How To Make An Oversized Tote Bag Your New Backpack

Tips on Making Your New Favorite Bag into Your New School Bag

Photo courtesy of Shopbop.

Having a tote bag that doubles as a school bag and is used for everyday life is a perfect way to save money and get good use out of one of your bags. As tote bags have been the trend the past few years, you might find that you have a few totes bags here and there that you haven’t found a use for. But what if there was a way that you could put these bags to use?

Over the past few years, the trendy thing to do is to ditch your old backpacks for your favorite tote bag. As tote bags have become incredibly popular over the past decade for everyday use, more and more students each year have started to use their tote bags in place of their backpacks.

Tote bags serve as both highly functional and stylish. Backpacks can get old after a while and you may want to get a bag that is both pretty and functional. That’s not to say that there aren’t backpacks that come in pretty floral designs or something you like, but you might want to switch it up and that’s totally understandable. You can use your favorite tote bag as a backpack during your classes and get more use out of it by doubling it as a purse or everyday shoulder bag.

It’s hard to use your school bag as an everyday bag to take with you wherever you go off campus, but with a tote bag that functions as both, you’ll find that you’ll get more use out of it.

With this guide to the growing tote bag trend, you’ll learn all about:

1. What kinds of large tote bags are in style

2. How to hold a tote bag

3. Designer options for more a sophisticated look

Oversized Tote Bag Trend

If you’re a maximalist, this trend is for you. Practicality is one of the most important aspects of a bag, especially something you are choosing to use as your new backpack. If you’re in college, you’re going to need a bag that can hold all of your college essentials from your laptop to your textbooks.

Most tote bags come with multiple built-in pockets of different sizes. These can be very useful, especially for small items such as writing utensils, which can easily fit into one of the side pockets, eliminating the need for a pencil case and other bags that take up much-needed space.

You may be asking yourself why tote bags are coming back in fashion because they’ve always been of really practical use, so why now? Because more bands are opting to create bags using sustainable techniques, it’s increasingly becoming all the rage. You can put your money towards something you know is ethically made, while also finding something you really enjoy and can picture yourself using for years to come.

The use of tote bags for something more than an occasional wear here and there is thanks to a multitude of reasons. For one, you can use it for more than everyday wear. You can take these bags to work with you or use them as a backpack to hold all of your important materials. No matter how you choose to utilize the bags, you’ll get good use out of the spacious compartments and show off your good style and taste.

If you want to channel your inner New Yorker, as tote bags seem to be all the rage in the Big Apple, you can do so by keeping a classy look and subtly self-advertising yourself— making you come off as someone of intellect and taste.

Oversized tote bags can hold anything your heart desires. Photo courtesy of Shopbop.

Oversized tote bags are in right now. No matter the design you’re looking for, as long as it’s oversized you’ll be up to date with the latest trends. If you’re interested in a more sophisticated look, you might want to consider a black or brown bag to ensure it matches any outfit of your choosing. But if you don’t care to match your bags with your outfits, then feel free to experiment with all the latest styles, including terry cloth pink totes for a more comfortable feel, an extremely oversized, classy-looking tote with adjustable straps, and a deep-pocketed leather tote bag.

If you’re looking for a tote bag that never goes out of style, it’s safe to opt for a black bag with multiple straps so you can transition back and forth between the two and don’t cause so much wear and tear on a single set of straps. But if that’s an issue, then buying a good quality bag would be more beneficial, so you can get both your money’s worth as well as invest in something timeless.

How Do You Hold a Tote Bag?

There is more to using a tote bag as a backpack than simply putting all your belongings in it and then leaving for class. As it’s only resting on one of your shoulders instead of both like a backpack would, your shoulder can easily be strained. By following these tips, you can ensure that your new backpack doesn’t cause you any pain during this busy school year. Knowing how to safely hold a tote bag will ensure that you have a painless experience, especially as you’ll be using this as a makeshift backpack for the next eight months.

These tips will ensure you wear your tote bag correctly, saving you from injury:

1. Distribute the weight evenly

2. Don’t overpack

When you first use a tote bag you’re going to need to know how to pack it, especially for school, as you’re bound to have heavy textbooks added on to the weight of your laptop. It’s easier on your shoulder if you know how to distribute the weight evenly. This means either putting all of your heavy stuff in the center of your bag, so all the weight is centered, or distributing the weight to the entirety of the bag.

You’ll find that if your bag is uneven, it will slip off your shoulder more and cause you pain wherever it’s weighted down. You’ll save yourself a lot of pain, not to mention you won’t have to prevent your bag from falling off your shoulder every few minutes. But if you don’t like the idea of a shoulder bag, you can just opt for using the handle to alleviate the pain from your shoulder.

Occasionally using the hand-held straps helps to alleviate the pressure on your shoulders. Photo courtesy of Shopbop.

If you can help it, don’t overpack your bags. It’s important to learn the long-term effects of wearing a tote bag, or any shoulder bag for that instance, for long periods. No matter how much you distribute the weight of your bag, you’ll find that your shoulder hurts after a long time of using a shoulder bag. It takes a few years of continuous use for your shoulder to hurt more than it would if you simply wear it for a few minutes at a time. So, as to avoid future injuries make sure you don’t overpack your bag. You’ll thank yourself for it in the future.

Marc Jacob Designer Oversized Tote Bags

If you’re looking for a spacious tote bag with a sturdy canvas that can hold a great amount of your belongings, look no further than a Marc Jacobs tote bag. They come in sizes ranging from small to large, as well as a multitude of colors that can match any outfit.

Not only can you rep one of your favorite designer brands, but you’ll be happier spending money on something that is long-lasting. The bigger the bag, the more use you can get out of it as you can have an ample amount of storage space in one compartment.

This simple, yet classy take on a tote bag is highly functional and spacious. Photo courtesy of Shopbop.

With a bigger tote bag, you can take on your busy day with all the space you could ever want at your disposal. Equipped with a cross-body strap as well as a sturdy handle, you can choose to wear the bag in any way you want. If you have a light day of classes, you might choose to stick with the hand-held top handle. If you find you have a busy schedule, the cross-body strap will be your best friend, allowing you to keep your hands free while you house all of your belongings at your side.

Now You Will Have The Confidence to Wear Your Favorite Tote Bags To Class!

Not only do tote bags come in a variety of different styles and designs, but they also come in a ton of different sizes. Maybe your schedule this semester is filled to the brim. If that’s the case, you might want to opt for a larger tote bag. On the other hand, if you only have one to two classes a day, then maybe a smaller tote back will be of better use to you. No matter your choice in size, tote bags have great functionality and can be used to store anything you might need for the school year.