Like the Aya, the Akiko bag's style immediately conjures thoughts of Amsterdam. The bag's familiar pannier shape references cycling in the Netherlands: delightful jaunts past tulips, windmills and those special Dutch cafés where you can get more than just a coffee.

Even with its roots in Amsterdam, the Akiko's style and edge easily fit into any North American metropolis, well, any metropolis really: Vancouver, New York, Tokyo, Paris, or Berlin. (Hmm, maybe I should test the bag on a world tour? That's reasonable, right?). It has a sophisticated yet casual look, something that I would expect from a unisex bag; however the design remains unexpected and simply modern.

You can read the full review of the Akiko Laptop Bag for Men.

And ladies, lest you think this bag isn't for you, fret not. Even if it doesn't suit your personal style, take a gander at the model they used in their recent photoshoot.

Photo Credit: Mamtak Bags - from their Facebook Page

Well, colour me surprised and delighted by the new laptop bag designed by Alesya Opelt from the eponymous Alesya Bags. Alesya has really raised the bar on the "laptop bag for ladies that doesn't look like a laptop bag" category.

An excerpt from my review …

First, Alesya's Southern charm actually starts BEFORE I even get to the bag. The packaging is delightful. The bag is cosseted in its own bag which came with Alesya's standard card as well as a personal card and note to me. And the whole kit-and-caboodle was packed in a sturdy, stylish box. This is a pic of the card; you can see a full slideshow of the unboxing on my Flickr.

When I first examined the Alesya bag I thought, "Wow - a gorgeous shoulder bag. Wait... it's a laptop bag?"

Yes, it is.

A shoulder bag, in supple leather with well-appointed hardware and careful stitching, is designer Alesya's disguise for toting around a laptop. The laptop sleeve is hidden under the bag's front zippered flap, at the widest part of the bag. Fully secured under an adjustable velcro strap, my 15" MacBook Pro is fully protected and concealed. Out for sushi with friends after work? No one will ever know I'm toting a laptop.

You can read the full review of the Alesya Laptop Bag. I encourage you to also take a quick look at the video below - it's great laptop bag p0rn and really shows off the clever design of the Alesya.

Frankly, I don't really recall the last time I had a portfolio-shaped laptop bag, much less the last time that I loved it as much as I love the Jett Laptop Bag by Spire (read Kate's review here). For the most part, I had always used a backpack-style laptop bag (for at least the past 10 years, considering that I was a PhD student, but then I also ended up staying with the backpack laptop style for long).

I've reviewed laptop bags before (you can read my review of the Kensington Contour, which I owned until it was stolen from me at a theatre function - I know, it sucks), but this is perhaps the first time I own a laptop bag (courtesy of Kate's review stash) where I feel professional in the academic and consulting context. Let me explain. I didn't realize how unprofessional I felt using a backpack laptop bag until I arrived earlier this year (a couple of months ago) to a meeting of experts at the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation in Montreal, dressed in  beautiful suit (Zara, if you need to know) ... trucking along my 17" laptop ... in a backpack laptop bag. OUCH.

I really did feel horribly unprofessional. And while I know that as a consultant (and heck, even when I was a student), the backpack-style laptop bag is perfectly acceptable, I really needed a portfolio (also known as messenger) laptop bag. Because of my academic and consulting (and even my travel blogging) activities, I need an air transportation-friendly laptop bag, which will allow me to get the laptop out of the bag really quickly.That's where the Jett Laptop Bag by Spire comes in. I have used it already to travel and definitely feel way more professional. While I could say that for the summer, I miss having a backpack-style laptop bag.

I do feel more confident when travelling to the university or at a high-level client meeting where I need to be dressy and show up with a more professional-looking bag. On to the specifications. The laptop bag can hold up to a 17 inches' laptop, but since I got a new laptop (Acer again), I ended up using only 15" of the 17" alloted. And as an academic geek, I love the ample space that I have to carry books (I have been trucking along 2 review copies of books for my upcoming fall teaching term, along with lots of other handy stuff, including an HP TouchPad, notepads, Canon digital cameras and pens, Logitech wireless mouse, and the list goes on. This Jett Laptop Bag by Spire seems not to ever get fully filled. And that's A GOOD THING, trust me.

Ergonomically, because the shoulder strap adjusts with full mobility, I feel that I can walk considerable distances without feeling exhausted. And did I mention ALL THE SPACE and many pockets this laptop bag has? Seriously. Unbelievable. And I think it looks good on me. Thanks Kate for the laptop bag!

As far as content goes, the fact that the Jett Laptop Bag by Spire offers two side pockets for a water bottle is extremely positive (particularly because I hate forgetting my water bottle!). You could of course put your cell phone there, but if it's an expensive one you might want not to do that. The fact that I am almost always cold means that I could definitely pack a change of clothes or a sweater on one of the pockets without interfering with my books.

NOTE: Usually I try to provide a price point for comparison for the laptop bag. Unfortunately, it looks like this particular model of the Spire Jett Laptop Bag may actually not be in production anymore. I searched the United Kingdom site for Spire and found a similar one which you can compare by clicking on this hyperlink. I think it's safe to say that this laptop bag might be in the $100 Canadian dollars price tag and I'd be comfortable paying that much.

Disclosure: Raul's bag was a gift from Kate's review stash. Raul is neither obligated nor expected to write a review, but he loved the Jett Laptop Bag by Spire that he had to write this review. A copy of this review will appear on Raul's personal blog Hummingbird604.com in a couple of weeks or so, in case you see it duplicated (e.g. the text wasn't stolen from Kate's FunChiCo site.)

Raul Pacheco-Vega is an academic, educator, researcher and consultant by day, and a socialite by night. He teaches courses at UBC on public policy and environmental politics, does academic research on environment and public policy, consults on social media implementation in higher education, non-profits and academia, and writes about food, theatre, travel, dance and fine arts on his personal blog. In his (non-existent) spare time, he volunteers for charities on HIV/AIDS, mental health, cancer and women empowerment. Raul also tries to devote time to his friends although he’s not often as successful at this as he would like to. Raul has a split personality disorder, with an academic Twitter (@RaulPacheco) and a personal Twitter (@hummingbird604). Same with his Facebook pages (Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega and Hummingbird604.com).

Maybe it's Mamtak's design roots (Amsterdam and Tokyo - it doesn't get cooler than that)? Or that these folks know how to use the colour green on a laptop bag (both inside and out!)? What ever it is, the Aya has that je ne sais quois that made me fall in love at first site. And then even after I put her to the test, I still love her. Here's an excerpt from my review …

The Aya is, quite simply, a beautifully designed laptop bag - it would be at home at a café in Paris, in a conference room in Brussels or on a runway in Milan (or even here in North America). The very best of European design is embodied in this one bag. Sleek and modern, stylish and functional, it makes me want to give my laptop a cool European name like Alessandro. Made of leather with a soft cloth interior, the Aya comes in four colour combinations - I have the Green & White combo, which has a fresh, flirty feel.

See a few more pictures and read the full review of the Aya from Mamtak Bags.

Now, not only did Tris do a review of the ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Briefcase Bag 2.0 from Mobile Edge, but he did a video review AND included a comparison with some of his older bags on why he liked the new one, but what he thought Mobile Edge could do better.

Even if you're not in the market for Mobile Edge specifically, Tris points out a lot of things to think about when you are shopping for a new laptop bag. The tips he shares in the video complement a recent post of his on the FutureShop.ca Tech Forum called Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - also worth a quick read if you're in the market for a new laptop bag.

Thanks for the review, Tris!

But get a load of the KIKEN Laptop Shoulder Bag from Slappa.

Maybe it's the clever marketing from Slappa. Or maybe it's the name of the bag (KIKEN!). Or maybe it's the feature-laden bag itself. In any case, the KIKEN laptop bag from Slappa is a force to be reckoned with.

First, check out the cool marketing ...

Second, check out this excerpt from my review ...

I knew the minute that I unboxed the SLAPPA KIKEN laptop bag that it was a pretty bad-ass piece of business. Puncture-proof ballistic nylon - customizable front flap options - checkpoint friendly AND roomy enough for a 17" laptop? It was enough to make me yell "KIKEN!" and karate chop things. And I did! Good thing only the dog was watching.

First, let's talk aesthetics: thanks to SLAPPA's patent pending M.A.S.K. technology, you have a choice of flaps to customize the look (and functionality) of your bag. SLAPPA sent me three to try out and they easily zip on and off. (Think Karate Kid style: Flap on. Flap off.) I'm a fan of the Lime Blast (I likes a punch of colour). The monochrome P-Tac Matrix flap is very cool looking, and there is also a woven flap called Jedi Mind Trix, which has velcro straps to let you carry more gear (including a yoga mat, if that's your thing. Jedis love the yoga).

You can read the full review and see more pics of the KIKEN Laptop Bag from Slappa over on Squidoo.

My closet is full of work clothes, but I can only classify one outfit as "the perfect work suit". My perfect work suit fits me like a glove. It looks good standing up for a presentation - it looks good sitting down for an interview. I can trust it to carry me through the day with confidence and it always adds a little spring in my step. The Sumo Professional Laptop Briefcase from Mobile Edge, with its funky look, sturdy construction, and superior laptop cosseting capabilities makes it the perfect briefcase counterpart to my perfect work suit.

This bag is great for client meetings in the city or when I travel out of town on business. Actually, it's perfect to take with me on vacation too - it's for any occasion when I need my laptop (and why be coy? That's pretty much every occasion.)

You can read the full review of the Sumo Professional Laptop Briefcase over at Squidoo.