Women Travelers - Briefcase suggestion for petite woman

My niece has just passed the bar. I want to get her a really nice brief case. Her mom is thinking Coach, so we're looking at about $500.

She is beyond petite. She is tiny, less than 5 feet tall and slender. She will be doing family law with her dad and so she'll be going to court, but I don't want to get her a brief bag. But, I think it should be large enough for her laptop, and at least some files. When I practiced, I didn't carry a purse, but kept all my stuff in my brief case. I don't know whether she will want to carry a purse or not.

I frankly don't like all the pockets. I find them useless and they add weight.

So, do you ladies have recommendations? Thanks

I do love Coach (don't ask how much I've spent on the latest collection), but do they even make briefcases? I've never seen one in the stores.

How big is her laptop? I carry a monster 17" Macbook pro (my own choice. Ow my aching shoulder.) and have the lovely Barcelona bag from Zegari.com. http://zegari.com/barcelona-messenger-bag.php It's heavy, but it carries everything I need, and is available in a 15" model as well.

The choices are a LOT more open in the 13 - 15" range. There are some fantastic reviews of feminine briefcase/laptop bags here:

http://www.squidoo.com/laptopbag

When I take along the 15" macbook pro, I sometimes use the Jade bag from Abbi New York (myabbi.com), which never fails to draw compliments when I pull it out. They don't make it any longer unfortunately, and the silk brocade isn't nearly as durable as a leather bag would be so I can't recommend it as an everyday bag. My other 15" bag is the Champs Elysees Business Tote from Metstyle, but a purple bag, much as I love it, isn't what I want to carry everyday either. For that I use a nice beige leather bag I picked up in Mexico on a whim. It was cheap, but still draws compliments.

I have many other bags, but the Barcelona really stands out for me as a feminine, business-savvy bag that holds both a laptop and all the necessities for a day at work. It's as gorgeous as it looks online.

ETA: I just looked at the coach.com Business section, and the bags they're touting as "business bags" just wouldn't cut it for a laptop. I have the Tribeca tote and a Madison Julianne, and neither are big enough for even my 15" MBP. They didn't have the Cambridge bags out when I hit Holt Renfrew last week (picked up a large Madison Sabrina, LOVE it.), but I doubt they'd work for laptops either.

Thanks. I have an old fashioned regular Coach briefcase and my 15" MBP fits in it in a sleeve.

I'll email my niece your suggestions.

Check Coach outlet stores for good deals on briefcases and legal pad holders.

*facepalm*

The briefcases are in the Men's section?! This makes me unhappy.

*facepalm*

The briefcases are in the Men's section?! This makes me unhappy.

Yep. I don't know what they are thinking. I thought they might make something nice and a bit feminine. My old Coach looks like a big model of their classic leather handbag with the shoulder strap. Nothing like that on the web.

There's a thread on the lack of women's business bags and the targetting of men for briefcases over on the purse blog's Coach forum. I had to throw in my two cents.

I see why you complain about briefcases being in the men's section. If you wanted to give them the benefit of doubt one could argue that they simply think the design of these cases will appeal more to men, instead of reproaching them that they think women are not professionals and hence don't need briefcases. So much for the side note.

On the actual briefcase recommendation I think there are a number of things to consider. If she is so petite she is most likely not very strong but will have to carry a rather heavy briefcase on a daily basis, which she will soon come to hate or ruin her back. It might be a good idea to actually get a wheeled case or a little cart. Also it is certainly a good idea to look for a really lighweight laptop that will do all she needs to do. Something under 4lb with good battery life so she doesn't need to haul a 1lb power supply on top of it.

I just saw the Mvision T series by EZM. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/991303-nice-surprise-mvision-briefcases-ezm.html

Very nice. In her case I'd go for the smaller T300.

Now this design might look not feminine or elegant enough for her taste but a briefcase is really one item where it almost counts more what it says about you than how you like it yourself, especially in a job where impressions count so much.

I'd much prefer a lawyer who shows me with her briefcase that she stands above gender specific considerations and chooses function over form. A slightly masculine or unisex briefcase would be well appreciated. I'd get a very simple black leather one with brass or silver fittings. Perhaps something from a British brand. I wouldn't take her quite as serious if she had an obviously feminine looking model, say pink patent leather with yellow flowers (just exaggerating a little here).

I'd also recommend to look into the Pi-Quadro and Mandarina Duck brands for a more unusual fashion statement than Coach, which I find is somewhat of a prolo brand (sorry, but I am very snobbish with these things). A case that fulfills its function but that is hard to find shows me that this lawyer is finnicky and will find a solution even if it's hidden.

Till

Just talked to a female friend of mine. She agreed about the importance of portraying a certain image and making a certain impression.

She had three more suggestions.

1. Take her best friend out for shopping if it needs to be a surprise and if that's possible, or consult with your niece directly or give her a budget so she can get something she likes herself.

2. Get the best there is. Even if she doesn't use it regularly for whatever reason she can still use it for the special occasions and will think well of her aunt.

3. Make sure it is something where you can open the bag easily and get stuff out easily. She might have to go through security many times a day at the court house.

I have found it very difficult to find NICE bags/briefcases for my laptop too. Mainly because they have to be big enough for my laptop and some papers and maybe some magazines, when traveling. Some years ago I found one from Samsonite. I bought it, but it was not big enough. Two years ago I found a very nice bag from Furla. I don't think it is a "lap-top" bag, but my lap-top fits in with some papers and magazines. Even my "zip-lock" with liquids and my make-up bag fits too. I bought this at an outlet-store in UK. Because I really liked it I have tried to find it in black (mine is red), but have had no luck. So I am not sure if you will find it....

Anyway, what I would suggest is a type of "shoulder-bag" because that looks good and is easy to manage because you will have both your hands free.

Here is a picture of the red bag: http://reiseshoppaholic.blogspot.com/2008/03/bicester-outlet-village.html


xxx

I'd much prefer a lawyer who shows me with her briefcase that she stands above gender specific considerations and chooses function over form. A slightly masculine or unisex briefcase would be well appreciated.

LOL Does that mean I should expect a male lawyer to show me his feminine side so that I can see he stands above gender specific considerations?

I'd get a very simple black leather one with brass or silver fittings. Perhaps something from a British brand. I wouldn't take her quite as serious if she had an obviously feminine looking model, say pink patent leather with yellow flowers (just exaggerating a little here).



I think the OP was less concerned about the pink patent leather and more concerned about size/weight for her 'beyond petite' niece. There are backpacks/daypacks specifically designed for a woman's frame, surely there can be a briefcase designed likewise that still projects a professional image.

LOL Does that mean I should expect a male lawyer to show me his feminine side so that I can see he stands above gender specific considerations?



I think the OP was less concerned about the pink patent leather and more concerned about size/weight for her 'beyond petite' niece. There are backpacks/daypacks specifically designed for a woman's frame, surely there can be a briefcase designed likewise that still projects a professional image.

Good one! See here is the mean thing about this gender game. If the male lawyer sported said pink briefcase he might be either decried as gay or as being a little extroverted, that might even bring him bonus points. In general though, he is just lucky that most companies will carry something that might be his style and he probably won't waste much time on the decision anyway. It should be not important for him to show whether he is male or not, just as it should not be so important to show for a female lawyer that she is female. That's what I mean with standing above gender considerations. Besides, it will probably be hard to miss that she is female. ;)

I addressed the "petite" issue elaborately in my original post and offered a few specific suggestions in terms of models and in terms of weight reduction (for the load, not for the lawyer).

Till

I love my Lodis brief tote for everyday use for a few files and a medium laptop.

http://www.ebags.com/lodis/audrey_slim_triangle_briefcase/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=14985

It's leather, available in black and has the best organizational front panel IMHO. And it is as lightweight as leather can get without looking cheap. The business card pocket in the front organizational panel is gusseted to hold a large stack of cards. It also has a vertical oval hole to help you push up on the first card to easily extricate it quickly and without looking and fidgeting at it. There are many other fancier brief totes around but none of them have this feature.

However, if prestige is a big factor, Aspinal of London, Smythson's, Longchamp, MCM, LV and in some circles Prada is a good choice. Also is she working for her father or is she working with her father? In some firms, there is an unspoken dress code where certain brands and style of dress (contrast collar shirts/shirts with cufflinks/shirts with monogram/color of shirt) correspond with hierarchy.

I was given a genuine Fendi brieftote as a college graduation present I couldn't use in my first job as a Legal Assistant and I couldn't even sell it to one of the Senior Associates because of this unspoken dress code (She wasn't senior enough to be able to use it). I had to go out and buy an ugly $29 black nylon Kenneth Cole tote to be "properly attired".

If there is a large stack of documents for transport and court-use, then usually it's in a rolling faux-leather filing case of the standard you see in Staples catalogs. These are company provided, and go through a lot of abuse so don't worry about getting her anything for this purpose.

Good Luck :) and congrats to your niece.

So this is a little late but hopefully it may still be of value to you. I'm like 5'2" on a good day and as a graduation present years ago my parents got me a Brighton briefcase. Stylish, fairly lightweight (even with all the junk I pack in it including a laptop) and easy to carry without causing pain. They also have multiple styles and types depending on what your needs are.