Ace Back-to-School Style With These Actually Chic Handbags

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We may be clinging to the final days of summer, but fall semester syllabuses have already been handed out. Before fretting about the seemingly endless assignments in your gen-ed requirements, locking down your campus-ready handbag is top priority. After all, selecting a signature bag is no easy decision. It’s a constant companion throughout late-night library visits and early-morning classes, meaning stylish versatility is key.

For those who are over the traditional bulky backpacks of their youth, Coach’s Brooklyn bag is an elevated alternative. The hobo style rises to the challenge of toting around all of your collegiate essentials without sacrificing your look. As a functionally fashionable staple for the perpetually on-the-go student, the Brooklyn bag is available in three sizes: 28, a shoulder bag that can house tablets; 34, a mid-sized tote for smaller laptops; and 39, an oversized silhouette large enough to fit a 15-inch laptop. These sizes all offer leather and suede variations, but if the Fall 2026 runways are any indication, suede is particularly on-trend for the cooler season.

Who said every back-to-school bag has to be a spacious tote? There’s plenty of room in any handbag wardrobe for medium-to-mini-sized pouches, such as Coach’s iconic Tabby silhouette. Its elegant pillow-quilted version is ideal for dressy events, while its pebble leather style works as a reliable favorite for walks around the quad. Coach’s Teri, however, is deceptively spacious, as the zip-top shoulder bag can fit all of the essentials — your phone, wallet, keys, AirPods and eight different lip balms. The Nolita — a mini shoulder bag — is small but mighty: It doubles as a wristlet with built-in credit card slots and enough room for a phone. (No wallet needed.)