I fell in love with the oversized Burberry tote last year.

I adore the size and as I am a hoarder I never travel light.  My bag is bursting at the seams and I have dabbled with crossbody bags but unless I can fit a bottle of water comfortably then they just don’t get used. My top tip is you do love a smaller bag is Aurora London.

Then came Victoria Beckham with her felt cave of a bag.  It is almost akin to a comfort blanket, the key is light weight durable fabrics that wont weigh you down.

The reality is these bags cost thousands and as they are not leather I don’t think you can justify the price tag.  So I did some investigating to try and find the same style for less.

The Upside bag featured below is such a find.  The navy and stripe colour combination makes it so flexible (it goes with everything) and it just looks so fresh and at £139 it is well priced.  I have used it non-stop for a month now, it is voluminous yet light weight.  I use it everyday and it is great for travelling as it folds down and I will use it at the beach as the material is so practical as you can wipe it down.

The Vee Collective bags are another brand that I discovered at The Place.  The bags are ultra light and fold down yet are well made and finished enough to replace my normal Celine Shopper.  They have a longer strap which converts the bag to a crossbody and they have a handy separate interior bag.  This is a clever bag as they have an anti slip membrane on the strap to stop it slipping off your shoulder. Again the price point is good at £135 for the smaller size and £160 for the larger size.

ASOS have already caught on and have a brilliant holdall for £22 which is featured below.

Gap also have a few really well priced options online now.

Also, don’t forget Etsy, there are loads of options from the felt bag below which you can customise.

I have also found a lovely lady who makes oversized tartan totes to order!  Check out her shop on Etsy, I have placed an order for one the same size as the Burberry tote (featured at the top of the article) but it will cost me a fraction of the price.

Check out Marks and Spencer – they have a brilliant all weather oversized tote for £39.

Corto Moltedo also make the most glorious totes and some are on sale at the moment.

Their bigger style bags are here to stay.  I also use a small clutch inside to keep my money, cards, keys and lipstick in one place!

Back in the office this morning and loads of exciting posts written ( much easier to get things done when don’t have the school run and rounds of food making and clearing up..