What replaces the summer canvas tote in the winter?
As it’s getting chilly, I’ve been wondering what will replace my well-worn purple-handled LL Bean canvas tote. These bags are the perfect summer run-around bags. They’ve been a staple for me in the warmer months, and I’m searching for a replacement as winter draws in (sadly!).
For errands around the neighborhood, weekends away, and walking in the rain and snow (the months when you may consider moving to California), you need a practical tote bag that is more weather-resistant than canvas and hopefully inexpensive.
You could opt for the LL Bean Hunters Tote below (monogramable and available in various sizes), but it doesn’t quite do it for me. It has limited colorways and comes with just the short handle option below.
Canvas LL Bean totes have long been a favorite amongst preppy sets, but in more recent years, there has been a transition into solid rotation within the fashion arena.
The fashion world’s twist on the classic preppy boat bag has been around for a while, choosing ironic, self-deprecating comments or nicknames instead of their initials. Introducing Gracie Wiener, who has a great IG full of ideas for a few sassy and amusing monograms for your tote.
Some of my selected options can be monogrammed too, which is super fun. I’ve done a good edit of the options below. There are canvas options, but they are waxed canvas (more weather resistant) and other fabrications like oil waxed canvas, separated by price points.
UNDER $150
1 Barbour 2 Amazon 3 Mark & Graham 4 Etsy 5 CB Station 6 Gardenheir
CB Station, Mark and Graham, and Barrington (below) all offer monograming. It's fabric-dependent. You can always take your bag to an embroidery store and get it monogrammed - I love Abbode on Elizabeth Street if you are in NYC.
The Amazon pick above is a copy of the Naghedi bag on the second board below. The quality isn’t as good, but I wanted to show you different price points. Both are offered in a variety of colors. I was leaning more towards olive, as it’s a color on my radar right now.
UNDER $500
1 MZ Wallace 2 Kassel 3 Rue de Verneuil 4 Sezane 5 Barrington 6 Vee Collective 7 Transcience
The MZ Wallace medium tote is available in many different colors. This one gave me Old Celine, so I selected it! I love the Kassel one (it also comes in black and burgundy from Bergdorf Goodman), as it feels like a pillow bag of sorts and is water-resistant. The Rue de Verneuil is shown here in navy with the snaps popped in at the sides. Patent is also a great direction to head into for something cute and water-resistant which is why I included this Sezane Tote. It will look great with denim, and also brown and black tones of outerwear.
1 Rue de Verneuil 2 Vee Collective 3 Dune 4 Naghedi 5 Naghedi
The Rue de Verneuil bags snap at the sides to narrow them. They also offer a weekender-sized bag, the TRAVERSÉE XL (pictured in the green plaid above, similar to the large LL Bean canvas). The size equal to the LL Bean Medium is the TRAVERSÉE L. The Vee Collective puffer option looks a little scary, but worn with a chic sporty jacket and boots, you could really bop around the city in snow, feeling assured your designer bag is at home feeling cozy! The bag from Dune has recently been worn by Katie Holmes; she makes everything look effortless. I drank the cool-aid on that one with this look, and I was pleasantly surprised to see her wearing a brand with a more affordable price point.
Lastly, how could I not mention the must-have Gen Z Tik Tok bag of the moment and Britsh royal family favorite, The Longchamp Le Pliage, first launched in 1993. It’s back with a vengeance amongst Gen Z, and they don’t mind matching with their millennial Mum! It comes in a few fabrications, leather and a washable nylon fabric, which is slightly more practical than canvas for winter. The original rolls up into the clasp flap, so you can keep it in your purse, too, and bring it out as needed. It comes in an array of colors and sizes. On the website, you can buy them in standard colors and trims in various different sizes, and there is also an option to play around with customization. You can use your own initials (up to 3 letters) and also select color, hardware, leather trims, etc. I’ve played with a few ideas below but have a play yourself!
I hope you found this newsletter useful, as I help get you ready for the winter months!
Lots of love,
Rebecca xxx