The classic brown leather briefcase (square) was thought to originate in the late 1850s by Jeremy Stenning. Similar handheld bags or satchels date back to the fourteenth century and were called “budgets”, meaning leather bag. The name itself comes from the use of lawyers carrying their briefs in these types of bags, thus briefcase. Of course, you probably would not be caught at work with one of these ancient style briefcases, they would probably be used today for leather luggage instead. Even the late 20th century square leather briefcases are arguably no longer popular.
In any case, the classic square briefcase is rarely used these days. When was the last time you saw someone walk into work with an old school briefcase, leather or not? All that said, the modern brown leather briefcase has had a face lift and combines stylishness and practical functionality. In addition to the luxurious leather finishes and sleek curve lines, the modern leather briefcase easily houses a standard sized laptop, important files and papers, as well personal items you would like to access from time to time. Finally, their designs are fairly universal so that anyone from an back office IT techie to a corporate CEO would enjoy using one. Manufacturers even make the gender specific ladies briefcases now.
Leather briefcases are very popular so manufacturers are releasing new models and styles constantly. That did not stop us from identifying a few briefcases that are very stylish and functional. In fact, many of the newer models are very much like a leather messenger bag since they almost always come with a shoulder strap. These are obviously not your only choices and you should be able to find leather briefcases with similar styling and features. Note they may also be advertised as a leather laptop bag or tote.
Solo Leather Briefcase
The first briefcase we want to highlight is the SOLO D535-3 Classic Collection Colombian Leather 16 – yes, quite a long name for a product but it helps to be exact. It is more of a dark brown than classic brown. This brown leather briefcase is a great value bag (not to say cheap or poor quality, quite the contrary) and that is why it remains one of the most popular bags out there. While better for a standard 15″ sized laptop, it will snugly house a 17″ laptop as well. The buckles and handle give it nice classic look, and the darker coloring add to the professional look. At 4lbs, it is relatively light for a leather briefcase. It will hold a moderate amount of files/folders in addition to your laptop, so if you tote around a ton of things, this is probably not a good fit. For an average prices under $150, this is a great deal. We have seen it recently closer to $100, which would make it a steal.
McKleinUSA Leather Briefcase
Next, take a look the McKleinUSA Morgan 83344 V Series 17-Inch Litigator Full Grain Oil Tanned Leather Laptop Brief. This is a good compromise between the classic square style and the more modern designs. This is a nice briefcase if you prefer to carry the briefcase (though it does come with shoulder straps). It can carry up to a 17″ laptop along with other typical belongings. It is constructed of high quality full grain leather, which is a major plus. Another “classic” feature not often found anymore is the 3-digit combination lock. McKleinUSA has been releasing stylish and high quality briefcases, both for women and men, and this is no exception. Like the Solo, you should be able to find this under $150 if you shop online.
Saddleback Leather Briefcase
Finally, we highlight the Saddleback Leather Briefcase (Chestnut). This is not your typical corporate briefcase – definitely a more rugged look. Don’t let that fool you – this is a top of the line full grain leather briefcase that is hand made and extremely durable (no breakable parts), the kind that will last a lifetime with proper care. You can get one of three sizes to fit your needs – this is a great choice if you carry around a lot of stuff. With the thicker full grain leather, even the smallest version of the briefcase comes in at 6.5lbs, so it is a tad heavier than a typical leather briefcase. A couple very neat and notable features – it can convert into a backpack and has a nice newspaper pocket in the rear. Also, it has an amazing 100 year guarantee, made possible due to the very high quality materials and craftsmanship. A top of the line bag is not cheap, and this one will run you over $500, but like we said, it will last a lifetime. This is surely a great men’s leather briefcase.
As you can see, if you still want a brown leather briefcase, there are some stylish and functional models available. These will keep changing to accommodate customer demands, but the options above should closely match the market. As always, we will continue to keep an eye on the market and highlight new models we feel our readers may like.
Tags: brown leather briefcase, leather briefcase, leather messenger bag, mens leather briefcase