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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
KingsleyBorder · 14/12/2023 09:45

Cas112 · 14/12/2023 09:40

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

Show quote history

That goes inside the tote bag, it’s practical not visible.

TheOccupier · 14/12/2023 10:10

badger2005 · 14/12/2023 00:09

thank you all!
Just to clarify Whatevermate, I have typed 'what is a tote bag?' into google! Lots of very different looking bags come up. Am I looking for a leather-y handbag style affair, or a hessian thing, or a cloth bag?
What I am asking isn't really 'what is a tote bag?' (sorry in retrospect for the misleading title!) but 'what does dd mean when she says she wants a tote bag?'. So for those with teen dds, what do you think? I see that two of you are saying reusable cloth bag - so like the sort you can't really buy but sometimes get given for free?
I'm sorry TheOccupier but your link is not working for me. Please could you try again?

I just did a search for "tote bag" on asos.com! The link I posted was to the results page. Try this one:
https://www.asos.com/women/bags-purses/tote-bags/cat/?cid=15142

Do you ever go to school/see DD with her friends so you can look at what the other girls have?

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Clothing
Lakeyloo · 14/12/2023 10:12

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!

Love a Tote bag and have a couple of these.... absolute god send when you want to transfer everything into a different tote. Also can't be doing with emptying everything out to find keys/phone/lip gloss/kitchen sink.
Great for beach/pool tote on holiday too....suntan lotion, ear buds, book, phone, water bottle etc

Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 10:13

Guys - thank you so much! Mumsnet is awesome.
Also I do see that a thousand people have told me to ask dd to avoid getting it wrong, and I'm being difficult about this! Thing is it's just one of those times when you've overheard someone saying they want something, but haven't been asked to get it, and you just want to surprise them with it. I can update you and tell you what happens on Christmas day...!
Anyway, I have a cunning plan... tomorrow is last day of school, and as we live v near the town dd and her friends are literally coming here to drop off their bags before going to probably Greggs. Perfect opportunity for me to survey the pile of bags on the hall floor before (hopefully) clicking 'buy' on that urban outfitters bag...
Final thing, someone upthread said I could find out if dd would become a mumsnetter when older... well funnily enough dd is kind of already a mumsnetter! She'll ask 'what's happening on mumsnet' and if I tell her that e.g. someone's mil has forgotten she promised to bring the red cabbage or whatever, she's as invested as I am!
She's at school right now, and hopefully this thread will be buried by the time she is home - I must stop posting on it!

OP posts:
Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 10:17

Someone asked - don't I see dd's friends and notice their bags? Reasonable question! I think I'm just a bit unobservant.

OP posts:
Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 10:19

Ooh the new look one above also looks nice, and is quite a lot cheaper... will keep that in the running too.

OP posts:
Advicerequest · 14/12/2023 10:29

Ah! My teen daughter is always trying to pilfer my reusable totes. Seems to be the cotton cheap ones they're after. Didn't realise it was a trend (she's very trend aware).

KingsleyBorder · 14/12/2023 10:38

badger2005 · 14/12/2023 10:17

Someone asked - don't I see dd's friends and notice their bags? Reasonable question! I think I'm just a bit unobservant.

No, I actually meant why don’t you go on a specific mission to look at them all and make notes!

But I see you have now made that very plan! Please report back!

SoupDragon · 14/12/2023 10:44

tomorrow is last day of school, and as we live v near the town dd and her friends are literally coming here to drop off their bagsbefore going to probably Greggs. Perfect opportunity for me to survey the pile of bags on the hall floor before (hopefully) clicking 'buy' on that urban outfitters bag...

😂 Let's hope they have got bags in the drop off pile!

thesugarbumfairy · 14/12/2023 10:47

@badger2005 we now need a sneaky pic of their tote bags when they leave them at yours!

LitenHaj · 14/12/2023 11:06

16 year old has a basic fabric tote bag with some sort of logo on it for college. I noticed a lot of students in the city centre also use similar. They must be 'in'.

Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 11:10

Yes indeed will report back on the bag-pile tomorrow!
Feel like David Attenborough observing the bag-carrying habits of the teenagers...

OP posts:
CatherineStandish · 14/12/2023 12:19

Part of my job is to visit different secondary schools. Yes, the girls do use tote bags, within a school they are all similar but differ widely between schools.

It is either canvas with a deliberate low-effort vibe or structured black leather/vinyl.

It will be important to get it right as I suspect getting it wrong would very wrong.

KingsleyBorder · 14/12/2023 12:32

CatherineStandish · 14/12/2023 12:19

Part of my job is to visit different secondary schools. Yes, the girls do use tote bags, within a school they are all similar but differ widely between schools.

It is either canvas with a deliberate low-effort vibe or structured black leather/vinyl.

It will be important to get it right as I suspect getting it wrong would very wrong.

School bags were always such a minefield of cool/not cool when I was young. I remember that the ULTIMATE SIN was to put your rucksack over two shoulders. Is that still true?

LifeInAHamsterWheel · 14/12/2023 12:52

That first Urban Outfitters one looks perfect OP I hope your DD loves it. I know exactly what you mean about getting them something that they've only just mentioned in passing. I think it shows that you're listening and are interested.

Mummyoflittledragon · 14/12/2023 14:25

CatherineStandish · 14/12/2023 12:19

Part of my job is to visit different secondary schools. Yes, the girls do use tote bags, within a school they are all similar but differ widely between schools.

It is either canvas with a deliberate low-effort vibe or structured black leather/vinyl.

It will be important to get it right as I suspect getting it wrong would very wrong.

This. I have a 15 yo dd.

Do any of your dd’s friends carry totes? Can you drive past the kids when they’re going home from school?

Round here it’s definitely the fake leather ones ranging from budget such as Primark and New Look to much more expensive, Victoria Secret and beyond. I bought dd a pristine black Michael Kors bag off vinted for Christmas. She debated for ages between the MK bag and the Longchamp one.

Heloo · 14/12/2023 14:33

Tote bag is any bag with straps that you wear on one shoulder. Usually A4 size or bigger. Tote things around in it. Doesn’t matter what material. So not a rucksack or a cross body or a tiny thing.

YireosDodeAver · 14/12/2023 15:06

A teen would want a better quality one than the freebie ones. A good canvas tote bag will be roughly the same shape and size as a freebie one but will be thicker material qnd more durable.

diyprojectnumber538 · 14/12/2023 15:08

I'm genuinely so Invested in this.... Blush

Original poster
badger2005 · 14/12/2023 15:13

diyprojectnumber538 · 14/12/2023 15:08

I'm genuinely so Invested in this.... Blush

Well in that case I'll be sure to keep you updated! 😀

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 14/12/2023 15:59

badger2005 · 14/12/2023 11:10

Yes indeed will report back on the bag-pile tomorrow!
Feel like David Attenborough observing the bag-carrying habits of the teenagers...

So funny, and true. You could do a hushed commentary.

PostmansKnock · 14/12/2023 16:20

I'd watch a documentary on this for sure.

CrashyTime · 14/12/2023 16:40

WhateverMate · 13/12/2023 23:52

Yes, it's a reusable cloth bag.

Type 'What is a tote bag?' into Google.

Or use DuckDuckGo..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tote_bag

Tote bag - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tote_bag

itsnotmeitsu · 14/12/2023 16:40

Oh for the days when you were only allowed a school satchel from a specific shop; how I miss them (not). But that sort of thing probably did make life easier for a lot of parents and children.

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