Designer shopping totes - the cheap way to get a new designer bag!

So, the hot trend right now is reusable shopping bags. Of course you can get the ugly reusable bag at your local grocery store for a dollar, or a blank one at Jo-Ann's and decorate it yourself for $2 - $5.  The designers are also hopping on this trend and are making reusable shopping bags.  However, these bags are often pretty darn cute, and I say make them your next cheap new regular bag!

A few of my favorites:


#1 - The Dooney & Bourke Canvas bag $48

 It's big, roomy, and totally evokes the style of Dooney & Bourke, and even has leather on the handles.  AND ITS ONLY $48!

#2  Marc by Marc Jacobs Packables $58

Marc Jacobs is has made quite a name for himself, and his Marc by Marc Jacobs line often re-sells for nearly as much as his higher end Marc Jacobs line.  He has introduced some "packable" totes and bags in various shapes, sizes, and colors.  This one is quite cute, and this size is $58. 

#3 Harvey's Shop n' Go collapsible tote bag $34

Harveys Seatbelt Bags are so fabulous, and last forever.  They are reasonably priced, but still are $100 or more.  This bag, currently available on their website, is only $34!  The handles are made of seatbelt, too, so you still get that touch of what they are famous for.

#4  Stella McCartney perfume tote $9.99

Ok, so technically I bought this bag on ebay, but it was ONLY $9.99 with free shipping.  It's pretty cute, with dark purple contrast stitching, a front pocket, and stella mccartney's logo on it.  Also, it doesn't say "fragrances" on it anywhere, something I dislike about fragrance bags.  Kind of ruins the designer feel for me.  Copy and paste the link below to go to the seller's store, they have a ton of them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230323555029&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

#5 Gap Feed Bags $29.50

Technically not high end designer, but they have a good look and a very down home feel, and will look great with your flannel shirt and cowboy boots.  Plus, $5 from each bag goes to help school lunch nutrition. 

#6 Ralph Lauren Eco Friendly Pony tote $10

According to the Ralph Lauren website, the bag is ONLY available for purchase in Polo Ralph Lauren stores.  But it's only $10!!  And their other pony bags are hovering around the $100 mark.  BIG difference.  You can also find Ralph Lauren pony totes of all kinds and colors on ebay, and often for under $35.  A savings of about $70. 

#7 Longchamp Pliages bags $125-$145

 I'm jumping the shark a bit here, because these bags are a lot more expensive than any of the other bags mentioned so far.  However, because leather Longchamp bags retail for $400-$600 easily, this is a cheap price by their standards. They come in a multitude of colors that change each season, and are pretty durable.  They also fold up and snap into a fairly small shape so you can tuck them away.  And, unlike the other bags mentioned here, they ZIP shut completely.  Good for travel!  (You can get these on ebay for less, but not as much less as you might think.  Still be prepared to shell out at least $60.  And beware of fakes, there are a lot of those on Ebay right now.)

#8,9, and 10

These bags are ones I've seen but can't find pictures of and aren't for sale right now. #8-  A few seasons back, Tory Burch came out with a packable tote bag that zipped shut into a wallet like container for when you weren't using it.  I think it was under $100, but I cannot remember what it was called, nor have I seen any on ebay. 

#9 Kate Spade also came out with a cute little nylon shopper tote, which I heard someone recently call it the odds n' ends tote bag.  It was a thin black nylon grocery style bag with a "list" of things you might want to buy printed on it, and the logo on the side near the bottom.

#10 Fashion week bags and store opening bags - I've seen a few cute Mulberry canvas bags from 2011 fashion week that have adorable drawings on them.  I've also seen some Gucci totes that are supposed to be from store events, and they go for not too much. 

The one thing to be aware of when buying any of these bags is make sure you are getting an authentic one, and not some cheap knock off from overseas or the mean streets of NY.  Usually these shopping bags aren't copied. More likely you will see an ebay seller claiming to have shopping bags from a designer - but they are really just crappy bags they've made, slapped a designer logo on, and then claim it's a shopping bag to make an excuse for bad quality.  Don't let this warning scare you off, though.  And with some of the prices listed here, you may just want to buy the bags new!