When people hate on tote bags, they’re actually taking umbrage with one particular style: the random-company giveaway that has no business carrying anything more than promotional drivel. You know, the free thing made from flimsy cotton with zero carrying capacity and handles so thin they dig into your shoulders.

Those are not the totes we’re celebrating today. Rather, we're talking the best tote bags, all of which have every right to be a major player in your bag collection. Hell, some could serve as the only bag you’ll ever need—front and center, no substitutions. That’s because a proper tote does it all—grocery runs, office hauls, beach trips—while staying easy to pack, easy to carry, and easy to pair with any outfit.

The original tote, L.L. Bean’s so-called “ice bag,” debuted in 1944

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