Finding a daily carryall bag is no small feat—it’s practically a full-time job. There are the nonnegotiables: sleekness, versatility, quality, and the ability to hold an alarming number of bits and bobs. After months of test-driving contenders, I finally met my match: Coach’s Empire Carryall.
It’s the bag that instantly checked every box, but more importantly, it keeps pace with my 9-to-9 reality—with what is essentially my entire life tucked (sometimes) neatly inside—running from morning coffee to afternoon market appointments to a drinks and dinner after hours.
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I avoid the bag swap as nothing good ever comes from it: Your favorite lip liner vanishes, your phone charger goes MIA, and somehow you can’t get into work because your ID is nowhere to be found. As a one-bag loyalist (for the most part), I like to stick to classic silhouettes and colors—but that means that personalization is key to really make it feel like me. Recently, I’ve fallen deep into the world of bag charms, which you’ll find adorning all my totes and carryalls. A tiny hearted London charm as a nod to home, an oversized tassel for drama, always with a printed scarf or a pair of wired headphones peeking out the top. Size matters—it needs to hold my laptop—which this one does, and then some. Let me show you how with a day in the life of me and the Coach Empire Carryall 40.
The Morning Coffee Run
When my day is going to be busy, I take myself out for a quiet morning coffee before the chaos begins. It’s my own personal time to map out the hours ahead. Never one to leave the house empty-handed, my Coach Empire Carryall always comes with me; it holds everything from my daily planner to my current book and all the tiny essentials that make me feel complete—and filling it has become a ritual I genuinely look forward to. Because the bag is so lightweight on its own, you can really fill it to your hearts’ content.
The Office Commute
En route to 1 World Trade Center, that’s when the real heavy lifting begins. In goes my laptop, plus all the extras that will take me straight through to 9 p.m. drinks (think: extra beauty bits, a change of sweater, etc.). Spacious enough to hold everything I could possibly need, yet structured and polished no matter how much goes in it, it’s the ultimate work bag—and my chic and reliable sidekick.
The Evening Outfit Change
What I love most about the Coach Empire Carryall is its versatility. It moves effortlessly from office hours to after hours, sparing me the dreaded bag swap. Its sleek black leather and classic ladylike silhouette can be paired with virtually anything. Tonight, I’m heading to the Vogue holiday party. I popped down to the Vogue coset to change into my look for the night: Coach’s star-printed dress from the resort collection, a pair of silver kitten heels. And who would I be if my trusted carryall didn’t come with me?
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