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Original poster

What's a tote bag?

152 replies

badger2005 · 13/12/2023 23:31

Dd (15) says that all her friends carry their folders to school in tote bags - so they have a rucksack but also a tote bag. I'd like to get her a tote bag for Christmas but don't really know what she means. Is it the sort of resuable fabric bags you get (sometimes for free with things)? Or something else? Can anyone link to one their dd has (if this is a general thing!).
I'm an adult without a handbag, and always deeply uncool, so really do need advice!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
scrivette · 14/12/2023 07:21

Around my way all the girls have the cloth tote bags as handbags.

They are like the Body Shop ones we all used to use in the early 90's.

I have seen them in Primark and I have bought personalised ones from a local business recently. I like them as they are relatively cheap and DC have a few of them.

User56785 · 14/12/2023 07:22

Be careful op as there is more than one style tote bag.

I can't tell if you are joking or not! She knows this. That's why she started the thread!

When my now twenty year old started secondary loads of girls had handbags, now my youngest is sixteen and nobody does. Here at least. My dd has a cord tote bag from Amazon.

TorroFerney · 14/12/2023 07:26

I think you definitely need to ask more questions, a tote bag is just a bag you can carry or tote things about in. If you get her a £2 fabric one and she’s actually meaning a longchamp la pliage one then she will be disappointed (not saying you should buy her the longchamp one!). The urban outfitters ones as others have said are really popular, well they were last year with my daughter and her peers. Advantage is that you can use them when they fall out of favour.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Clothing
CrapBucket · 14/12/2023 07:29

I’d guess it’s a Marc Jacobs she is after as they literally say Tote Bag on the side and hence that’s how she knows what it’s called. If the fashion locally was for cloth thin bags she’s probably going to use a different word. But obviously I wouldn’t take the risk and would ask her for some examples.

JaninaDuszejko · 14/12/2023 07:46

So my 2 teenage daughters are obsessed with tote bags and they mean the cheap canvas bags and were horrified when I referred to my leather work bag as a tote bag. The (fake) leather ones were carried by the 'popular girls' (insulting term) a few years ago but not sure if that is still the case.

Not sure if it's area specific or social group specific. But if she always asks for one when you take her to a bookshop then it's probably the canvas one. DD1 has asked for this Shakespeare and Company one.

Jacfrost · 14/12/2023 07:50

DD is y8 and we have had many conversations about school bags 😂

Firstly I don't think it would be to use alongside a rucksack, it would be intended as her schoolbag.

Secondly I very much doubt she meant a cotton/canvas shopper style tote - those are cheap and if that's what she wanted she would have bought one herself already. That's not to say they're not in use, DD was carting her stuff in them in the summer before I convinced her to use a rucksack again for practicality!

You need to check with her what she means. It could be a corduroy one from Urban Outfitters (lots of the older girls have those at DD's school, and she asked for one for Xmas)

More likely given she's 15 it's a black leather one she's after. At DD's school these are either from River Island or a few girls have the designer ones.

MetalFences · 14/12/2023 07:53

Firstly I don't think it would be to use alongside a rucksack, it would be intended as her schoolbag.

Even though the girl herself has specified that it is to be used alongside a rucksack?

Jacfrost · 14/12/2023 07:55

Sorry, I've just reread your OP and realise she hasn't actually asked for one for Xmas! In which case it could just be the cheap ones she's talking about.

What's her style - if she's false lashes and nails it's probably the black leather type. If she's more indie then it'll be UO/canvas

Jacfrost · 14/12/2023 07:56

MetalFences · 14/12/2023 07:53

Firstly I don't think it would be to use alongside a rucksack, it would be intended as her schoolbag.

Even though the girl herself has specified that it is to be used alongside a rucksack?

I didn't read it like that, I read it as that being the OP's interpretation

floofbag · 14/12/2023 08:04

@PostmansKnock I live near a secondary and see them in droves with these bags .

My dd is 20 so past this age but it's very much the norm ..

I do think Op should ask her dd for some links to gauge what she actually wants though

PostmansKnock · 14/12/2023 08:11

floofbag · 14/12/2023 08:04

@PostmansKnock I live near a secondary and see them in droves with these bags .

My dd is 20 so past this age but it's very much the norm ..

I do think Op should ask her dd for some links to gauge what she actually wants though

It's all very interesting I think, how much something as simple as a school bag can vary so much by location. I can't remember the last time I saw a secondary school child with a handbag. Certainly over five years ago.

BarbaraofSeville · 14/12/2023 08:13

Definitely check what she means as it sounds like this could be anything from a £1 reusable shopper, which probably needs to be from a certain shop, to a £300+ designer item.

Of course, you could test out whether she might be a Mumsnetter when she's older by seeing what she thinks of these:

https://www.booths.co.uk/whats-your-bag-idea-competition/

What's Your 'Bag' Idea Competition | Booths Supermarket

This competition is now closed. Thank you for your entries! Each time we release a new edition of our Booths tote bags, we get inundated with fab

https://www.booths.co.uk/whats-your-bag-idea-competition

Forestdweller11 · 14/12/2023 08:14

Mine takes the black pleather type tote to school, but also (if loads to carry) a lightweight cotton tote which is a plain grey. A . This replaces the kanken type rucksack from last year.

Tbh I thought they'd revert to rucksack type for practical purposes but they haven't .

I'd also advise checking with your DD as

Notcontent · 14/12/2023 08:23

floofbag · 14/12/2023 06:38

Like this .. you can get them anywhere . It's what the teen girls use for school. Please don't get her a material bag for life 🙈

Op, I think you need to check with your DD because it really depends on your DD’s vibe or look…. At my DD’s school no one would have one of these leather, designer or non designer tote bags as referred to above as I think they are seen as deeply uncool. They all have rucksacks or those fabric tote bags that others refer to - from museums, etc or somewhere like urban outfitters.

SoupDragon · 14/12/2023 08:27

I think you either need to ask your DD or, if you want to surprised her, look at what style the girls at her school seem to be carrying.

I think you're likely to get it wrong otherwise - I know I always have when tasked with slightly vague requests 😂😂

QuillBill · 14/12/2023 08:29

Op, I think you need to check with your DD because it really depends on your DD’s vibe or look…. At my DD’s school no one would have one of these leather, designer or non designer tote bags as referred to above as I think they are seen as deeply uncool. They all have rucksacks or those fabric tote bags that others refer to - from museums, etc or somewhere like urban outfitters.

Me too.

Sparkletastic · 14/12/2023 08:38

Lucy and Yak do cool ones. My 17 year old uses hers for college

lucyandyak.com/products/tote-bag-organic-corduroy-power-pink?searchID=3885374b6a34620c75b18721e4084b9f&searchObject=40105605496935

MrsCarson · 14/12/2023 09:03

I got Dd one from Fatface last Christmas, it's a reversible one made of cotton with different pattern on each side, she uses it all the time.

PonyMcBony · 14/12/2023 09:07

Ours have pleather like ones mostly with designs on - they seem to see what they can get away with like this one 😆

www.handmadethreadstudio.com/product-page/game-over-tote-bag

criminallyvulgar · 14/12/2023 09:35

I'm a secondary school teacher. The Urban Outfitters cord tote linked up thread is the bag of the moment here. Comes in a rainbow of colours - every girl seems to have a different one. I think these things can be quite school specific so you could get it horribly wrong if you don't ask her to show you pictures of what she means.

Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 09:37

Thank you so much for helping me! The reason I haven't asked dd to choose one is because I want to give it to her for Christmas - she hasn't asked for it but has said several times 'I should get a tote bag' - meaning (I'm sure about this given the context) 'I should put these folders in a tote bag in addition to my usual rucksack). I'd like it to be a surprise because I know she'll enjoy unwrapping it etc.

Someone upthread said: What's her style - if she's false lashes and nails it's probably the black leather type. If she's more indie then it'll be UO/canvas". The answer is 100% indie!
So I reckon I'm safe in guessing that a cord/fabric one is what's wanted. I'm really liking the look of the urban outfitters ones... this one maybe or this one...?

OP posts:
CeeceeBloomingdale · 14/12/2023 09:38

Around here it would mean black pleather. River island is popular but my teens like to be different, one has a PLT padded tote and one a backpack You really should ask her though, it's disappointing to have the 'wrong' item when you're trying to fit in, I was always wearing the 'close but no cigar' option my mum picked when I was at school.

Cas112 · 14/12/2023 09:39

I always thought a tote bag was a big basket like that bag goes on the shoulder.. not necessarily fabric

Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 09:40

the Lucy and Yak one also looks really good, but it's sold out in black and I'm confident dd would not choose pink. (She goes for blues, grey, black, green, natural... but all topped off with red converse!).

OP posts:
Cas112 · 14/12/2023 09:40

justanothermanicmonday1 · 14/12/2023 06:42

This is the organiser I was talking about that sits inside the tote bag. £12.99 and comes in black. So handy for pens pencils, sanitary pads etc!

Do NOT get her this.. she definitely won't mean this 😂😂