bags from Colonel Littleton in Lynnville, TN. I have the #1 Saddlebag Briefcase and the Colonel signed the inside.
You can also add the Sandqvist Mats Laptop Bag to the list. Although this along with all the bags you’ve mentioned are still quite big in size.