Maybe it's unreasonable to ask that a laptop bag meant for carrying a lot more than a laptop masquerade convincingly as a handbag, yet this is what I want, and I know I'm not the only one making this demand, as attempts are being made to create such bags, with varying degrees of success.

This Madison bag, the lovely orange interior of which is shown above to demonstrate the idea of "big inside, slim outside" concept I'm talking about, does a nice job of holding your laptop plus files, books, iPod, PDA, cell phone, business and credit cards, pens, flash drives, etc., without destroying the shape of the exterior (unless you're really determined to, and you decide to throw in a pair of boots on top).

From the outside, it looks like an oversized purse, with a little zip pocket for keys, which means you can sometimes dispense with your handbag altogether and just carry this one bag. The Madison bag sells for $59.99 on Amazon.com, as part of a line of Microsoft Ladies Laptop Totes made by Samsill Corporation, and comes in the orange trim version shown here as well as a tan trim version.

Another laptop bag in this collection, the Manhattan, which sells for $69.99, is a bit roomier and has great interior pockets to keep everything organized. This one would make a good carry-on bag because it's big enough to fit a laptop, magazines, a book, snacks, a bottle of water, and a sweater. See interior and exterior pictures after the jump.