Why Fall Calls For A Chic 9-To-5 Tote
The tote is a style perennial – a veritable forever piece for your everyday wardrobe that’s always worth the investment. Read on for the chicest styles to have on your radar…
At once practical and timeless, a tote is the bag is an essential component of a chic fall/winter wardrobe. Among your new-season updates, think of it as your back-to-business purchase – something capacious enough for your work essentials (hello, laptop, book, phone and portable coffee cup), but still elegant enough to take to dinner at the end of the day. This season, the styles to covet come in butter-soft leather, durable canvas and sumptuous suede in inviting autumnal colors and textures.
Look first to Saint Laurent and its ‘Niki’ tote. Crafted from glossy chevron-stitched leather, the spacious design is organized with internal pockets and has long chain straps, so you can wear it comfortably over your shoulder. Alternatively, make more of a statement with Loewe’s ‘Verano’ tote in embroidered canvas. The bright, preppy stripes will uplift classic tailoring and casual denim alike.
THE ROWMarlo 12 textured-leather tote
SAINT LAURENTNiki crinkled-leather tote
VALENTINO GARAVANIRockstud medium suede tote
LOEWEVerano logo-embroidered striped leather-trimmed canvas tote
Totes are timeless, so opting for a neutral color makes sense – tan, black and brown will go with everything, now and always. If your style is more minimalist, opt for clean, sculptural lines, such as Toteme’s ‘Roam’ style in smooth brown leather that gets softer with every wear or Dragon Diffusion’s woven ‘Castello’ tote. Alternatively, Gucci’s canvas-jacquard ‘Tribeca’ style pays tribute to the brand’s storied heritage and is a timeless choice for the office, airport and beyond.
TOTEMERoam leather tote
GUCCITribeca leather-trimmed coated canvas-jacquard tote
DRAGON DIFFUSIONCastello woven leather tote
CHLOÉSpin embellished snake-effect leather tote
The joy of a slouchier tote lies in its fusion of spaciousness and practicality, versatility and elegance. There’s something comforting (and comfortable) about a supple silhouette that can be popped over a shoulder or tucked into the crook of an arm – crucially with no need to edit its contents. See Bottega Veneta’s ‘Campana’ tote from our NET SUSTAIN edit or Kallmeyer’s practical ‘Driving’ style, both of which have more than enough room for the essentials. Meanwhile, Proenza Schouler can always be relied upon to put a modern, sculptural spin on a classic silhouette, as illustrated by its sleek ‘Hex’ tote in paneled brown leather.
BOTTEGA VENETACampana large intrecciato leather shoulder bag
KALLMEYERDriving leather-trimmed canvas tote
VALENTINO GARAVANIJean medium chevron leather tote
PROENZA SCHOULERHex leather tote
RELATED READING
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown