In New York City, Your Bag Is Like Your Car—30 Oversize Versions I'd Haul My Life Around In
When I was getting ready to make the move from L.A. to New York City, there was only one reason why I lamented giving up my car (driving, on the other hand, I couldn't wait to be done with), and that was my back seat. As my de facto portable closet, it held countless outfit changes, extra pairs of shoes, a makeup bag, chargers, umbrellas, and a CD wallet with enough music to last me through a cross-country road trip. (It was a 2007 Jeep.) In other words, I could be as spontaneous as I wanted. In New York City? It's not your back seat—it's your bag.
I quickly learned that you haul your life around in a big bag here. The bigger the better, really. I think I speak for the entire fashion community when I say that we all have plenty of junk to carry around. On any given workday, that just might look like the sneakers we wore to the gym in the morning, our laptop, a portable charger, a water bottle, a collection of go-to lip glosses, and anything else that's needed for a jam-packed day. Of course, as an editor, I'm extremely particular about the bags I carry, but now that sporting a massive carryall has been deemed a chic thing to do by the industry's most respected designers, all that's left to do is buy an XL vessel to stuff it all into.
I picked out 30 oversize bags I'd willingly haul my whole life around in, from the iconic large Andiamo bag to an impressive designer-vibe tote from Reformation.
If we're talking about larger-than-life bags, there's nothing I'd want to haul my stuff around in more than Bottega Veneta's Andiamo bag. I bought it in the smallest size last year and haven't regretted a single penny I spent on it, so its larger cousin is a permanent wish-list item. Plus, it pulls double duty as a weekender bag.
The color, the size, and the fact that it's on sale? It's an immediate yes from me.
I want the Margaux Bag too, but this Reformation alt is criminally good.
Some days, I can't avoid needing to carry not one but two totes, and on those occasions, one of them is always from Vee Collective. I swear it rivals the look of whatever designer bag is on my other arm but is secretly far more useful.
Hailey Bieber and Laura Harrier love it for a reason.
It's only January, but this is the bag that's already set to define 2025.
I don't know what's in the water over at Madewell HQ these days, but the accessories have been getting so, so good. I'll rest my case with this lovely raisin-hued leather tote with a designer-vibe shape to it.
The exact tote Kendall Jenner is always spotted carrying to and from her Pilates classes.
At least three editors on our fashion team carry this as their go-to work bag.
If I ever go silent mid-conversation, I'm probably thinking about (and scheming ways to purchase) the Ferragamo Hug bag.
Brilliantly made from neoprene, Naghedi bags are lightweight, waterproof, and malleable, and I see them all over on the street in NYC.
I spot this tote at a preview at least once a week. It's a tried-and-true fan favorite.
The handwoven leather will lend immediate polish to quite literally anything.
Former WWW editor and New Jersey commuter Yusra Siddiqui makes me want to buy this bag—she always styles it so well.
Calling it now: The Loafer bag will be the industry's next big infatuation.
Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.
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