My mother swears by her Perlina tote. The leather is soooo soft, but strong. They have lots of pockets, and usually divide the main pocket into several compartments. She had one that lasted, literally, 10 years...and that's with daily use lugging heavy folders and book to and from her office. Now she's had a new one of the past year, and it still looks perfect. Highly recommend them. Not trendy, but very classic and practical.