While preparing for a baby, there are quite a few in-depth purchasing decisions that need to be made. Cribs, strollers, and car seats are the biggest decisions, but even the smaller choices send parents into research mode. There are top picks in every category, but the diaper bag parents end up going with has to be the item with the most variety. On a brisk walk in NYC, it's easy to spot the same strollers repeatedly (Doona and UppaBaby are popular picks), but rarely are there multiples of the same diaper bag. It tends to be a much more personal purchase, with additional factors to consider, including whether you have access to a car or need something lightweight to carry around in the city. If you travel frequently, you'll want to make sure the bag can easily be stowed away under an airplane seat. If you're a working parent, a diaper bag with a laptop sleeve will be more suitable. The best diaper bag is made to make a parent's life on the go easier and aligned with their dynamic lifestyle. If it's a priority to you, which it is at Who What Wear, it should be designed with style and appearance in mind.
The designs of diaper bags have come a long way, with luxury and contemporary brands offering products that have aesthetics in mind while adding functional enhancements. Below, we've included the iconic Burberry checked bag, which has been reimagined with comfortable straps and additional pockets to hold your baby's essentials. Travel brands like Béis and Dagne Dover have added key features like stroller clips, changing mats, and zipper pockets for easy access to wipes to their best-selling bags.
Sometimes, the best diaper bag for you doesn't even have to be designed with that purpose in mind. Some parents shared with Who What Wear that they've chosen to minimize their purchases by using tote bags and duffels that they already own to meet their requirements as diaper bags and can be used later in life once the baby's grown up.
Whether you want the bag with all the helpful enhancements possible or would rather have a simpler silhouette, there's something here tailored for every preference. After all, as long as it fits everything you need to make outings with your little one easier, it's perfect.
Keep scrolling to discover the best diaper bags chosen by stylish parents and some more Who What Wear favorites.
The Best Diaper Bags, According to Who What Wear
- Best Value: L.L.Bean Boat and Tote, $40
- Best Designer: Burberry Check Baby Change Bag, $1390
- Best Versatile: Lululemon New Parent Backpack 17l, $198
- Best in Style: Happ Levy Backpack Dusty Rose, $179
- Best Affordable: BabbleRoo Diaper Bag Backpack, $31
Lululemon's New Parent Backpack is a no-frills, easy-to-use diaper bag. It's made with water-repellant fabric, it can be clipped onto a stroller, and it has multiple pockets, including a hidden inner pocket, side pockets, interior pockets, and a secured front pocket. The pouch is also detachable and can be used as an additional crossbody, which was seen as a perk for many customers. Many reviewers also found that it was difficult to find a diaper bag suited for dads, and this one met their criteria.
Our senior market editor Judith Jones likes to balance function and fashion, and this diaper bag hits the perfect spot. "It's beautifully designed—replete with a whole host of compartments for all my daily necessities, and unlike other diaper bags, its wide zippered flap makes it really easy to find and get to everything—no digging around when you need something urgently! It's lightweight, soft, and easy to carry on my back or shoulder. I personally love how pretty it is to look at! I own the Dusty Rose bag, and everyone always compliments me when I wear it," she shared.
If additional compartments and enhancements aren't what you're looking for, keeping things in a tote bag like this is an easy way to make your diaper bag decision. Stylist Ilana Torbiner is a guiding post for all things chic, and she turned one she already had into her diaper bag of choice. "I'm all about versatility and avoiding excess. It works great, is sturdy, and can fit anything," she shared. If you're purchasing one for the first time and want it to feel special, you can use L.L.Bean's complimentary embroidery service to personalize the bag with your child's name or initials.
If style is something you want included in your decision, Burberry makes a changing bag in its iconic check pattern. It also happens to be our Shopping Director Bobby Schuessler's diaper bag of choice. "It's incredibly chic but so functional because it's lightweight and has pockets and compartments in all the right places," he shared.
When he wants to be hands-free or is traveling, Schuessler reaches for the Dagne Dover backpack. "It's so thoughtfully designed and is also highly functional," he shared. Functional is exactly the right description, as it includes stroller clips, a luggage sleeve, a laptop carrier, a mini changing mat, and extra pouches for storage.
Baggu's bags have often hit viral status, and now that the Crescent Bag is available in large, it makes for the perfect cool diaper bag. If the small Crescent Bag is already your favorite throw-and-go bag, the larger size offers the same look but also has the space you need to fit your baby's essentials. It's a great hands-free bag if backpacks aren't your first choice and easier to carry than a tote bag.
Many diaper bags can feel heavy on a stroller, but this one seems to be the best fit. Thanks to its rectangular shape, the bag easily hooks onto the stroller without weighting down or obstructing the view of the baby on smaller strollers.
One reviewer wrote, "This is a quality must-have for any parent. The diaper bag has all the storage space you need and then some. It has so many perfect bottle-carrying pockets. It seems the more I look, the more places I find to put things. The easy-access … pocket in the side is a lifesaver. Plus, because there isn't an extra hole in pocket meant for wipes, you can store more bottles in this pocket too! The diaper bag is also made of a material that is basically waterproof, so cleanup is a breeze."
Shay Mitchell's Béis has a wide range of travel bags, but this one is made for parents who are always on the go. It comes complete with every essential needed for that diaper change: a changing pad with a pocket for wipes and diapers, an odor-proof pouch, a teething ring to slow that baby squirm, and a pacifier pouch for easy reach. The bag also comes with a luggage sleeve and interchangeable straps, so it can be attached to a stroller or slung over your shoulder.
If an elevated diaper bag is what you're looking for, this one offers a faux-leather finish and a minimal design. It may not look like it from its appearance, but the thoughtful design includes plenty of pockets and a fold-out exterior changing station.
Just like L.L.Bean's Boat and Tote, Longchamp's Le Pliage is an everyday bag that can easily be converted into a diaper bag. No one will know it's a diaper bag, and its nylon is extremely durable for whatever adventure you and your little one embark on. If you're looking to add more functionality fit to your new lifestyle as a parent into the roomy tote, there are plenty of organizational inserts you can add.
With a 4.8-star rating and a whopping 27,000 reviews on Amazon, this has to be the top affordable option on the market, especially if you're a parent who likes an extremely organized bag with a specific place for everything.
One reviewer wrote, "There is a section for each thing you need. Diapers, wipes, clothes, electronics, medicine and more. The quality is amazing, and the size of the bag is perfect. The material used is nice and doesn't feel cheap. The color is vibrant and looks like the pictures. The versatility of this bag is tremendous. It can be used to hold many things, and you wouldn't have to rummage through because everything has its own place."
