Attachés

• Attachés are usually the largest briefcases. In the past, they all had a hard frame and were most often made of leather or aluminum. At present, you can also find attachés made of cloth, nylon and artificial leather. They were named after "attachés," the French word for diplomatic officers attached to a consulate or embassy. They were once box-shaped, opening up into two distinct compartments. Modern attaches are still sizable but are also available in softer materials and various designs.
  
  

Portfolios

• Portfolios tend to run smaller than attaches. The word "portfolio" originated from the Latin word "portafoglio," loosely meaning to carry a sheet or leaf. Therefore, traditional portfolio briefcases had either a retractable handle or no handle. Most were flat and thin, and as such were usually held under the arm. However, now there are much larger portfolio briefcases featuring pull-up handles, straps and even wheels. Thin portfolios are commonly used to hold laptops.
  
  

Padfolios

• The "padfolio" is an even slimmer version of the portfolio. Like portfolios, padfolios have space for stationery, legal pads and sheets of paper. However, padfolios are designed to be carried only beneath the arm, so they do not have handles. Some of the enclosures include buckles, zips and clasps, and padfolios come in an assortment of finishes. Letter-size padfolios can hold 8.5x11-inch sheets of paper, while legal-size padfolios hold paper and notebooks as large as the standard legal pad, which is 8.5x14 inches.
  
  

Messenger Bags

• Messenger bags are a viable alternative to briefcases as they tend to be less structured than attaches, portfolios and padfolios. Sometimes called courier bags, they are fashioned after the satchels used by bicycle messengers along a delivery route. They typically feature a long strap so that they can be worn across the shoulder and are often made of vinyl, canvas, nylon or leather. The versatility of messenger bags makes them a popular selection among students.