As far as versatility goes, nothing can really contend with the Little Black Dress. (White shirts and straight-leg jeans tail closely behind, of course.) Across the decades, the LBD has proven itself to be that one thing in your closet that you can wear to both the office and dinner after, the faithful and enduring answer to the timeless “Oh heavens, I have nothing to wear”. Audrey Hepburn basically only wore two black dresses throughout Breakfast At Tiffany’s, but did you notice? No you didn’t, because you were distracted by how damn good she looked.

Considering how well the “Little Black” principle has worked with dresses, surely it can be applied to other things. Now, take a look at the bag you carry to work. Is it bulky? Has it gone all lumpy? Does it have that ability to go with nearly every single outfit you’ve worn to the office? Can you disguise it as a going-out bag for an after-hours date or bar-hopping with your sisters from another mister?

If you quietly said “yes” to the first two questions and “no” to the latter, then congratulations – you are the ideal candidate for the Little Black Bag a.k.a the LBB. Like the LBD, the LBB is black all over (hah, duh), relatively minimal on the outside, well-structured and still reasonably spacey on the inside. You get to carry all the weird shit you tend to stuff your bags with and not look like you’re lugging a leather-covered boulder. Your shoulder deserves better.

We’re huge fans of the LBB here at Team KULALA. If you’re having a so-so start to the year, maybe a brand new work-to-play bag will make things a little better. Everyone deserves a back-to-school bag, even grown-ups. New year, new you, new bag, right? Above, we’ve rounded up some of the best LBBs out there, ranging from the classics to the new classics. (If you need a second opinion, I myself use a small Saint Laurent Classic Duffle 6 to death.)