Messy Girls Rejoice, Big Bags Are Trending Again

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It feels like we’ve time traveled back to 2014: Taylor Swift’s pop bible 1989 is topping the charts (this time, Taylor’s Version), Tumblr’s 2010s grunge aesthetic is reemerging on TikTok, and oversized bags are the ‘It’ item to rock on your shoulder. Mini purses—Polly Pocket-sized accessories that only have enough room for a single tube of lip gloss and maybe your credit card—have reigned supreme for the past few years, just look at the slew of celebrities carrying around Jacquemus Le Chiquito bags.

But now, gone are the days of the charmingly impractical bite-sized bag as we’re back to embracing big bags in all their glory. We’re talking about the totes stylishly stuffed to the brim, the slouchy shoulder purses that can comfortably fit a laptop, and the oversized behemoth bags bigger than some New York City studios.

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We’ve watched the ultra-trendy mini purses shrink in front of our eyes, starting with the trend skyrocketing after the Le Chiquito bag debuted on the Fall 2017 runway (and later its much smaller sister the Le Petit Chiquito in 2019) and continuing on through various designer renditions such as Prada’s embellished mini pouch and Dior’s Lady Dior Micro Bag. However, the tiny bag to end all tiny bags—Valentino’s micro-mini custom creation for Lizzo at the 2019 American Music Awards—seemingly won the micro bag marathon.

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But just when we thought purses couldn’t get any smaller, cheeky fashion brand MSCHF (you may know it for its viral Big Red Boots) went microscopic. The tiny bag trend inevitably hit its peak this summer as MSCHF debuted its Microscopic Handbag, measuring 657 x 222 x700 micrometers (i.e. smaller than a grain of sea salt.)

Now, bag sizes are barreling in the opposite direction, and we’re not mad about it. Although timeless handbag styles (your Hermès Birkins and Chanel 2.55s) may look considerably larger after years of minis, designers are increasingly leaning into sizable silhouettes. Spring 2024 runways featured Miu Miu’s stylishly overstuffed bags perfect for the fashionista on the run, Coach’s huge structural tote that marked a departure from the brand’s smaller shapes, and Ferragamo’s sea of spacious bags where even the clutches were colossal. From the Marc Jacobs Tote Bag to the Christian Dior Book Tote, classic totes are on-the-go staples for a reason: there’s plenty of room for all your daily essentials and they can easily be dressed up or down. Many stars have cosigned the resurgence of the ludicrously capacious bag as a favorite for their bustling lives, just look at Angelia Jolie’s Celine tote or Jennifer Lawrence’s Loewe Puzzle Tote Bag.

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As big bags overhaul their mini counterparts, our beloved oversized bags are bringing back the slouch: a lived-in, uncomplicated feel fit to withstand the trials of everyday life. You can thank Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy for championing the slouchy silhouette over the past few seasons with the Large Hop tote from Fall 2023 and the various iterations seen at the brand’s Spring 2024 runway show. Khaite and Proenza Schouler—two quiet luxury darlings—also have embraced the style with the logo-free Greta Bag and Large Drawstring Shoulder Bag respectively.

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Nearly eclipsing the trendy totes (and completely engulfing the minis) are the behemoth bags: exceptionally large creations that are just so right. Though these Mary Poppins-approved bags may share in the minis’ impracticality (except this time, on the opposite side of the spectrum), they’ve got enough room to carry just about anything: all your electronics, flat shoes for the subway, a lunch pail—you name it. Saint Laurent’s Icare Maxi Shopping Bag or The Row’s XL Idaho Bag serve as perfect examples of the behemoth bag. Phoebe Philo’s newly-launched eponymous label debuted the XL Cabas, an oversized $8,500 tote you could fit anything you’d ever need inside. Also, Rihanna recently donned a huge maroon Bottega Veneta tote that could double as a duffel on a night out, and we have a feeling it will dominate as 20234s It bag.

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You’ve heard of the emotional support water bottle, and now it’s time to get yourself an emotional support mega bag. To finally answer the age-old question: Yes, (purse) size does matter.

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