Sac à dos

Some days, for whatever reason, I decide to dress elegantly. What this entails is putting on a dress rather than pants and a shirt. I know, really involved, right? But once I have the look for the day, once I look like the sophisticated French teacher students will remember forever and ever, it happens, and by "it" I mean The Backpack.

There is no way I can balance teaching, coursework, and research without carrying a gigantic, high-school-student backpack. The thing is from Eastern Mountain Sports, not North Face, which I'd like to think means I look a bit less like a kid trying to fit in with the other 10th graders. It's black, so I think no one will notice it. But of course any giant backpack will detract from any look. I've tried other bags, but this is truly the only option.

Which is why I am baffled by the Sartorialist's post excusing the bag carried by his latest fashionable subject. He writes, "(regarding the bag, because I know it will be commented about, it was more ,for her, about function than form. It was stuffed with paperwork)." Voila, the woman and the bag. Problem being? If my "paperwork" could fit into something that chic, I'd have a shot at being something other than that American French teacher whose look never quite made sense.