Womens Tote Handbags

Browse a vast assortment of womens tote handbags for sale on 1stDibs. Our collection of womens tote handbags includes a variety of colors, spanning black, brown, beige and more. If you’re looking for accessories from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find some that date back to the 20th Century while other versions may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. Finding appealing womens tote handbags such as these — no matter the origin — is easy, but Fendi, Gucci and Hermès each produced popular versions that are worth a look. There aren’t many items for unisex if you’re seeking these accessories, as most of the options available are for men and women.

The prices for womens tote handbags start at $75 and top out at $47,789 with these items, on average, selling for $915.

From classic medium-sized Louis Vuitton leather tote bags to authentic cube-like Loewe shoulder bags woven in raffia, the large selection of vintage and designer tote bags on 1stDibs offers something for special occasions as well as everyday needs.

Although part of a modern look, tote bags have been roomy and versatile accessories since at least 1944, with the launch of L.L.Bean’s “ice bag.” The Maine retailer, then largely known for rugged field coats and hunting shoes, had introduced a big, durable canvas bag that was initially intended to carry firewood or ice. In those days, to keep produce and other foods cool in refrigerators, consumers had to regularly replace the blocks of ice that were doing all the work in their bulky appliances. There was no better bag to help haul big blocks of ice from the trunk of your car to your front door and, subsequently, to your kitchen.

Years later, during the 1960s, L.L.Bean’s Boat and Tote was introduced as an overhauled structured canvas version of the ice bag. Tested to lug up to 500 pounds, the Boat and Tote became a best seller. Also during the 1960s, American designer Bonnie Cashin created the Cashin Carry for Coach. Cashin was Coach’s first lead designer, and she liked leather, large pockets and earth tones. Her modern interpretation of the tote bag introduced a touch of elegance to this increasingly ubiquitous accessory.

In the subsequent decades, more brands debuted their own iterations of the tote bag, from Tory Burch’s Perry leather tote bag to Goyard’s luxurious Saint Louis. 

Pay tribute to this long and interesting history of a well-loved accessory by browsing the vintage and designer tote bags on 1stDibs.