Beach bag/ carry on multi tasker please,stylish ladies

[Pigsinablanket]

Our First beach holiday with three children is planned (10 weeks away) but I am so excited and am getting so much joy out of planning every detail.
Would love to have a great bag that could look slightly nice/ stylish on the plane to carry my lego bricks/ nappies / colouring in books / precious stones / passports/ iPad and also double as a beach bag to carry basically the same crap in a more glamorous location .
Oh and not too dear either as I have blown the budget already.

Ahhh I was about to post the Chanel Deauville but saw your last sentence.

I used to buy big bags from accessorize, knowing they would be a 'one holiday' bag. You can get some nice ones still!

What is 'not too dear'? I'd look at the Longchamp Le Pliage nylon totes.

I second bluesouper, I have a lovely pale blue stripe one with a rope handle from accessorise that would fit the bill I think. It survived remarkably well and looks much more expensive than it was. I wish I'd bought two!

Agree that this is exactly what Longchamp Le Pliage is for! Lots of different colours and sizes and (I don’t know if you’re meant to ) but they go in the washing machine at low temp at come out perfect!

I have a lovely tote from Hermosa London which is perfect for travelling with, comes in some lovely colours too

I would take a LOT of cheap but stylish sarongs and Google the Japanese art of fabric folding.
I use the "square to triangle, fold up bottom edge and tie a knot at both ends, turn right way round and make a shoulder knot" for a really capacious shopper. If you're carrying toys it's a perfect play mat.

Then you have all the other uses of a sarong, too.
Baby sunshade
Church visiting cover-up
Picnic blanket.
Changing mat
Etc...

I'll see if I can find the Japanese name and all their uses for a silk square (bookbag, bottle carrier, lunchbox case and tablecloth, the list is endless).

Furoshiki

I use a big Kipling bag I bought years ago. It's really light so great as a beach bag, folds up small if you want to put it in the suitcase and is very hard wearing. Beautiful designs too.

ooh some lovely ideas here , thanks ladies . I had been coveting the longchamps tote for a while but didnt realise it was quite so washable and practical so thats swayed me toward that one .... now just to decide which colour .
great advice re the inset and the sand bag too , dont think the folding of sarongs is for me but its an interesting idea for sure . thanks again

chanel deauville ... how much!!????!!😱
but yes it is pretty

pigs make sure when you get the La Pliage you get the longer handles or won't go on your shoulder.

And finding out you put in washing machine is a brilliant mumsnet tip
so I will stop buying new ones

I love mine-and clever DD did a personalised one for me for Christmas-amazingly thoughtful pressie!!!

I have the classic one of these:

www.obagonline.com/default.asp

The website is an absolute eyesore, but the classic is made of thick but non rigid plastic, then you choose your insert bag (which I removed for actual beach trips), and handles separately. I had a taupey neutral bag which matched most outfits and occasions, a natural canvas insert for when we were sightseeing (it has a zip top), then I had long rope handles so it went over my shoulder.

Really great as a holiday bag because it just wipes clean and is really hardwearing.

Omg... I love the O bag 😊

Personally I'm not a great fan of the O Bag in Summer.

Although the multiple component idea is great, they're made from a similar plastic to Crocs and can get grubby quite quickly on the beach like Crocs...
And plastic being carried around on my shoulder just one layer of Summer clothes away from my skin in a hot place would not be for me.

Another vote for the Longchamp Le Pliage - very light and spacious and hard wearing!