I Like Madewell’s Lexington Even Better Than the Transport Tote
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For the past few years, I used the Madewell Transport Tote — the Strategist’s longtimebest overall work baguntil it was discontinued — as my main work bag and sometimes for overnight travel as well. Mine was black leather with brown handles and weathered heavy use well, getting softer but not scuffed or visibly dirty. The handles stayed on and the zipper never caught, but I was getting tired of using the same one for so long and was finally ready for a new and different everything bag. Then I foundthe Lexington Tote, also from Madewell, which has become my new go-to.
It is remarkably light, and the leather is buttery soft with a pebbled finish that doesn’t scuff or mark easily (it’s also certified by the Leather Working Group, which promotes sustainable environmental practices in the leather industry). I’ve even taken it for a hike through the woods because it was the only bag I had on hand, and all it needed afterward was a dusting off to look good as new again. I have the burgundy color, but it comes in a caramel leather as well as dark-brown and olive-brown suede versions.
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The one issue I had with the Transport Tote was that it was a north-south bag, and being deeper than it was wide made it easy to lose things in it. The Lexington is boxier and has a wide opening — over 22 inches — and I can fit my entire head in it. For comparison, I’d say the Transport Tote only opened about half that amount, and the zipper made the opening even narrower. In the Lexington, my smallest lip balm or slimmest pen won’t vanish into the depths of the bag. It closes with only a small clasp, so you have to be somewhat careful with how you set it down or put it through an X-ray machine at airport security. There is one inner pocket, also without a zipper, but I rarely use it and tend to dump everything in the main compartment (another reason why the shape of the bag was particularly important).
The sides of the Lexington can fold in or fan out depending on how much space you need. I can fit my 13-inch MacBook comfortably inside, along with a water bottle, snacks, notebooks, pens, lipsticks, sometimes shoes, and kids’ wet swimsuits. Even stuffed, the bag retains its shape quite well. And when it’s empty, it is structured enough to remain upright. The straps, at a little over nine inches in length, fit comfortably over my shoulder, whether I’m commuting to the office or hiking on a trail.
More bags we like
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Another possible replacement for the Transport Tote.
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A popular work bag for a reason, and one of Mya Gelber’s go-tos.
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A bright canvas tote from Roman Coppola’s creative agency.
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