Growing up, I wanted to be Mary Poppins. I craved a gigantic bag full of insanely impressive gadgets, prepared for any scenario no matter how wacky or dire. I yearned for people to recognize my bag as my staple piece and know I was stacked.

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Thankfully, the tote bag is currently the country’s most fashionable accessory. It serves many purposes: work, shopping, style, and gives the appearance that you’ve got it all together…even if you don’t.

On the outside, a tote bag can look chic. On the inside, total chaos. Gum, old receipts, a laptop, random fruit from the market, leftover salad from lunch.

It’s awesome that we’ve banned plastic bags for the sake of the environment. But I still find myself cursing every time I’m at the checkout only to find that I’ve left my reusable shopping bag at home. It’s borderline infuriating to purchase those silly shopping bags with flimsy straps that often break on the way to your car.

I haven’t yet trained my mind to remember it’s BYOB - bring your own bag - everywhere I go. But I must.

By now, I should have it together considering I schlepped a giant tote bag to the beach. And yet, somehow I’ll sprint down my stairs sans tote bag whenever I make that quick convenience store run. I never said I was perfect…

If you live in or near a big city - or do a lot of walking in general - I highly recommend keeping a tote bag on your shoulder as if it is another appendage. And if you’re carrying anything besides your phone and wallet, use a tote bag. If you plan on entering any sort of store, use a tote.

There’s a reason a tote bag should be a staple piece in your closet: they never go out of style. There’s never a bad time to sling that oversized bag over your shoulder ‘cause you’re always on-the-go…and why not? There are people to see, things to do and plenty of gear you need on you at all times.

If you’re like me and need a tote bag for all hours of the day, it’s okay. There’s currently a spirited online debate about which dupe to buy from DHGate…whether the Goyard bag dupe is trendier than the classic Louis Vuitton. It can be tough to know where to start.

When it comes to a tote bag, there’s no wrong choice. But here are a few I absolutely adore for fall/winter 2022.

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