For a long time, a leather tote bag was near the very bottom of my accessory wish list. Perhaps because I always associated them with the bags I had to have for work or school, and consequently long commutes and a heavy weight tugging at my shoulder. The options also appeared to be so limited that the idea of investing in a bag to replace a freebie canvas one I always seemed to have hanging about didn’t make sense.
This year, all of that has changed. The options are not only extensive, they are undeniably gorgeous. In part of a broader fashion interest in welcoming practical styles (mid-heels and loafers instead of ballet flats, maxi dresses instead of micro skirts), the classic leather tote bag seems to have undergone a bit of a reinvention. The styles are still elegant and timeless, but have been taken up a notch on the fashionable stakes.