Whether you're doing a weekend stay or heading cross-continent for a month, packing for a trip is a skill. In particular, organising your carry on "personal item" truly is a fine art. But first you need to find the right bag.

It has to be durable, able to withstand the cramped space under a plane seat and the chaos of roadtrip boot space. It needs to be spacious enough for your laptop, headphones, change of t-shirt plus a few carefully curated snacks. It has to be multi-purpose, spacious enough to hold the essentials but not capacious enough it would look odd at a restaurant. And of course, it absolutely can't be too heavy, lest you crush your arms while on the move – take it from the me, someone who's spent many hours under the crushing weight of an ill-advised shoulder bag.

It's a tall order, but one that can be met. We've done the research – and in some cases tested them ourselves. Behold, these are the chic, easy-to-wear handbags that will serve as the perfect handbag for your next trip. Whether you're looking for bags that will slip over your luggage handle, or just a robust tote that fits your laptop and all those plane essentials, these are our curated picks.

1. Lemaire Large Soft Game Bag

2. Le Tanneur Maxi Shoulder Bag

3. July Juliette Suede Work Tote

4. Gucci GG Emblem Maxi Tote

5. Songmont Drippy Tote Bag

6. Bellroy Tokyo Tote

7. The Horse Backpack Tote Bag

8. Chloe Large Spin Tote

9. Yu Mei Teresa Tote

10. Acne Studios Musubi Tote

11. Vestirsi Convertible Tote Backpack

12. Oroton Cali Tote Bag

13. Monos Metro Tote

14. Assembly Label Neve Suede Shoulder Bag

15. COS Studio Bowling Bag

16. Friends with Frank The Sprout Tote Bag

While you're here, you might also like our guide to minimalist handbags or perhaps our list of best indie bags.