Welcome to AFAR Approved: a deep dive into the travel items that we’re totally obsessed with, never leave behind, and can’t stop telling our friends about.
I’ve used Everlane’s Form Bag almost every day since I bought it in August 2018. Slightly larger than a regular cross-body bag (it’s big enough to fit my laptop), but smaller than most travel totes (it doesn’t look out of place at a nice dinner), it has become my go-to carryall for every situation at home or abroad. And best of all? It’s marked down 39 percent from $236 to $142 for a limited time during Everlane’s Summer Sale, happening now through Sunday, July 26. While the San Francisco–based company has discounted everything from airy linen tops to jumpsuits made with wrinkle-resistant Japanese GoWeave fabric, here’s why I humbly contend that the Form Bag is worth the investment.
Handmade with 100 percent Italian leather at a family-owned factory just outside of Florence, the Everlane Form Bag is an ideal day-to-night bag. When I used to go into an office, I could shorten its adjustable strap and use it as a shoulder bag for commuting. Measuring 13 x 5 x 10.5 inches, it’s roomy enough to fit my 13-inch MacBook Air vertically along with my wallet, book, and a water bottle, and the slim internal pocket helps keep my phone and AirPods organized so they don’t get lost at the bottom of the bag.
For long days out exploring—back when I used to travel to other cities pre-COVID and for bike rides around New York right now—I can extend the shoulder strap so the bag can be used as a cross-body to go hands-free. For these types of outings, I swap my laptop out for my camera, snacks, and a packable picnic blanket for alfresco meals in the park. Weighing in at just over a pound, the Everlane Form Bag is lighter than other leather bags I’ve used, and the strap is thick enough so it doesn’t weigh down or dig into my shoulders during a long day of walking.
While its generous size and adjustable straps make it functional to tote, its chic minimalistic design is streamlined enough that it doesn’t look like I’m dragging a gigantic bag out to dinner. It goes just as well with jeans and tennis shoes as it does with a dress and heels. I have the bag in black, but it also comes in two other goes-with-everything shades of “Cognac” (a light brown) and “Bone” (a soft ivory that’s somewhere between beige and true white).
If you plan on flying with it, the bag’s magnetic top closure is strong enough that your stuff won’t spill out on the conveyor belt at airport security or under the airplane seat, but easy enough to open when you need to get something out of it. While I typically opt for a larger personal item to use on flights, the streamlined rectangular shape of the Form Bag means that I can pack it in my hard-shell carry-on with a few packing cubes or my dopp kit tucked into it so it doesn’t take up extra space.
After nearly two years of almost daily use, the lightweight but durable leather has aged beautifully. Seriously, the only small scratches it has are from when my cats nicked it when I accidentally left it hanging from my desk chair. And even those small blemishes are hardly noticeable on the black leather. I know this bag will be in my daily rotation for years yet to come—and at only $142, that’s a value I wouldn’t pass up.
- Weight: 1.4 lbs.
- Size: 13 x 5 x 10.5 inches
- Available colors: Black, Cognac, and Bone
- Best for: Fitting all your daily essentials
Buy Now: $142 (was $236), everlane.com
