Bag types and sizes explained
A tote, often called a shopper, is a large two-handled bag for a laptop and documents. A baguette is a low, long bag worn on the shoulder. A hobo is a soft, rounded bag for the hand. A clutch has no handle at all, and a crossbody hangs on a long strap and leaves the hands free. To judge size, test it against three things: a phone, an A5 notebook or small tablet, and a laptop.
The types, in plain words
Tote, or shopper
Two handles, a wide opening, room for a working day. The two words describe the same family; "shopper" is more common in Poland and Ukraine, "tote" in English. Ours are Carolyn (Medium and Large), Jane and Object №03 Large.
Baguette
A low, elongated bag with a short handle or strap, worn close under the arm. It holds a wallet, a phone and little else, which is its purpose. Ours is Untitled: a trapezoid with a flap and one slender arched handle.
Hobo
A soft shape with rounded edges. Josefine is a small hobo with a V-shaped zip top and a short handle on rings; it is carried in the hand or in the crook of the arm.
Clutch
No handle and no strap: a clutch is held in the hand or under the arm. Most are small. Elza is not: at 43 cm wide it holds a day's things.
Crossbody and top-handle
A crossbody bag hangs on a long strap across the body. A top-handle bag has a short handle for the hand. Object №03 Small and Medium are both: a short handle, and a strap of up to 140 cm (55.1 in).
How to read the numbers
- Dimensions are given as width × height × depth, measured on the outside.
- Handle drop is the distance from the top of the handle to the top edge of the bag. About 25 cm (9.8 in) or more goes over the shoulder.
- Height with handle tells you how tall the bag stands in a wardrobe or on a shelf.
- Strap length is the longest setting. Around 140 cm (55.1 in) suits crossbody wear for most heights.
What fits: our bags side by side
| Bag | Type | Size (W × H × D) | Weight | Largest thing it takes | How it is worn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Object №03 Small | Top-handle, crossbody | 22.5 × 15 × 10.5 cm (8.9 × 5.9 × 4.1 in) | 550 g (1.2 lb) | Phone, card case | Hand, crossbody |
| Untitled Small | Baguette | 29 × 15 × 10 cm (11.4 × 5.9 × 3.9 in) | 650 g (1.4 lb) | Phone, card case | Hand, shoulder |
| Josefine | Hobo | 30 × 20 × 10 cm (11.8 × 7.9 × 3.9 in) | 600 g (1.3 lb) | Wallet, sunglasses | Hand, crook of the arm |
| Untitled Medium | Baguette | 35 × 15 × 13 cm (13.8 × 5.9 × 5.1 in) | 900 g (2 lb) | Wallet, small cosmetic bag | Shoulder |
| Object №03 Medium | Top-handle, crossbody | 33.5 × 21.5 × 13 cm (13.2 × 8.5 × 5.1 in) | 800 g (1.8 lb) | Small tablet, A5 notebook | Hand, crossbody |
| Elza | Clutch | 43 × 25 × 15 cm (16.9 × 9.8 × 5.9 in) | 650 g (1.4 lb) | Small tablet, A5 notebook | Hand, under the arm |
| Carolyn Medium | Tote | 40 × 26 × 14 cm (15.7 × 10.2 × 5.5 in) | 1250 g (2.8 lb) | 13-inch laptop | Shoulder, hand |
| Object №03 Large | Tote | 44 × 27 × 12 cm (17.3 × 10.6 × 4.7 in) | 1700 g (3.7 lb) | 13-inch laptop | Shoulder, hand |
| Jane | Tote | 48 × 27 × 15 cm (18.9 × 10.6 × 5.9 in) | 700 g (1.5 lb) | 14-inch laptop | Shoulder, hand |
| Carolyn Large | Tote | 50 × 30 × 19 cm (19.7 × 11.8 × 7.5 in) | 1700 g (3.7 lb) | 15-inch laptop | Shoulder, hand |
Three test objects
A phone fits every bag we make. An A5 notebook or a small tablet is about 15 × 21 cm: it needs a bag at least 20 cm tall or 22 cm wide inside, which rules out baguettes and small hobos. A laptop needs a tote; how wide depends on the screen, and we explain it in how to choose a tote for work.
Depth is the number people forget. A bag 10 cm deep takes a wallet and a phone side by side; at 13–15 cm a cosmetic bag or a water bottle goes in as well.
Choosing by the day you have
- Office with a laptop: a tote. Carolyn if you want firm lines, Jane if you want less weight.
- A day on foot: a crossbody, so your hands are free. Object №03 Small or Medium.
- Dinner, theatre: a baguette or a clutch. Untitled Small, Elza.
- One bag from morning to evening: Untitled Medium on the shoulder, or Object №03 Medium by hand and on the strap.
Shapes by category: tote bags, baguette bags, clutch and evening bags, shoulder bags. On materials, see leather or suede.
FAQ
What is the difference between a tote and a shopper?
In everyday use, none: both mean a large bag with two handles and a wide opening. "Shopper" is the more common word in Polish and Ukrainian, "tote" in English.
What is a baguette bag?
A low, elongated bag worn on the shoulder, close under the arm. Our Untitled is one: Small measures 29 × 15 × 10 cm (11.4 × 5.9 × 3.9 in) and Medium 35 × 15 × 13 cm (13.8 × 5.9 × 5.1 in).
What does handle drop mean?
It is the distance from the top of the handle to the top edge of the bag. About 25 cm (9.8 in) or more lets a bag sit on the shoulder; closer to 30 cm (11.8 in) it goes over a winter coat.
Which bag fits a tablet?
A small tablet or an A5 notebook goes into Object №03 Medium (33.5 × 21.5 × 13 cm (13.2 × 8.5 × 5.1 in)) and the Elza clutch (43 × 25 × 15 cm (16.9 × 9.8 × 5.9 in)), and into any of our totes.
Which bags can be worn crossbody?
Object №03 Small and Medium: each has a strap of up to 140 cm (55.1 in) as well as a short handle.
