Leather Weather

Don’t you love it when you go shopping in your closet and find something totally amazing you’d forgotten about?

Recently I had realised I needed a new tote bag of sorts for this inclement weather. All spring and summer I had been using a cloth bag made for me by a friend, but it was no good on rainy days. I was about to hop online to start searching for a likely candidate when suddenly I remembered a white leather tote bag I had not used for a couple of years.

I love the minimalist white that will go with anything.

By Melbourne accessories designer Elise Caarels, the tote bag is made of soft but sturdy vanilla-coloured leather decorated with piping, and lined in beige cotton printed with an Art Deco style geometric circle print. I love the minimalist white that will go with anything. I purchased it new online many years ago and used it for some time before retiring it. Sadly the label closed down in 2010. I found the tote stored lovingly in its dustbag, sitting in the bottom of my closet.

It is a perfect size, and fits a smaller handbag that I use at lunchtime if I leave the theatre for a spot of shopping, as well as my heels, my lunch, a magazine or book, and a few sundry other items. Even better, it zips entirely closed and is weather-proof. And best of all, it didn’t cost me anything!