I carry a backpack for just my laptop. Everything else goes in my purse. Handy because I can go out for lunch with my handbag and leave the backpack at the office.

There are lots of situations where bringing the full backpack is not needed.

But mostly, Carol, I find a handbag is more my “look” than a backpack.

What Suz said. I carry a large purse to work daily (I’m a teacher). My purse has a tote bag shape but it’s a purse that zippers across the top. When I go out for fun, I carry a smaller purse.

Use one every day for wallet, keys, sunglasses, phone, and some other small bits. Because most days that's all I have to carry. Bag size/formality may vary depending on the day. Completely practical to carry a purse if someone doesn't need to carry work materials, files, laptop, etc. Just a matter of different lifestyle/work.

Daily. I am usually a two bag lady: hand bag and tote bag for work. I like my two bags to coordinate, even if both of them live under my desk for most of every day.

Hi everybody, sorry it took so long to get back.

It sounds like most of you are purse women, and I wish I could join your ranks! I just don't like lugging around a big heavy tote on work days, which is why I carry a backpack. But I like wearing purses, and wish I had more opportunities to use them. I definitely thought there'd be more like me, who had too much to carry around in just a purse. I can't carry water bottle, lunch, teaching materials, etc. in a purse. I guess I'm just a person who likes to be prepared for everything.

Thanks for your input, and I look forward to seeing those bags in your pictures.

I frequently use a cross-body purse (or small-sized tote), when running errands, walking to the shops (a cross-body keeps my hands free and the weight low), going out for a meal, etc. - times when truly a wallet, phone and lipstick are all that's needed (and a small water bottle if I have the tote with me). For smarter outings like dinner, I'll often use a clutch, too.

When I used to work outside the home every day, I carried a large tote for my laptop, etc. but kept my wallet and personal bits in a small purse within the tote, so I could just bring that when I left for lunch.

Carol: you might like to try a zip-up wallet/pouch with a lanyard to accompany your backpack. These are super-stylish!
Phone, Lippie and wallet go in the pouch and you could easily transfer it to your backpack.

I can understand preferring a backpack.

When I go out, I normally use a purse. On vacation, if we’re flying, I take a backpack for my carryon, and don’t want a purse in addition to that. For our upcoming Alaska trip I bought a Patagonia zipper pouch (from recycled materials) to collect my purse items in my backpack, instead of having to hunt around for them. I hope it works out!

I keep the stuff other people mention in a small, squashable purse. I drive to work but have a long-ish walk between parking lot and office, and am often transporting computer, lunch, books, etc., so I use a backpack that can accommodate the purse along with all the other stuff. Then if I go to lunch, or shop on my way home, I can pull out the purse and leave the backpack in the car or office.
For travel, I use an even smaller purse that will fit into whatever carry-on bag I'm taking, and that will be usable at my destination (so, a nice small crossbody for going to Paris, a sporty wallet bag for a sports-oriented trip).