The Brown Backpacks Worth Your Money

I spent a solid four years thinking brown backpacks were what you wore if you’d given up, the fashion equivalent of a sensible car. I owned a black one, a navy one, and a truly regrettable khaki one that made me look like I was about to go metal detecting. Brown wasn’t on the list. My colleague Priya finally said, over a lukewarm office coffee, “you do know black goes with nothing and brown goes with everything, right?” and I sat there with my mouth open because she was, annoyingly, correct.

A good brown backpack earns its place because it does the thing black pretends to do but actually fails at, which is go with your entire life without announcing itself. Tan against denim looks like you’ve thought about it even when you haven’t.

A deeper chocolate leather sits properly smart against tailoring, the kind you can carry into a meeting without it screaming student.

And there’s a warmth to brown that black just doesn’t have, it photographs kinder, it ages better, it doesn’t scuff into that sad grey patina black leather gets after one bad commute.

The material matters more than the shape here. A soft, slightly worn looking leather earns its price because it only gets better, whereas a stiff, shiny brown fake leather looks cheap within a month, mine did, it cracked at the strap after one winter and I had to bin it in front of my flatmate who just said “told you” without even looking up from her phone.

Style it low key. Jeans and a plain jumper, a trench coat over a dress, even a slightly smarter outfit where you want one relaxed element pulling it back down to earth. It does the school run, the train into the office, the long weekend where you refuse to carry a proper suitcase, the museum trip where you need both hands free and don’t want to look like you’re doing a school project. It’s the bag that doesn’t ask what the occasion is, it just turns up and behaves. Which, four years too late, I’ve had to admit is the entire point.

Top Picks

BROWN BACKPACKTHREDUP (US)Cluci Backpack: Brown Accessories

$26.99 THREDUP (US)

BROWN BACKPACKW CONCEPT (US)FLUFFY SMALL BACKPACK [ECRU]

$146.00 W CONCEPT (US)

BROWN BACKPACKMAHETRI LLCAlpha Brown Buffalo Leather Travel Backpack

$189.00 MAHETRI LLC

CRONJAGERNew Dog Portable Tactical Backpack Dog Clothes $83.00 CRONJAGER

DRESTIGE USBackpack small pc and iPad Male Piquadro ca3214b2-mo Brown $608.00 DRESTIGE US

DRESTIGE USCarhartt Wip Kickflip Backpack Backpack - Hamilton brown $232.00 DRESTIGE US

THE LUXURY CLOSETLouis Vuitton Monogram Montsouris MM Backpack Brown $958.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

THREDUP (US)WILL leather goods Backpack: Brown Accessories $106.99 THREDUP (US)

THE LUXURY CLOSETMichael Kors Viv Extra Small Brown Leather Backpack $219.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

THREDUP (US)Sole Society Backpack: Brown Accessories $39.99 THREDUP (US)

HOBO BAGSMerrin Convertible Backpack $328.00 HOBO BAGS

JOS. A. BANKMen's Johnston & Murphy Rhodes Leather Backpack at Jos. A. Bank, Brown $350.00 JOS. A. BANK

MAHETRI LLCGreenfield Leather Backpack $160.00 MAHETRI LLC

SHOEMALL.COMMellow World Lacey Backpack Brown Bags No Size $76.00 SHOEMALL.COM

CRONJAGERDog Carrying Bag Pet SchoolbagPet Backpack Duckling Backpack Pet Bag $32.00 CRONJAGER

MAHETRI LLCHartmann Messenger Backpack $110.00 MAHETRI LLC

CRONJAGERPet outdoor bag multifunctional backpack breathable $73.00 CRONJAGER

THREDUP (US)Cluci Backpack: Brown Accessories $26.99 THREDUP (US)

W CONCEPT (US)String Backpack Brown (MS58D4A92D) $138.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US)Drop Pearl Gym Sack Backpack [BROWN] $154.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US)Nylon Lightweight Practical Backpack [Brown] $142.00 W CONCEPT (US)

DRESTIGE USBackpack Woman Michael Kors 30S5GEZB1L-230 Brown $557.00 DRESTIGE US

W CONCEPT (US)FLUFFY SMALL BACKPACK [ECRU] $146.00 W CONCEPT (US)

COLE HAANCole Haan Women's Alexandria Medium Flap Backpack $298.00 COLE HAAN

THE LUXURY CLOSETLouis Vuitton Monogram Montsouris MM Brown Canvas Backpack $918.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

HUGO BOSSBOSS Flap backpack with Double B monogram hardware - Brown Men's Backpacks $299.00 HUGO BOSS

CLOTHING SHOP ONLINEDickies - DZ22B - 23L Basic Double Logo Backpack - Brown Duck $28.99 CLOTHING SHOP ONLINE

W CONCEPT (US)Logo Backpack $89.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US)Lace Ribbon Gym Sack Backpack [BROWN] $154.00 W CONCEPT (US)

KARL LAGERFELD (US)Karl Lagerfeld - K/monogram Kanvas Backpack, Man, Multicoloured, Size: One Size $190.00 KARL LAGERFELD (US)

W CONCEPT (US)Ultra-light Compact Foldable Backpack [Grey] $86.00 W CONCEPT (US)

THREDUP (US)MICHAEL Michael Kors Backpack: Brown Accessories $113.99 THREDUP (US)

SHOEMALL.COMThe North Face Borealis Backpack Brown Bags No Size $115.00 SHOEMALL.COM

THREDUP (US)Moschino Cheap And Chic Backpack: Brown Accessories $142.99 THREDUP (US)

W CONCEPT (US)100% Recycled Nylon Backpack [Light Brown] $127.00 W CONCEPT (US)

DAILY SALE, INC.Women Backpack Purse PU Leather Anti-theft Casual Shoulder Bag - L / Brown $49.00 DAILY SALE, INC.

MAHETRI LLCAlpha Brown Buffalo Leather Travel Backpack $189.00 MAHETRI LLC

SHOEMALL.COMMellow World Rita Studded Backpack Brown Bags No Size $79.00 SHOEMALL.COM

THREDUP (US)Jack Rogers Backpack: Brown Accessories $49.99 THREDUP (US)

MAHETRI LLCTan Portland Laptop Backpack $150.00 MAHETRI LLC

MAHETRI LLCThe Armstrong Buffalo Backpack $159.00 MAHETRI LLC

MAHETRI LLCThe Solar Flare Backpack $250.00 MAHETRI LLC

MAHETRI LLCThe Hughes Rustic Backpack $100.00 MAHETRI LLC

DRESTIGE USBackpack Man Piquadro ca4762b2-mo Brown $703.00 DRESTIGE US

MAHETRI LLCBarclay Buffalo Backpack $150.00 MAHETRI LLC

CERQULARXplorer Vegan Backpack for travel dark brown $320.79 CERQULAR

−7%

SHIEKHMen Journeyman Backpack BROWN DUCK Bags O/S BROWN DUCK$46.04 $42.82 SHIEKH

−30%

SUPERDRY (US)Superdry Women's Patched Montana Backpack Brown$69.94 $48.96 SUPERDRY (US)

−30%

VERA BRADLEY DESIGNS, INC.Vera Bradley Bancroft Backpack Women in Blooming Paisley Brown$135.00 $94.50 VERA BRADLEY DESIGNS, INC.

−67%

KATE SPADE OUTLETKate Spade Carter Nylon Dome Backpack, brown$330.30 $109.00 KATE SPADE OUTLET

−60%

REBECCA MINKOFF USRebecca Minkoff Edie Nylon Backpack Bag$297.50 $119.00 REBECCA MINKOFF US

−30%

VERA BRADLEY DESIGNS, INC.Vera Bradley Chancery Backpack Women in Roasted Pecan Brown$295.00 $206.50 VERA BRADLEY DESIGNS, INC.

−21%

COLE HAANCole Haan Women's Essential Backpack$379.68 $299.95 COLE HAAN

Search for more brown backpack ideas in the Sale Watcher