Four out of the six results are tote bags. In high school, I only ever saw people wearing backpacks (most commonly Jansports and Herschels). Whether or not I can attribute this to going to a school in the middle of New Jersey is a mystery I leave to the reader, but there has definitely been a clear shift towards totes as the “everyday bag”.
This rising trend aligns with the functionality vs. style preferences–clearly, more people are considering their work or school bags as something that adds to their outfit instead of purely a way to transport their belongings. Rather than utilize the ease and space of a backpack, many students now opt for a look to pull together an outfit.
At a comparable price point as a typical backpack, the tote and its stylish nature brings individuality to everyday activities–from going to classes, a weekend trip, or even just the 10-minute walk to a nearby cafe. While there remain significant setbacks with totes, such as the one-sided shoulder pain and painfully small compartments, style seems to win over functionality.
The Jansports and Herschels of high school have transformed into Longchamps and Goyards on campus. Ironically, I bought a Lululemon backpack before getting on campus, and after less than a month I saw that backpack start to collect dust as I gravitated towards my canvas tote. Is an everyday tote the new backpack?
