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Earlier this week, I was schlepping to work on my daily commute, when I realized that my bag felt suspiciously light. Around my arm, I was carrying my go-to work bag: a large green leather Mansur Gavriel tote that is roomy enough for a laptop, water bottle, snacks, and more. And yet, on this particular day, I realized that I was carrying said huge bag with virtually nothing inside of it. I had just my keys, wallet, and a pair of sunglasses—yet, here I was, lugging a ludicrously capacious bag for no logical reason. That got me thinking: Have I become a maxi bag person?
On the runways, both extremely oversized and extra-small handbags have been served up—existing to satisfy the needs of two very different personalities. At Coach, maximalists (and hoarder-types) would find delight in the huge coin purse clutches slung under the arm. You could fit an entire bowling bag in there, if need be! At shows like Fendi, though, the itty-bitty leather bags could barely fit a phone—perfect for those who prefer to live more minimally with the bare essentials. The question is: This season, are you team mini bag, or maxi bag?
Your answer says a lot about you, and there are pros and cons to both approaches. An XXL bag proves more functional for everyday: You can fit anything you need in there to navigate the busy day, from a packed lunch to a change of clothes for nighttime. When styled right, a huge slouchy bag also adds a chic silhouette to an outfit—there is a cool, pragmatic feel about lugging a big ol’ bag around with you. And yet, the allure of a mini bag prevails, too. Discrete enough to finish any ensemble, a small one forces you to bring just the necessities—and there is something undeniably chic about rolling up to a restaurant with just a singular credit card, lip gloss, and keys. (Even better? If you don’t have to use said card.)
Still, the jury is out on which bag size reigns supreme. There is a shape and style for everyone! To take a quick fashion temperature check, though, I asked fellow Vogue editors to weigh in with what they are carrying in their day-to-day. Read on below for their answers on the enduring debate. (Hint: team Vogue is split, too.)
José Criales-Unzueta, fashion news editor
I love the idea of a huge bag—think Serena Van der Woodsen carrying a massive Mulberry or Chloé moment with only a Sidekick and lip gloss in it—but I have to say that day-to-day I love a chic shoulder bag that fits my things but doesn t overdo it. If I have to carry my computer I like to carry a larger bag, why not, but if I don t need to, then I m team medium to small shoulder bag. Phone, keys, headphones, hand fan, lip gloss—you re done and looks great with every outfit.
Laia Garcia-Furtado, senior fashion news editor
I m not a ludicrously capacious bag kinda gal, but every bag that I carry day-to-day needs to comfortably fit a notebook and ideally a small umbrella (when I was younger my rule was that it needed to fit a standard-ish 8.5" x 11" magazine). For evenings though, when all I need are the essentials (ID, credit card, lipstick, inhaler, cellphone) then teeny works just fine.
Margaux Anbouba, senior beauty wellness editor
Team big! I want to carry all! All the time! My favorite big bag is a vintage Chloe Edith gifted to me by the fashion director at Elle when I worked there. It s surprisingly deceptive. It can be tiny if you want just the necessities (for me, that s the whole phone, keys, wallet, but also four or five lip glosses, my laptop, a snack, a book). And then, for the real days where I am gone morning until late night, it fits even more: Perfume! Bandaids! Pens! Notebook! Hair accessories!
Emma Specter, culture writer
Okay, how about a mini bag (tiny Telfar, vintage beaded clutch, what have you) stuffed inside a filthy tote bag advertising some gay cause? Because that s how I live.
Marley Marius, features editor
For a little while now, I ve been doing the strange thing of carrying a very large bag with not so many things inside it: a roomy (arguably too roomy) nylon tote from Hervé Chapelier that is also, I’ve discovered, very useful as a carry-on for work trips. I could certainly size down—and I have really, really mulled this—considering that on a day-to-day basis, all I need on hand are my keys, earbuds, my laptop, its charger, and a book. But, to deliberately misquote My Fair Lady, I ve grown accustomed to its space....especially when, at the end of a long day, the spirit moves me to stop at Morton Williams for almond milk or paper towels or seltzer or grapes (or all of the above). Never, ever having to carry a second bag is really a treat—even if the one that I tend to have on me is, yes, ludicrously capacious.
Leah Faye Cooper, digital style director
Because I often carry my laptop to and from work (along with my notebook, a change of shoes, sunglasses, lotion, hand sanitizer, headphones, and various other random things) I swear by two maxi bags: My large N/S Park Tote from The Row, and a vintage Celine carryall. After work and weekends, however, are a different story. I live for a mini bag—practicality be damned. Among my faves are a Dior Bobby and a Fendi Nano Baguette (which is technically a charm and comically small). If someone would like to gift me a Louis Vuitton Nano Speedy, I m very much open to that.
Chloe Malle, editor
Obviously, as my main occupation is butler and bagman to toddlers, I am team maxi bag. At any given time, I have a variety of crayons, legos, dried play dough, barrettes, and sticker books in my purse, so unless I wake up tomorrow as Mary Poppins, maxi it is! My current fave is the Khaite Lotus bag, I ve even used it as a flight carry-on.
Hannah Jackson, fashion writer
I m a big-time schlepper. For some reason, I need to be carrying a million lip balms at all times, not to mention the essentials (keys, wallet, phone, glasses). When I lived in L.A., I found it a lot easier to carry oversized bags because I was driving so much. But in New York, I m constantly bopping from place to place on foot, so I ve found that having a lil guy to sling over my shoulder makes my life so much easier. These days, my go-to is a black leather Tom Ford-era Gucci shoulder bag that my mom passed down to me. Thankfully, it fits all my lip balms.
Anna Cafolla, news editor
I am team big, big bag. I am also team multiple. Team extra tote. (My current one is from my favorite London deli, Paul Rothe Sons—squeeze into the teeny wooden booths laden with bags and go for the egg mayo anchovy sandwich). Team carabiner. I live on an astral plane where one must always be prepared for anything and everything, be it pilates, a thunderstorm, or a dress-coded dinner. The Tory Burch travel ballet flats are in there, a lunch box, and mood-dependent snack options, two books (because by god will I do subway changes with nothing to read), and a bulky phone charging bank. Big bags quell big anxieties and propel bigger plans—I don’t have to go home first, I’ve got home with me! I have a rare fits-everything Teddy tote from Aussie cool girl brand The Horse, and a lambskin Belle the Label bag which saw we through a day trip to Paris for the Jane Birkin bag auction (and made lugging multiple jars of French mustard home easy). I’ve gone dotty for Flattered’s chocolate Dilba tote bag (with an attached inside wallet for more hoarding), and I have my eye on the laptop-fitting Talia Byre Envelope Bag—I’ll probably splurge for the silver button-studded gym bag too, one on each shoulder.
