Paper has been replaced with a laptop and tablet or iPad, but still as a woman in business you have to carry around more stuff than your back is likely to appreciate. And while exercise is a good thing, forcing things is not.
So when you’re on the road a briefcase on wheels is just right. Especially if it fits your professional image and outfit and even perhaps ads that little touch of style that makes you stand out in the crowd.
There are basically two styles:
- Detachable: The briefcase can come off the wheeled back.
- Normal: The briefcase is stuck onto the wheeled back.
Let’s start with the default option: not-detachable
Kensington Contour Balance Notebook Roller Bag in Onyx, Fits Most 15-Inch Notebooks
At the same time it’s light-weight – one of the advantages of NOT going for a leather bag. After all, wheels or not – you will still have to carry it over small obstacles like thresholds.
Aside from holding a laptop up to 15 inch in a padded protected section, it has room for notebooks, kindle, clothes and there is even a water-bottle pocket on the side.
It’s small enough to fit under the seat on most airplanes and yet large enough to hold all your essentials.
This is a classic roller with two wheels.
In other words: the perfect bag for most business women.
Samsonite Women’s Spinner Mobile Office
I’m a Samsonite fan: the bags aren’t merely well designed, they also last. That’s a definite plus in my book.
As you can see it’s a four-wheeler, like most modern wheeled bags.
It has lots of compartments for pens, phone, iPad or tablet and so on. And they are all easily accessible when you’re in a meeting. Because that’s what this bag is designed for: as your mobile office.
That’s a plus if you want this bag for business meetings only. If you also want to carry your overnight stuff, you may want to look elsewhere. Then again – keeping one bag for the office and one for your nightgown is not a bad plan either. After all, you don’t want to risk opening your bag in a business meeting and have your underwear come out.
This bag too fits a 15.6 inch laptop and smaller. It’s a bit larger than the previous bag: it won’t fit under all airplane seats, nor will it fit in all the overhead compartments. It depends on the plane.
Python & Black Alligator iPad Tablet or Laptop Computer Four Wheel Spinner Rolling Briefcase
This JKM and Company Python and Alligator briefcase on wheels fits the niche of animal-skin look women’s briefcases on wheels. It’s also my first non-black selection.
The internal design of this bag is a lot simpler than the previous selections. However, it does have a padded laptop compartment that fits a laptop up to 16 inch, especially designed for the Macbook Pro.
Many women will love the side pockets: it’s a feature you don’t often see on carry-on luggage.
The bag is taller and wider than you’d expect, but also more flat. So don’t expect it to hold much more than a thick folder plus your laptop and whatever you can squeeze into those side pockets.
Detachable wheels with your women’s briefcase
When it comes to wheeled bags that allow the bag to be carried without the wheels, I always come back to McKleinUSA.
For women the two main options are the Lakewood and the Willowbrook. If you want a vertical style, there is also the La Grange. They’re each available in a wide selection of colors, including red, blue, black, pink, orange and green.
The Lakewood is smaller: it fits laptops up to 15.4 inch.
The Willowbrook and La Grange can handle laptops up to 17 inch. One user even reports that her Willowbrook holds her 19 inch laptop!
The vertical style of the La Grange means it is very practical in the isles of trains, buses and planes.
When buying one of these, check out the sizing options. They each have a few options, though not all are available at all times.