Ask Kim France: Any Non-Tech-Bro Work Backpacks?
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Kim France has joined the Strategist with a monthly column to answer the highly specific style questions of “girls of a certain age.” She’ll cover going-out outfits for Gen-Xers who don’t like getting dressed up, what to wear when you spiritually feel 27 but physically are about to turn 40, and solutions for anyone generally confused about pants. Send your questions for Kim to strategist@nymag.com.
I just started a job with regular train travel between NYC and Boston. I’m carrying a laptop around with me a lot as a result and have noticed that my go-to bags (totes where I carry all the weight on one side of my body) have started to impact my knees and back pretty negatively. But I’m not into the tech-bro backpack look! My dream is something that can be worn as a tote or converted to a backpack and that is leather or another material and color I’d normally wear.
Congratulations on your new job! I know you said you want a leathertotepack(as these hybrids are sometimes called), and I’ll show you some, but if you are having knee problems as the result of a too-heavy bag, I really like the idea of a nylon totepack for you. They are so lightweight, and — as nylon bags have become more popular due to their anti-fashion, anti-status vibe — there are so many good ones to choose from. Back in the ’90s, the only brand that produced nylon bags wasPrada, with its logo front and center. This is loathsome to me — why pay a deep amount of cash to turn yourself into a walking advertisement for whoever?
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MZ Wallace has made its logo increasingly inconspicuous, which I appreciate, and I do really like a quilted bag under any circumstance. It comes in black too, but the navy is a touch moresportif.
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And speaking ofsportif, this one is just exceptionally, cutely so.
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Another quite good nylon option that rings in nicely under $100. Fjällräven’s bags always come in a fantastic selection of colors, and they are seriously built to last.
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I don’t typically like a bag with a lot going on, but this one from Spanish brand Desigual somehow makes me happy. It does quite a few iterations of the totepack — this onein raffiais pretty outstanding too. And thisblack waxed oneis probably more elegant, if that’s the effect you’re going for.
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This one also comes in a black version that is probably a touch more sophisticated, but I always like a pop of yellow.
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When it comes to affordable leather bags, this is the one to beat — it has just about all of the pockets a person could need, and it’s pretty chic too.
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Cuyana’s totepack is a bit pricier, but I do think this fantastically chic light-brown one might be worth it.
I know you love button-down shirts as much as I do. Do you have any recommendations for people with wider hips? I find that if a shirt fits me correctly from the waist up, I’m unable to close the lower buttons.
So many brands makebutton-downsin a boyfriend cut, which is typically a bit roomier. And — though it has been called outdated just about everywhere — I still think a half-tuck is just as smart and flattering as you can imagine. Popular opinion holds that you should try a curved-hem, soft shirt over a stiff, boxy one, and I 100 percent agree with that. Some manner of tuck always looks more put-together. Or you could choose a shirt that is cropped enough to not tuck in at all, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
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I love the fit of this shirt — roomy but not overly so — and it comes in quite a few good shades and stripe iterations.
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This is three inches shorter than Xirena’s other popular button-downs, and it hits just at the hip — and it manages to look put-together and not sloppy, even when untucked. It also comes in an impressive range of colors.
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Seersucker is always cool, both literally and otherwise.
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If you want a flowier shirt, there are a couple of ways to go. The first is to buy something silk, and the second is that you must not fear synthetics. This shirt is made of a cotton-Tencel blend and is just as soft and silky as you please.
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This one is 100 percent Tencel. Fear not!
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I was given this heavy silk shirt a year or so ago and have barely stopped wearing it since. In fact, I liked it so much I went for itin bluetoo. This shirt is pricey, there are no two ways about it, but it’s a real standout on the cost-per-wear front.
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This one has a lot of stretch, which comes in handy. It’s not a boyfriend cut, so if I were buying for myself, I’d go up a size. We need to de-stigmatize going up a size!
Recommendations for earrings and necklaces to brighten up basic outfits?
I decided to take your request as literally as I could and am showing you colorful jewelry, which is having kind of a moment. I’d say that these are all perfect for extremely basic outfits, because otherwise all of the color could be a bit much. If you want to come off elegantly, one piece like this at a time is all you need — or want.
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Another trend of the moment is the paracord, and the brighter, the better, as far as I am concerned. Roxanne Assoulin makes my favorite paracord necklaces, and if you go to her website, you canconstruct your own.
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One can find all manner of Assoulin dupes on Etsy, and I particularly liked this one because the necklaces look great and go for (comparatively) next to nothing.
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I love how delicate this necklace is and how much color it projects without looking junky.
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Here is something similar to the above but cheaper. I like that the range of colors is somewhat chaotic, but if you want something a bit quieter, this blue onemight work for you.
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Given a choice of just about anything, I will always choose the yellow one, and I like that this necklace can be doubled up for a choker effect. Also, some people find that yellow leaves them looking wan, but just a small hit of it — like this — won’t.
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Some (rather great) shades of these Veronica Beard earrings are sold out, but this Howard Johnson sherbet-y shade is still available and pretty good too.
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Rachel Comey can always be counted upon to deliver a truly excellent pair of earrings that are slightly funky but never too much — these aren’t exactly dirt cheap, but they do look way pricier than they are.
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Also from Rachel Comey and just as stunning as can be: this dramatic choker.
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A pop of turquoise is just about never a bad idea. And it’s not all that colorful, but thistiger’s-eye iterationis rather compelling too.
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This comes in three shades and definitely projects a quiet-luxury vibe.
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So fun, and it comes in two other rather good shades.
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