Where once purely a functional item, these days what a woman chooses to sling over her shoulder can offer a tangible insight into her mind, mood, outlook and unique sense of style.
Indeed, your choice of bag can say a lot about you and the way you like to carry yourself (and your stuff!), helping to reveal your political views and sense of humour almost as much as your shopping habits. With that in mind, today we’re considering bags that make a big statement. Let’s explore further…
Branded Tote Bags
As we continue to cut down on plastic bags, using branded bags to make a statement has been on the rise. Indeed, ever since the fashion designer Anya Hindmarch launched the “I AM a plastic bag” campaign which saw more than 80,000 people queuing at Sainsbury’s stores for the limited-edition tote, we’ve seen brands use thought provoking messages via branded bags.
As Anya told the Guardian “The campaign’s impact proved that fashion…can actually be a powerful communicator”.
But branded bags aren’t only being used as a positive force for change. Many companies are now using branded bags as a marketing tool, using consumers as the deliverers of their message, logo and brand.
This is most succinctly realised via branded tote bags, which carriers can use to convey everything from musical tastes to political leanings, as well as brand allegiance, of course. Indeed, we’ve all come back from exhibitions, conferences, book readings and other branded events with a tote bag, proudly showing it off on our arms on the way home.
It’s not just companies using branded conference bags from RocketBags and other businesses that produce tailor-made bags to make a major statement of intent. Indeed, charities are also using Totes to spread awareness and get their message out there. We’ve all got a Glastonbury/Oxfam tote bag lying around at home, don’t we?
A Transparent Bag
Transparent totes and clear clutches have been on-trend for a while now; somewhat surprisingly, we might add. As Lauren Laverne once questioned rhetorically, “what could be more private than a lady’s personal portable province?”, and these transparent bags certainly don’t offer much in the way of concealment, it has to be said.
However, the transparent bag has blurred the private-public divide. Fashion Magazine suggests that “clear-plastic handbag represents a contamination of our need to share—or to appear as if we are sharing”.
Indeed, they go on to posit that the normalisation of sharing our lives online has inspired the clear-handbag trend, creating an internet phenomenon that now exists in the physical world, too.
Whatever the reason for the transparent bag trend, as Vogue highlights, “These are the bags for someone with absolutely nothing to hide, someone who dares to showcase exactly what’s on the inside, someone who carries no secrets around and is truly confident with precisely who they are and what they bring with them”. Now that’s a statement we like.
That said, one must make sure they’re aiming towards authenticity, rather than purely curating the contents of a transparent handbag to project an inauthentic image of yourself. A tough balancing act, make no mistake.
Slogan Bags
Need to get something off your chest? A slogan bag is a very literal way to get what you want to say across.
Slogan bags are also a brilliant way to demonstrate solidarity with something you believe in. You might want to express anger at the Tories or remind the world how much you hate the Daily hate Mail, and sometimes there’s no easier way to get the message out there, loud and clear, than with a slogan bag.
Bags have been used for making all kinds of political statements and are also a brilliant way to demonstrate solidarity with something you believe in, helping us shift political conversations away from the online sphere and into our homes and workplaces.
From political views to comments heavy on the attitude and clever word play, carriers of slogan bags are able to broadcast all manner of message, all via a few simple words slung over the shoulder.
Lose The Logo
High-fashion luxury accessories, like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, or Versace bags, with their logos taking centre stage, are ostentatious to say the least, flaunting their luxury high fashion provenance on the arms of their owners.
But with the average cost of a designer handbag clocking in at more than most people’s monthly rent, and in the midst of the current cost of living crisis, this flaunting of luxury can feel a little obscene. No wonder, then, that in a study conducted by the NPD Group and reported by Underscore, ‘’consumers of luxury fashion accessories no longer want a logo to communicate the prestige of their purchase.’’
In fact, they report that over a third of handbags bought in the US in the year prior to the report had ‘’no visible branding’’.
Perhaps it’s the shame of knowing that, as One Green Planet writes, ‘’there’s a shocking truth lurking behind your luxury handbag’’. They go on to report that snakes, alligators, crocodiles and ostriches are killed in their millions so their skin can be made into bags. Is that something you really want to carry, both over your shoulder and on your conscience?
Instead, consider making a statement with lesser known vegan bag brands, such as Angela Roi, Stella McCartney and Gunas.
And with that, we’re off to the shops wearing our IDEAL tote bag for all to see. Would you like one?