I carry magazines everywhere, and for the past 12 years have bought purses, messenger bags and backpacks which accommodate heavy but pliable 9 X 12-inch paper. Until now, I’ve mangled, scrambled and spilled those slippery glossies wherever I went, but the Cosmopolitan carrier by Buxton changed my life. You don’t have to be a publisher to cart a cell phone, wallet and paperwork around, but—man or woman—if you tote these items regularly, you’ll want to take a look at this bag.

First, the bag holds magazines, manila envelopes, newspapers or file folders upright and flat. Somehow the bottom edges of the paper don’t bend under their own weight in this bag, so they remain flat and professional, as in an old-fashioned briefcase. Unlike a briefcase, however, the bag weighs almost nothing, remains as thin as the contents, and is accessible without setting it down: flip the top flap and lift only what you need up and out, even while it’s hanging from your shoulder.

The two zippers had me confused at first, but with use, I found they’re perfectly placed. Intuitively, the top zipper compartment should access the top flap, but they’ve located that pocket toward your body. Why? Instead of having an overstuffed front pocket ruining the sleek lines, the filled pocket sits next to your body, hidden and tucked into the torso’s normal curves. Similarly, I expected the side zipper to access an interior pocket, but instead it accesses the main section directly—a shortcut to all the junk I throw in a bag and that sinks to the bottom anyway. Small, open, interior pockets can hold a phone, wallet, keys, pen, stylus, etc., if you prefer an inside rather than the top exterior pocket.

The look is sleek but not high tech, and even though my wardrobe is entirely black, red and blue, the muted bluish-green fits right in. The strap shortens for this 5’1” inch woman, and lengthens enough to accommodate a comfortable cross-body holding any NBA warrior’s playbook. Sturdy construction and easily-cleaned fabric suggest long life.