Bags in the Open: Notes from Winter in New York
Words: Julia Silverberg
Photo: Ellie Hoffmann
Rather than looking at the handbag as an object in itself, I can’t deny that much of my intrigue comes from their interiors. What are the people around me using as a vessel for their personal collections, the objects which they have assigned value and carry with them through their day-to-day life?
When I began asking people why they prefer a particular type of bag, most answers were straightforward:
“I just need a bag that's for an everyday kind of thing.”
Practicality dominates the rhetoric. Yet, when adaptability is essential, bags aren’t just singular items—they’re part of a collection. One bag might be ideal for the office, another for errands, and yet another for nights out. Some people even become defensive when caught running errands, clutching a bag they insist is “not their real bag,” as if it’s a betrayal of their true self.
New York itself is a show of utility, identity, and irony. Faux-utility bags sit next to counterfeits, creating a landscape of contradictions. Trends play out on sidewalks like an unspoken dialogue, revealing how deeply fashion is embedded in our cultural psyche. Observing these trends is akin to anthropology: in many ways, the bag is a Matryoshka doll within contemporary culture. We buy bags, then use them to shop for more, filling them with things that, in turn, demand more storage solutions. Each choice is layered with meaning.
When I walk through Chelsea, I can’t help but notice patterns emerging. Our possessions seem to enter into a silent conversation. While I’ve yet to fully decipher what my well-worn black shoulder bag says about me, I’ve begun paying closer attention to what unfolds on the arms of others:
People doing winter shopping around the city
It seems everyone is carrying a tote bag
“This tote comes free when you have a New Yorker subscription, so I just use it to run errands when I don't want to beat up my nice leather handbags.”
“You know where this bag is from? Primark. I got it from the one on DeKalb Avenue, in a mall that's been there for years. I got a quick little discount coat and I was like, you know what? Let me throw the black bag on. It's chic, it goes clean, and it's perfect for every situation.”
A bag in a bag?
“This is just my shopping bag, because plastic bags aren’t allowed anymore.”
Cloth Tote Bags
Crocodile Tote Bags
Other Tote Recommendations
“This handbag was woven by a women's cooperative in Bolivia. The group is called PAZA, and the women who are a part of it spin wool from their own sheep. All the yarn they use is naturally dyed by their community. I'm a member of a group called Weave a Real Peace, WARP, and we support artisans all over the world, so wearing this bag represents what I believe in”
Eco-friendly bags:
“ I got this purse as a gift for my 18th a few years ago, and it has my initials on it. I love it. I'm going to the new Louis Vuitton cafe in two days, and I’m so excited. I've never tried French food before.”
“I'm a small person, so I like small bags.”
“I bought this bag online during a special last year. I got them for my two daughters-in-law and myself for Christmas. They're super cute.”
Metallic bags:
Though the sky has been consistently grey, it would seem that people are finding contrast in metallics.
“I thought this bag represented the 80s with its color. And it just, you know, striked me.”
