The next most important question you can ask about your messenger bag is, what do you intend to do with it. To that end capacity is the second most important attribute. Unfortunately the larger messenger bags get the more casual they become. So if you are looking for a formal messenger bag and you need to haul a lot of stuff you may need to look to a different bag type.
Material plays a large role in formality as well. Synthetic fabrics tend to be more casual and canvas and leather tends to be more formal. There are exceptions. Tumi makes a line of synthetic bags that most would say are business appropriate and saddleback makes some leather bags that are rugged enough to be casual.
The next most important question you can ask about your messenger bag is, what do you intend to do with it. To that end capacity is the second most important attribute. Unfortunately the larger messenger bags get the more casual they become. So if you are looking for a formal messenger bag and you need to haul a lot of stuff you may need to look to a different bag type.
Material plays a large role in formality as well. Synthetic fabrics tend to be more casual and canvas and leather tends to be more formal. There are exceptions. Tumi makes a line of synthetic bags that most would say are business appropriate and saddleback makes some leather bags that are rugged enough to be casual.