LuxList: Top Ten Totes

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed)
May 9th 2006 at 11:02AM

A good tote bag is a summer essential. Why? People seem to carry around a lot more in the summer. Perhaps it is the long days and gorgeous weather, though it might be the spirit of summer vacation lingering from your school days, but once June comes around everyone has hats, books, three pairs of sunglasses, a bottle of water and sometimes an extra pair of sandals that they need to have with them at all times. After all, you never know when the opportunity to hit the beach might up.

The Coach Motif Tote is a fun, straw bag covered with bright appliques and accented with white patent and silver metallic leather. It coordinates perfectly with Coach's Mattie Wedge sandals. What's not to like? $358

The Cole Haan Sierra Carryall is a busy, vintage-inspired bag with braided leather handles and a magnetic snap closure. It will really brighten up a plain, white dress or a pair of jeans. $295

The Goyard St. Louis Tote actually reverses to reveal a linen interior, while the exterior is made of linen cotton and hemp. It is Goyard's signature bag, not to mention the most popular, and is available in eight colors -but what fun is summer without a little color? Go for orange or yellow instead of black or navy. $785

The Hayden-Harnett Erol Tote comes in three colors, but you can't go wrong with the one called "sun" (pictured). It has plenty of pockets, and is made of canvas and with leather accents, so it's a great choice for the beach $155

The Dior Flight Flap Tote, unlike some of the other bags on our list, is a little more serious and a good choice for jet-setting summer travel. Of course, we won't tell if you just carry it around town. $1,425

Luis Vuitton's Antigua Tote is a nice weekend bag, made of cotton canvas with contrasting straps. It is accented with gold rivets and a logo nameplate. The security of a zip top makes it good for traveling. $715

Francesco Biasia's "Freeway Jam" Tote is a raffia/canvas bag with leather accents and straps. It works particularly well as a match for your favorite pair of espadrilles. $178

The Kate Spade Oaxaca Tote is the smallest of the totes shown here, but its size makes it unique. It is large, but flat, just the right size for carrying a magazine or two, as well as for hiding away any unfinished work when you decide to cut out early on a warm Friday afternoon. $195

Calvin Klein's "Satin Nylon" Tote might not be the fanciest tote, but the metallic leather straps add a lot to its look. The smooth, durable nylon makes it a great bag for packing a towel, snack and shades to take out the pool - or better yet, to a pool party! $165

The Botkier Bombay Tote is a serious, leather tote with a huge capacity. Do yourself a favor and skip the brown and black options in favor of the paler neutral or the light orchid, both of which will pair much better with sandals this season. $540

Tags: bags, best totes, botkier, calvin klein, coach, cole haan, goyard, handbags, kate spade, purse, spring, summer, tote

Filed under: Handbags

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

Janette Malling May 11th 2006 2:26PM

Get real!
These prices for a simple tote bag are atrocious.
Who can afford to pucrchase one of these??????
RIDICULOUS!!!!!!
Nothing but STUFF!
Think of all the poor people in this world that need food and maybe you can put this in prospective!!!!!!
Maled me sick to my stomach to think anyone would spend this kind of money on something so foolish!!!!!

Jean Smith May 11th 2006 2:35PM

Why don't you show totes normal people can afford. Those are outrageously expensive!!

Kelli May 11th 2006 2:37PM

ARE YOU CRAZY???? THOSE ARE NOT FOR NORMAL PEOPLE!!!

kelly May 11th 2006 2:42PM

i can afford these, and i think they are fabulous!

Jamie May 11th 2006 2:47PM

Why would people pay $715 for a canvas tote bag when they could pay $50 more for a Boston-Osaka round trip ticket? Are there really REAL people who are so gullible AND vain? Buy an L.L.Bean tote bag and take a trip instead!!

Deeni Tyre May 11th 2006 2:49PM

LL Bean has style with a variety of color combinations, is well-constructed so that it is durable and the price is a whole lot better.
Plus, they're made in the USA.

Leona Bartell May 11th 2006 2:50PM

Aren't there any tote bags for normal people. Not the very costly ones you show. One needs a tote bag to carry "stuff", now show off how rich you are.

maureen May 11th 2006 2:51PM

Why are you wasting time and space showing these outrageously priced totes?
It borders on the obscene.

Some people in the world don't earn enough in a year to buy one of these.
Ridiculous.

Candyce Weber May 11th 2006 2:51PM

Because I once had a purse stolen I won't pay more than about $20. for one. Why would you ever pay that much for a "tote"? There are other things in life that you need to spend your money on. If you have that kind of money why not do something useful with it? (Feed starving people, etc.)

Sherry May 11th 2006 2:52PM

Way too much for something to be shoved in an overhead compartment, stuffed under a seat or abused by airport security!

Nancy Albataineh May 11th 2006 2:56PM

The bags are nice but I can find better ways to spend my money,normal people don't need totes that expensive.

Lori Somers May 11th 2006 2:56PM

I can't afford these bags, but I absolutely love them. Thinking about what I can do without to have one of them.

Lisa May 11th 2006 2:57PM

They are beautiful, my personal favorite is the Goyard.. Stunning!! I should buy two : )

C Mag May 11th 2006 3:02PM

My solution-pick the bag you like, run a copy, and hit the mall, there are knock offs everywhere of these bags. They don't have to be exact to get the same look and they are tons cheaper!!! I looked online for a summer bag, the one I loved was 300 BUCKS. I found a wonderful lime green woven straw with leather trim & straps, almost exactly the same except the price was $35. It just so happened to be 1/2 of that($17.50)! I've had compliment after compliment all day!(oh, almost forgot, at JC PENNEYS)

lyn May 11th 2006 3:03PM

There's a wonderful travel bag divided into compartments inside at www.theibag.com. They are like the LLBean bags but sectioned inside for neatness. A guy handmakes them here in Florida and I saw them at a craft fair and loved them. They cost from $29 - $49, not the sky-high prices in your pick. Yikes!

Lucy May 11th 2006 3:06PM

I agree with the comments already stated. The totes are very fashionable, but outrageously priced. The purpose of a tote is to carry "stuff" - if you REALLY need to show off how rich you are, a pricey tote?? really??? How shallow can you get!

Jen Cook May 11th 2006 3:07PM

They sell them at these prices because they can and they can because people buy them.
Me, Myself and I will shop LL Bean, thier bags rock and are customizable!!
Long live the Extravagant and the Thrifty Shoppers!! the economy needs both.

Cathy May 11th 2006 3:10PM

These bags can be afforded only by a small percentage of the population. AOL would better serve its subscribers by showing a variety of price ranges. Even $175 is a lot to pay for a tote. I have a HH income of over $200k but I still buy really cute things like that at Target for a fraction of the cost.

Linda Weed May 11th 2006 3:11PM

Love the bags! Of course I will look around and find cheap little imitations but it will be that little extra when the bag and the shoes 'set off' the whole outfit! I realize most of us could not afford the totes presented...but there are alternatives...that are just as fun! Fashion is and should be after all... fun. ::smile::

Bill Cooney May 11th 2006 3:11PM

Completely ridiculous! Overpriced by any standard. Most women are not in the Paris Hilton shallow mode. They're more concerned with value than price. Now show some more affordable alternatives.

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