I need a bag.

[franceslievens]

Actually I need two bags. Not because the other ones are completely worn out, but simply because a girl never has enough bags, hasn't she?

Wait, that's wrong. Both bags have been carried around for years, and show the inevitable proof of being used. The messenger bag I take with me to music class comes undone at the seems. My school bag has one zipper that sometimes opens on its own. And now I want new stuff. I want perfect bags in which I fit everything, but not too much, that have compartments for my mobile phone, keys, purse... and that don't have me carrying an extra bag around to put my money in.

Maybe I should be more specific.

Bag number one is my music class bag, but sometimes doubles as an oversized handbag when I go shopping or go to the library. It has to carry several score books. Most of those are A4-sized (or a bit smaller). Eastpack carries several messenger bags, but none of those close well enough to secure your purse, keys and mobile phone in there. I always travel by public transport, during rush hour. Eastpack bags leave too much possibilities for the pick-pockets of Brussels. Now I've been looking at smallish laptop bags from Belkin (cheaper at Amazon), but maybe those scream too much "I've got a laptop inside me. Pick me! Pick me!" And really I don't want to loose my score books to some stupid thieving wanker...

On to bag number two: my every day school bag. Right now it's big and always filled to the brim with books, my binder with lesson plans, lunch, iPod, speakers... You name it, I've got it in my bag and more (I believe I've got a couple of dice in there as well). When I teach I'm some sort of Mary Poppins. But Mary Poppins never showed the load she was carrying. Miss Frances on the other hand, sometimes stoops from all the weight on her back. And on days she doesn't carry her lunch around her bag is only half filled. What do I need? A rucksack that has space for a binder and several books, is easy to carry, and again not easy on the pickpockets. I am considering buying a smaller model than I have now, and carry my lunch around in a different bag, just so I don't have the half filled thing on half filled days. By the way, my current school bag is responsible for my love for laptop bags. It's a Samsonite laptop rucksack. One of the first laptop travel bags from back in the days. It easily carries a 17" laptop. And weighs a ton to drag all the way to school when I take P.'s old 12" Powerbook with me.

So what do you recommend? Or what do you like to carry around?

Comments

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

For my school bag I've got a Fossil backpack, but it looks like they don't make them anymore - they do have a large selection of various bags with only one strap, here's the women's collection (http://www.fossil.com/products/women-handbags-C30005.jsp) and from there you can also get to the men's messenger bags.

I'm quite happy with my backpack: it's fairly similar to the Eastpak ones, but a little more comfortable with better compartments with zippers and so on. But it's disintegrating slowly and might be too big for your purposes. I used to carry my wallet etc. inside it, but I've got a 'proper' handbag now.

When I got the laptop I also got a very sturdy laptop backpack which needs some accessorising because right now it's black and bleak.

As to brands, if you don't mind spending a bit more money, there's always bree (http://www.bree.de/index.php?l=2), but I don't know how functional their bags are.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

For my laptop/messenger bag I've settled on Hedgren (http://www.hedgren.com/uploads/2009/business/): I found a small laptop bag in their Utopia Young collection that can double as a music school bag and even a school bag when I don't have too much to take along. Extra feature: I can take the Powerbook with me every time I visit Oxford and have a decent bag to put it in.

Now I still need a new school backpack, but those are worries for after our holiday.