Are designer totes really the norm for university bags now

[Fourpaw]

I have just entered the unexpected world of pain that is helping my daughter to buy a bag for uni. It needs to hold laptop, water bottle etc. I had no idea that backpacks are totally out and that girls seem to be carrying very expensive designer totes? Is this true? Help!

I'm going to be honest, I've no idea what bags mine used day to day at uni! They could have taken their sixth form bags, or bought new ones, I don't know. It's really not important.
Universities are large, diverse places. It won't matter
.

To be fair, the OP asked if it was true that backpacks were out and that girls were now carrying very expensive designer totes, and a number of posters (me included) have noted that it is not true in their experience. I don't think that's being arsey.

Thank you! Quite shocked/surprised at some of the responses! And also amused. That’ll teach me!

I am not sure, when it comes to Uni, that there is an 'in' or 'out' but my DD ditched the rucksack and has a vintage coach tote that she uses for uni now.

When I went to visit her last year and picked her up from one of her lectures I did notice that most of the girls were, indeed, carrying tote bags and not rucksacks. Can't say if they were designer or not though.

Longchamp black le pliage for DD1 starting her 2nd year of uni. No idea if she carries it every day but it's definitely an option for her. She's at OxBrookes and I reckon lots of the girls there have a longchamps ... or 2.

She actually started using it in yr12. Lots of the girls did at her college so it was about fitting in there. I think it was a gift from my DM or DSis.

(My favourite designer tote story is La Moss using one of her Birkins as a beach bag ... Although Jane would thoroughly approve since she used hers as a changing bag.)

I had a navy Jansport from costco from yr 10 to end of uni....😅 so its a no from me.

The sooner she learns its pointless shite the better.

Longchamp le pliage I'd be fine with. Its not the pricey and durable...

"Designer bags" are predominantly poorly made leather totes with strap and a brand stamp that will warp as soon as you actually put a laptop it in. for £1k is not good value (I'm looking at you! ysl leather tote and dumb 28 yr old me)

If i was feeling generous and she was the apple of my eye i'd match for £ for £.
So if she wanted to piss away £500 she'd actually earned on a £1k bag... id meet her half way.i used a

Dd has just graduated and she used a cloth tote for most of the time as far as I know.

We have now bought her a (less expensive end) ‘designer’ tote as a graduation present. There is no way I would have spent that on a uni bag!

Longchamp totes last absolutely years and years. The price per wear is really v low to be honest!

I honestly can't remember what I carried my stuff around in at University, but I'm pretty sure it didn't affect my academic performance, social life or examination results.

I had a canvas army surplus knapsack in the 90's for uni my DD currently uses a Longchamp Le Pliage tote, times really have changed!

My daughter (in Manchester) uses a navy Longchamp that she also used in sixth form. I thought it was extravagant when she got it, but it’s been a great investment. She also has an ever-increasing array of cotton tote bags that she uses a lot.

I’ve always found the Longchamp totes end up getting holes in the corners! It’s happened to three of them, usually in one or two years. I know you can supposedly get them fixed for free but it seems a faff.

The only distinct bag I can remember from uni was a woman who used a straw-effect shopping basket, like Dorothy.

My 14 year old has the longchamp bag with the insert. She was delighted with it. They’re a thing. She got hers for a very good price on vinted.

One of my DD’s used their backpack that by then was 7 years old, the other I have no idea because she was living away, she definitely took a backpack but acquired some decent labelled bags during university (sponsored student)

FFS. That’s ridiculous.

I was at university not so long ago and I was vastly more concerned about being able to afford my rent and food than what bag I had. The first couple of years were managed with the same Roxy backpack I had for sixth form.

The only person I knew with a designer bag also had a bottomless credit card her dad paid off every month.

I would hope by university age they are finding their own style and not following the Longchamp bag crowd.

DD is 21 and has a Coach tote bag for uni. Prior to that she used a similar style one from Zara.

Funnily enough I had this convo with my Yr8 child today. At her independent school, quite a few of the 'it girls' have what I term 'loud shouty low-end designer bags'; Longchamp, Osprey, etc., with attendant large logos and obvious branding.

wrong thread 🤣

Exactly

Jeeze the OP is only looking for advice not a lecture!!

There are plenty of freshers that appreciate a bit of help and support from their mums. College can be daunting for some people and my dd asked me to go shopping with her and then have a girly lunch. It’s no big deal.

No, I'm near a uni and they all have backpacks. Maybe at some unis? But most younger women seem to think designer handbags are an older women's thing, none of my nieces have them.

I had a mulberry rucksack (not as a student but as a working person who liked to walk a lot). I wouldn’t buy a mulberry now though.

My daughters just about to go back for year 2 and she uses either a large river island hand bag or one of her urban outfitters bags. Anything goes really