Considering I’m traveling this week for the annual Blogher conference, I can’t think of a better time to chat about laptop bags.

Ahhh, the laptop bag - finding the perfect one can be quite daunting, right?

It seems more and more women are commuting to work with their laptops in tow, so the importance of a well-designed, stylish bag is paramount. Some of the criteria that crosses my mind while looking for a new bag are style, size, function, quality and timelessness. The first four are relatively easy to distinguish, as most of us have varying style preferences and needs. Are you a light or heavy traveler? Do you find shoulder straps more appealing than tote handles? Do you like several smaller compartments or one larger space? How much are you willing to shell out for a bag?  All of these questions can really only be answered by you.

However, timelessness is key. Considering the price of quality bags these days, you need to get some bang for the buck. Sure, that vibrant orange and lime green floral pattern is fun, but are you still going to love it one or two years down the road? Maybe, but it’s something to think about before committing to a new bag.

Lucky for you (I hope), I have scoured the laptop bag market for some fantastic options. Most of these bags come in several different colors, so if you are interested in a particular shape or design, click the link for other colors.

Slide down my virtual rainbow, if you will. (Badum Chhh! I’ll be here all night, folks!)

Acme Made, $129.99

Samsonite, $79.99

McKlein, $159.99

Casauri, $94.00

Acme Made, $249.99

Crumpler, $85.00

Casauri, $74.00

Jojo, $99.99

Knomo, $250

Most the the above items can be purchased at Kolobags, which is a HAVEN of highly attractive laptop bags. I definitely recommend checking out their website if you are on the lookout, and please feel free to leave other stylish laptop brands in the comments. I’m a huge proponent of sharing the love, so join me in my quest to banish ugly laptop bags forever!

I’m Sarah, and I’ll be your new host at The Working Closet. I may or may not be a little nervous, due to the fact that I’m following in the footsteps of an incredible fashion writer, Susan Wagner.

Talk about some HUGE (yet perfectly pointy-toed!) FLATS that I must fill.

Let me take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my fashion manifesto.

1. I am a list-making savant. I love the idea of lists- organizing tasks, monitoring accomplishments, and keeping track of my daily grind. (Can you keep a secret? I actually write completed tasks on my list after the fact JUST TO CROSS THEM OFF.)

Ahem. Yes, you’ll probably be seeing a lot of lists around these parts.

2. I absolutely look forward to cleaning out my closet every season. (Crazy, right?)

3. I have a slight addiction to J. Crew, and will work very hard to keep this from turning into a J. Crew shrine.

4. Most busy patterns frighten me, but I’m working on becoming more accepting of non-solid-colored clothing items.

As for my fashion manifesto, I am a huge believer in owning 4-5 high quality basics as a wardrobe base to take you through season after season.

I believe in buying in bulk. (No, I don’t mean buying your clothes at Costco. If you find an item you love and looks absolutely fantastic on you, buy it in several colors.)

I believe accessories are the items that will allow you stand out from the masses.

I believe a proper, professional bra fitting can instantly take years (and pounds) off your frame.

I believe that current trends shouldn’t be discounted, but sometimes need to be “adapted” to accentuate bodies that aren’t 5′11″ and 125 pounds.

With that being said, I promise I will NEVER attempt to persuade you to wear this:

My eyes! My eyes!

Or this:

Hold me.

Or these:

Someone wake me from this nightmare.

Are you catching my drift? Excellent.

Joking aside, I’m so excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to help work YOUR closet! See you next week!

photos care of togshop, intermix and steve madden, respectively.

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” Coco Chanel

There are few simple rules for being stylish: wear what works for you, and what fits; think about your body and your life and your own specific taste. Don’t follow the trends just because everyone else is, but don’t discount trends entirely — make them part of your own personal look. Shop your closet before you shop the mall, keep your underwear out of sight, and save those flip flops for the pool.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much up to you.

This is my last post at The Working Closet. I could tell you all about how I am trying to find a better balance in my work and personal life, to measure what I do for a living and how I actually live, but I know that you are all familiar with that dilemma. So I will just say this: I have loved working here, both at The Working Closet and at Work It, Mom! I have loved being part of this community, and I will miss it terribly. I have been impressed, over and over, by the kindness and civility you have all shown me and each other, by the way you are able to disagree without stooping to attacks, and by the way you have responded to the very few commenters who have not used their best manners. I have enjoyed your comments and emails and the posts you have written about your lives and your closets.

I am leaving The Working Closet in excellent hands; the incomparable Sarah James will be taking over, starting shortly. I can’t imagine anyone I would rather have in charge of my closet — real or virtual — than Sarah, and I can’t wait to read her advice.

The Working Closet blog will continue on, but I will be elsewhere. Thank you for making this such a success.

The following post is from the archives of Friday Style.

I went to a swank cocktail party over the weekend; the invitation specified that the attire was “after five.” When my friend Molly called to invite me, she said, “I don’t know about your house, but at my house, after five usually means pajamas.”

“After five” is not a style concept that most of us do very often, and when we are compelled to get our party duds on and go out, we often panic. In the last week, I have gone to a funeral, a ladies’ luncheon, and a cocktail party, none of which are part of my typical weekday events calendar. How do you know what to wear? Easy. Read the rest of this entry »

I will be traveling a lot this summer, for business and pleasure, and I’ve been spending some time standing in my closet trying to decide what exactly I should pack for all these trips. I’m looking for pieces that are easy to wear and easy to care for and versatile. I need things that can go to a meeting and go sightseeing, and I need outfits that will work for hot and cold weather. I am trying to steer clear of dry clean only anything, because I want to have the option to wash things out in the hotel sink, rather than wearing it once and stuffing it back in the suitcase.

That’s not too much to ask, is it? Nooo of course not! Not if you have the right strategies.
Read the rest of this entry »

On a normal day, I carry all of the following in my handbag: wallet, iPhone, ear buds for iPhone, iPod, Kleenex, hand wipes, contact lens drops, eye cream, nail file, tampons, Tide to Go stain remover pen, fancy hand cream from L’Occitane, face powder, breath mints, EnviroSax tote, Canon Power Shot A430 camera, three lip glosses, two lipsticks, and a tube of Aquaphor.

Seriously.

I also occasionally need to toss my laptop or my big camera or both into the bag, depending on where I’m going. And sometimes, it’s nice to have a sweater, just in case.

And you wonder why I have such a hard time finding a bag I adore. Read the rest of this entry »

Maximizing the pieces in your wardrobe means wearing everything with everything else. But eventually, you will come to a point where you can’t possibly pair two things — a print blouse, say, and a different print skirt. Or CAN you?

Blouse available at Talbots

I love the idea of mixing prints; it gives depth and visual interest to an outfit. But you can’t mix things willy-nilly; you need to have a strategy, otherwise you will look like your kindergartener. Or MY kindergartener (he’s not the snappiest dresser).

When you think about mixing prints, think about three things: color, scale and style.
Read the rest of this entry »

So, I have a bit of a dicey question. How much do you spend on clothes? Or on shoes? I’ve been inspired by your columns and am starting to upgrade my wardrobe, but it seems to involve such major investments of cash. I don’t have thousands to spend- I might not even have hundreds to spend during one season. I’m just not sure what the range of reasonable is.

I love this question, because it gets right to the heart of what I believe about having a really functional wardrobe — a working closet, if you will. Having the right clothes isn’t about how much you spend, it’s about how you shop, but shopping costs money, and in this economy, having a strategy for your spending is crucial.

I am hesitant to put a dollar amount on my shopping, or to say that I spend X each month or year. I don’t have a specific shopping budget, nor do I track what I have spent. Instead, I constantly assess and reassess my closet, looking to see what is and isn’t working, and I don’t buy anything that I can’t easily incorporate into my current closet. I keep a running list of pieces I could really use (honestly, I only rarely NEED anything, but there are always gaps) and I shop off that list.
Read the rest of this entry »

It is a truth universally acknowledged that at some point, all of us will start to notice that we’ve got a little extra around the middle. For many of us, this Mama Roll comes after the arrival of the baby, but for some it appears right around age 40. Either way, even the slimmest of Mamas are most likely struggling to hide the muffin top.

Rest easy, I am here to help.
Read the rest of this entry »

So you’ve cleaned out the closet and gotten rid of everything that doesn’t fit or won’t work or just should never ever be worn in public by anyone ever again, amen. And you’ve made a list, sort of, except that you’re still not sure what exactly you should be putting on every morning when you leave the house because it’s been a long time since you worked in a casual office and you’re still not sure you can pull together a look that is casual and work appropriate at the same time?

How about some suggestions? As you sort through your closet, consider how many of the following you have, and what you might need. Keep your own personal style in mind as you make up your list, but don’t be afraid to try new things on. And don’t ever buy ANYTHING that doesn’t fit your body, your budget, and your lifestyle. Please.
Read the rest of this entry »