Who can forget the first time they saw Mary Poppins pull a hatstand out of her bag, to the humor and delight of kids and adults alike? From that moment, it was ingrained in our minds that if we were going to carry a little magic with us everywhere we went, we needed the right bag. Over the years and decades, as pop culture has influenced our lives, we have seen the right bag become more than a prop.
Here are five iconic pop culture moments that have elevated the tote bag from a trendy accessory to a staple of everyday life.
The Birkin Beginning
Few bags have impacted the market and our daily lives more than the Berkin. A foundational piece of the modern Hermès brand, this bag was famously designed by Jean Louis Dumas, the then Hermès artistic director, after a chance encounter with French actress Jane Birkin on a flight. Birkin, who typically carried a basket bag, lamented the lack of leather totes on the market, allowing her to have everything needed for motherhood, everything from a wallet to baby bottles.
Obtaining an actual Birkin bag requires a pretty penny and endless patience (there is a years-long waitlist). The design, however, became the standard for tote bags for years to come. With a flat bottom, tapered top, ample space, pockets, and double handle, the Birkin design has had an incalculable effect on tote bags.
Read: How to Dress for a Night Out: Men’s Edition
Bruiser’s Bag
Ask any millennial woman which characters in film or television have had the most significant impact on her life, and chances are high Elle Woods will be on the list. She’s fiercely herself, bold, kind, bright, and a fashionista of the highest order. And do you know what accessory Elle Woods was rarely seen without?
Her tote bag
For Elle, the bag—or bags, because at times she carried multiple—was to carry along the most beloved part of her life: her dog Bruiser. She wasn’t afraid to use Bruiser’s bag as a multi-use bag when necessary. When she took on Harvard Law, a second tote bag allowed her to carry around all things pink and scented, ready at a moment’s notice.
Elle Woods taught a generation of women how to harness their dreams and pack everything needed to chase them in a stylish tote.
Vacation’s Best Bags
We come to The White Lotus for the drama; we stay for the bags. The show that has captured the attention of a nation is rife with drama, intrigue, breathtaking settings, and enviable fashion. The latter is punctuated by bags that are perfect for vacation and making a statement. These bags must hold all the accouterment necessary for lounging by the pool, heading out on the water, and slightly sketchy items. Rachel’s green tote from Season 1 is the perfect example, highlighting how to take on a pool day with both fashion and practicality.
The White Lotus has infiltrated pop culture in numerous ways, from influencing vacation destinations to inspiring a line of coffee creamers. As the show continues to sneak into our everyday lives, its iconic fashion statements will inspire a new trend in vacation tote bags.
Vera’s Very Best
Over the years, Vera Bradley has gone through several small and seismic shifts. The one constant in every iteration, though, has been the weekender. This bag is designed to carry everything you need for a quick trip over the weekend, as the name would indicate. Equipped with a flat bottom, numerous pockets, and long handles to throw over the shoulder, these bags have taught women how to pack light and quick for decades, setting a standard of what’s expected in the product, no matter the maker.
The Social Media Shift
In recent years, we have seen a shift in how items are both inspired and marketed. Social media has allowed companies to interact directly with customers, finding out what consumers want in their products, how they are used, and determining where the market is going before it even turns.
A great example is Shay Mitchell and Beis. Actresses like Mitchell have parlayed their fame and place in pop culture into a loyal consumer base. Mitchell and her travel bag company have also harnessed the power of social media, laying a blueprint for other businesses. Viral trends such as “What’s in my bag” have allowed companies to show off what makes their bag unique and practical for everyday life.
These bags have also combined the typical tote bag with the weekend bag, the laptop case, and a day-to-day briefcase, creating new expectations for what a tote bag should offer.
An Everyday Staple
From Birkin to Bruiser to Bradley and everything in between, the evolution of the tote bag has been woven through pop culture history. The result is a bag that has become a staple of everyday life. These bags are perfect for grocery shopping, diapers, computers, and a weekender travel bag. For whatever you need to tote, the bag is there for you.
