Out of every accessory, bags can be the hardest to follow trend-wise. Not only are they serious investment pieces, but some of the fads are also less practical than others (bag charms and microbags, we’re looking at you). This summer, however, we’re here — rather, Charli XCX is — to suggest a less complicated way forward: Why not just go back to a black tote?
To be sure, this isn’t the square, boxy tote you picked up from the mall during college to seem like a “professional” on internship interviews. Over the weekend, Charli was spotted in Los Angeles grabbing coffee (relatable, but why schlep for that, we wonder?) and stepping out on an undisclosed film set (there’s seven projects she could be filming right now) wearing two approximations of the style. The first was a more capacious and traditional tote from Saint Laurent, dressed down with Converse and denim shorts; the second was the celebrity-favorite Coach Brooklyn, a more hobo-leaning take.
While we do question what exactly Charli could be toting around (a hot girl really only needs wired headphones, lip gloss, and a trusty pair of sunglasses) we realized this isn’t the first time we’ve seen her in this style. She famously (and funnily) crutched a large Gucci hobo bag on her shoulder for her entire “360” performance on SNL, showing how she might look when doing the movie-set-dinner-concert-rave circuit.
In the spirit of simplicity, why not go back to basics and also make sure you have room for any random pickups you may make while shopping? It also can act as a seat-holder, a space-maker in a crowded club (leading shoulder-first is never a bad idea, anyways), and can also start conversations when worn in the ever-so-slightly wrong setting (see above). Below, however, are our picks, including Charli’s two favorites.
