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Woman & Home
Woman & Home
Lifestyle
Madeline Merinuk

This cult-favourite tote bag is less than £50 - and celebs like Reese Witherspoon have been using it for years

ll bean boat and tote

The LL Bean Boat and Tote has been a staple accessory for decades, and the popular bag is less than £50.

Purse trends come and go, but there are some bags that stay eternally en vogue - for example, the Hermes Birkin, the Gucci Jackie, the Princess Diana-inspired Lady Dior, and surprisingly to some, the LL Bean Boat and Tote canvas bag. 

Yes - although the monetary value of this bag might not be as high as a Birkin, these classic carryall tote bags have been in style for decades - and celebs love them! In fact, these bags have become so popular that younger generations of fashionphiles have caught onto their appeal, embroidering funny slogans onto the bags to create a new generation of Boat and Tote users. 

For example, Jenna Lyons of Real Housewives of New York and general sartorial fame has been seen out and about wearing an all-beige version of the tote, with hers reading "Old Celine," calling back to the luxury fashion house. 

Chloe Sevigny has also been known to wear the LL Bean tote, carrying it even with the most stylish of outfits. 

Other celebrities and style icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Reese Witherspoon have indulged in the inexpensive canvas bag, proving that, although it is a simple bag in design and material, it is anything but ordinary. 

And, although it may appear to be so, you don't have to be on your summer holiday on the picturesque coast of Maine to enjoy the practical and chic carryall - the bag is available to be purchased (and embroidered, if you so choose), in a myriad of colours and sizes online from multiple retailers, including of course the LL Bean site itself. 

The bag is extremely customisable, allowing options for bags that zipper at the top, while others remain open for easy access to your personal items. 


With its vast style possibilities, the Boat and Tote is a practical and chic buy, and it doesn't hurt your wallet either. The smallest size of the Boat and Tote comes in at just below £40, making for a pretty inexpensive bag purchase. Plus, with it's weather-proof material, these bags are also perfect to take on your next vacation, whether you'll be by the shore or exploring a new city. 

Needless to say, for a touch of New England, quiet luxury vibes, and maybe even some slightly ironic fashion, for 2023, you might have to run (not walk) to grab yourself one, as they're constantly selling due to popular demand. 

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