20 Bags To Take "Back To School" That Won't Remind You Of Your High School Backpack

We might not spend the last few weeks of summer piling up on highlighters, wide-ruled notebooks and ~groovy~ book covers at the supply store anymore, but that doesn't mean that "back to school" season is behind us — at least not completely. No matter how old we get, we'll always see August as the real start of a new year, a sign to start fresh. First on the list of priorities is to replace our ratty, old backpacks.

There's only one problem: joining the working world doesn't just eliminate our need for a commuter bag that works. After all, we have to lug around a heavy laptop, spare workout clothes and a phone so big it barely fits in a mini bag. Thankfully, many of the industry's best handbag designers have started selling tote bags that are actually, well, cool. To prove it, we rounded up the best 20 "back-to-school" bags that look nothing like your high school backpack.