I have recently discovered the convenience of having a backpack. I used to avoid them and for years I carried a tote/shopper type bag crammed full with my laptop, lunch for work etc and was weighed down with that, plus a shoulder bag that kept slipping off my shoulder and I was wrestling with that plus other shopping.
Now I have two backpacks, a mini one for when I don't have as much to carry and a slightly larger one for when I have more to carry. I also have a small cross body bag for my essentials like my phone, cards and keys which I need easy access to. This works for me.
However a friend recently commented that a backpack doesn't look dressy and that she would never use one. She is feminine like me, wears make up etc. She uses a cross body bag but her carry all bag is a plastic carrier bag which to me isn't dressy at all.
I now feel frumpy using a backpack even though it's practical and more comfortable than carrying all my stuff in a hand held tote bag.
When I go.out dressed up I just take a handbag.