Big Huge Bags. For all your stuff.

Mary Poppins was the ancient forefather of the practical bag. From her flowery zip-up she could produce anything, lamp stands, kitchen sinks, bottles of vino, probably people. Though if you’ve seen this version of Mary Poppins, perhaps you’d be more frightened of what she might bring out of her bag than before. True, the big bag can be dangerous. I always find that with a small bag I have the neceessities, I have a more wholesome, feng-shui approach to life’s essentials. Purse? – sure, keys? – why of course, phone? – yup, spare socks? – no, no, not really needed. When the big bag comes out however, the shoulder clutter comes too. The spare socks are in, along with a full size wall calendar: why not? Instead of a mobile I’d rather take the yellow pages and some coins for a pay-phone, and then comes the ‘second lining’, the most detrimental component of bag clutter. A swamp of cinema tickets, rail tickets, receipts, free breath mints, hair pins, lip balms, informational leaflets, flyers, copper coins. The list never ends. I have to keep my bags on the small side to ensure that my life remains in focus, but with a summer array of lovely bags for the buying, bigger is always better.

If you’re ready to splash out on some nylon, this ‘She Said He Said’ bag by German label George, Gina & Lucy might be the bag for you. Not only is it available in many colours, it’s name also suggests that it will be the chattiest bag you ever own.

If you’re looking for something large, but would prefer a more relaxed look then you’re Forestbound. These peeps are big news across the pond. Using exclusively found and salvaged materials, Forestbound create durable, utilitarian bags. Well-worn, historic looking textiles are sourced in their New England homeland and worked carefully into one of a kind shoulder wear and stuff carriers. Hmmm, sold.

For something a little smaller, Brooklyn based Reiter8 are also in the market for remaking their holdalls from used materials. In their case it can only be ex-sail boat sail. Reworked, remade, sailing once more. Just think, your shoulder wear will once have been flying, free in the sea air breeze. Refreshing.

And finally, a classic. The vintage satchel. I recently discovered new Scottish brand Scaramanga when I was searching for a special bag present. This brand make satchels like you’ve never experienced before. Their materials are fairly sourced and nothing is they do is mass produced. When the ‘Large Wide Leather Satchel’ landed on my doorstep I wasn’t disappointed. Obviously I had to use it myself for a couple of weeks to make it more authentically ‘vintage’, which I did like a pro, before giving it to my nearest and dearest. When the sad day came for us to part, it was the worst: like parting with a choco muffin seconds after its touched your lips, before you’ve even taken a bite, so bittersweet. Hopefully we’ll be reunited sooner rather than later though, because sharing is caring.