Stylish Leather Totes

Leather totes are stylish and functional and what lady doesn’t want both. Although tote bags are often used as a primary handbag or purse, most women use them for all the essentials they need to carry. It could be for carrying books back and forth to classes, to bring work files home or even a great way to haul around a laptop or netbook.

While tote bags have been around from the moment women found they needed a container to carry all their necessities, the stylish tote as we know it today didn’t come into geing until fashion accessory giant Hermes created one for actress/singer Jane Birkin in 1981.

On a flight from Paris to London, Birkin found herself sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, Hermes chief executive. The straw bag that she was carrying broke and as she scrambled to pick up the contents, she mentioned to Dumas her difficulty in finding a proper leather bag. Upon hearing her tale of woe, Dumas decided to rectify the problem – he created a black leather tote bag.

Leather totes have gone on to become a fashion icon and a must-have for busy, on-the-go women. Even today, shoppers not looking for just a tote bag, but a Birkin bag.

Although totes are made from a variety of material, leather is the first choice for most women. Besides looking great, leather is versatile and durable. It’s a material that can last for years. There are, however, other factors to keep in mind when choosing leather totes:

Budget: Unless you can afford a Hermes original ($10,000 and upwards depending on material and accessories), than budget is probably a factor. Leather totes for the rest of us can cost anywhere from $40 to over $500 with better quality leather and workmanship come at the higher price tag. Determine what you can afford and the quality you can live with.

Size: It’s a Goldilocks dilemma – you need one that “just right.” Totes come in all sized from dainty and small to oversized and cumbersome. Give some thought to what you plan to carry. Even go so far as to gather up what you plan to put in the tote and put into a paper bag. Lift it up to get a feel for the weight. Then, take out a tape measure and… well, measure. You don’t want to be one of those women who ends up saying “it’s too small!” or “I should have gotten a smaller size.”

Straps: Not many people think about the size of the straps on their totes, but they should. Is your style to sling it over your shoulder or to carry it in you hand. The length of the strap is important, so don’t overlook this options when looking at leather totes to buy.

Extra Pockets: No doubt about it, but the interior of a leather tote will be roomy. But what about all those small things you carry. Do you need a lot of small pockets for a cell phone, pens, make-up or even your wallet.? And do you want those pockets to zip shut or can they be open.

You can find leather totes at a variety of retail outlets, from discount stores to high-end department stores. But for the greatest selection in style and price, the Internet is the place to be. And one of my favorite places is Amazon. The options are almost unlimited and often the research has already been done for you. When you shop online, make sure to read the customer reviews. There you can find out the good and the bad and many times the reviews will bring up an options you hadn’t even considered.

Take a look at some of the great leather totes Amazon has available: