This is the work bag professional women everywhere have been looking for

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Dagne DoverUntil recently, I often found myself lugging my laptop to and from the office — not wanting to part from important files or programs I may need offsite. That, in turn, led to toting around two bags instead of one, because my everyday purse wasn't big enough to accommodate my 13" MacBook Air.

But I got pretty tired of pulling double-shoulder duty. I really liked the look of my bag of the past year and a half, but it was hardly the most practical option for my day-to-day needs. So I started shopping around for work bags with roomy interiors and lots of compartments.

That's how I stumbled upon Dagne Dover, a women's handbag company specializing in commuter-friendly totes, satchels, and much more. I reached out to the company to see if they'd let me try out one of their bags, and they sent me their Simone Satchel ($395) and Classic Tote ($245) — the latter of which is my new favorite work bag for a handful of reasons. (The satchel is also a fantastic work bag, but the tote is ultimately a better value for me.)

Dagne Dover's founder and CEO Melissa Mash summed up my feelings about the tote best: "It’s no longer good enough to just be 'arm candy'. Nowadays we expect the services and products we use to multitask, to be data-driven and to work harder," Mash told Business Insider. "Dagne Dover is the only brand in the handbag market that does so while continuing to be stylish and organized."

I need a work bag that's working for me, not against me. And like the rest of Dagne Dover's customer base, I lead a fast-paced, on-the-go life and expect functional products that can adapt to my needs and perform beyond expectations. I want a product that fuses style with athlete-caliber function. The company's Classic Tote does — and then some!

On the outside, I have a durable, stylish, work-appropriate leather bag. But, as with many things, it's what's on the inside that counts most.

Dagne Dover

Some of Dagne Dover's most popular features incorporated into the bags — like the water bottle holder, padded laptop compartment, and key leash that makes your keys easier to find — are also some of my favorites. "It's really a game-changer when you can trust that your laptop is safe, your keys aren’t sitting on the countertop at home, and your water bottle is upright and not leaking on your phone," Mash said. As someone who admittedly hates carrying around her laptop in a reusable shopping bag, and who occasionally forgets her house keys on her dresser, I couldn't agree more.

Practicality and versatility are key when it comes to your work bag; great style is the cherry on top of everything else Dagne Dover has to offer.

Dagne Dover's Classic Tote costs $245 and comes with tons of features that make it great for work and easy to stay organized. It looks nice, too. I paid $400 for my old work bag, and though very pretty, it wasn't half as useful for my day to day. If you're someone who invests in their purses and has struggled to find a work bag that has everything you want, I can't recommend Dagne Dover enough — it checks all the boxes.

Better yet, if you are a teacher or member of the military, you are eligible for a 20% discount on any Dagne Dover purchases you make. Just fill out this form using your official education or military email address and the company will give you an exclusive code to use at checkout.