Etsy's Handmade Blog
Etsy Finds: The It Bag
Story by anda
Published on May 14, 2008 in Spotlight 		Photo by moop

Pining for a brand new, enormous, adorable tote bag but totally sick of tote bags? Have you seen these pleated carry-alls that have swept the Bags and Purse category the last few months? Spring 2008 is clearly the season of the gathered market bag, and here are nine of the best ones we've noticed.


The Market Bag in Provincial Blue

I'm fairly certain that Etsy Treasury and front page darling moop started this whole trend with her wonderfully well-constructed market totes, the inescapable bag of last Christmas. Now in blue! Yay! $83.

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All purpose tote in charcoal

Suitable for all your A3 hauling needs, according to the description. For the hard-to-shop-for graphic designer in your life. By minus, $96.

P.S. It's going to be hard for me not to also feature these Toblerone pouches soon, as they are really so so great.

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Madeleine Bubble Bag in Polkadot Plaid

And old favorite, ohsoretro, weighs in with her version of the pleated tote. $44.

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Bright Blue Shweshwe Tiles Big Town Bag

Pleated bag in a fabric with a story. By thewren, $49.

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Machiavelli in Ocean Blue

Beautfiul color, enormous tote. By morelle, $68.

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Fabulous Floral Spring Bag

This floral print is perfect for spring! By thethreegraces, $35.

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Your Multitask Bag - Beautiful Brick Colour Canvas and Designer fabric

Rust colored pleated bag with a nice decorative metal ring. By iragrant, $69.50.

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The Goldilocks bag - sized just right

A hallmark of this trend is everyone who makes them claims the bags can fit every single possible item you could ever want to schelp around in your purse, yet still be managably "not big." Sweet golden-y tote in, yes, the perfect size by hollyberrydesigns, $29.

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Pleated Purse in Geometric Black with Red Ribbon Accent

What an awesome print. On sale! By jumpupanddown, $30.

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Tags bags, Etsy Finds, market, pleats, purse, shopping, tote, trends
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32 comments     Login to add your own!

May 14, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. pouch

I'm loving the bags made by Minus and a UK seller too, woohoo!

May 14, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. stephaniegibson

I was going to say you forgot PravinaStudio - but there she is in related items.
I have been craving one of her bags for the longest time!

May 14, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. ErinTyner

Uh oh... I love all of these!

May 14, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. gemmafactrix

I remember when Moop first came out with these - I've loved them ever since. I'm saving up for a Moop. :)

May 14, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. Itybitybags

I love the Moop bags!

GiantDwarf has some awesome bags too!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=872

May 14, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. sarawearsskirts

these are great!

May 14, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. stellaloella

must. resist. impulsive. bag. purchase.

May 14, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. anda

I had to wait 24 whole hours before this article came out and I (FINALLY) allowed myself to buy that blue moop bag. Which I am buying right now. The blue color was my downfall.

May 14, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. annamatrona

snap. i might have to get that floral one now.

May 14, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. iragrant

Thank you for the feature Anda:)

May 14, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. matilou

Ira, I just love your bags !!

May 14, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. CoolTemptations

Great work!

May 14, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. lookmamamadeit

Fantastic bags, love the rust colored multitask bag from Iragrant!

May 14, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. idesign245

I love my Moop Market bag, and would like to praise Moop for her originality, quality and craftsmanship!

They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

May 14, 2008 at 1:48 p.m. luchi

I love all these bags!!!! I'm a big bag freak! I found a lot of new favs here! Thanks!

P.S. I don't think any of these sellers are imitations. I've seen simular patterns in several different sewing books. ;) All of these have a slight twist of their own creatively!!

May 14, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. mixieboutique

love these finds!! so cute! and the lil guy on your podcast and etsy find email is ADORABLE ;)

May 14, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. XbyLeinaNeima

So many beauty queens!

May 14, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. hollyberrydesigns

This is a great collection of bags! I'm honored to be included :)

May 14, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. nichan

the bags are great but seems like mostly have the same "basic" shape and/or style...is it the current trend?

May 14, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. eclipse

I love this style of bag but I agree with luchi- I don't think any of them are "imitations". It is a traditional style, even Amy Butler has a pattern for this style called the "Frenchy Bag". (based on traditional market bags in France) There has been a tutorial for this style bag on craftster since 2005. Everybody's version is different and special.

May 14, 2008 at 11:37 p.m. luna2005

i'm with eclipse...i have a bag in a similar design, purchased in 2006 from another etsy seller...it's also a design in at least 2 sewing books on my shelf.

they all have a simple beauty in their functionality..and i think none are "copies", just variations on a design.

May 15, 2008 at 7:18 p.m. gemmafactrix

Interesting, though, when the bags all started popping up.

Eh.

May 15, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. kibbles

OMG! These are back in? I remember these from the 70's.

May 15, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. SWANclothing

sweet totes!

May 15, 2008 at 9:48 p.m. glassgrrlstudios

I made something very similar as a 4-H project. In 1976.

May 15, 2008 at 10:02 p.m. gemmafactrix

That's nice.

But it's not really the point.

May 15, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. luna2005

hmmmm..i though the original point of this article was to highlight an amazing, functional style of tote bag...then it was suggested that others were "copying" one designer...

i think the *new* point is that this design has been around for a long time...the greater consciousness being what it is...it has come full circle!

May 15, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. gemmafactrix

Yes, that seems to have been the point. It's obvious that more than one person was a bit surprised at this article, though, and I think talking about that is a good thing.

What I generally see when people discuss copying of other artists here on etsy (which does happen, and often) is disdain for any person who dares suggest they have an original idea/brand/product, or the trotting out of the straw man argument of collective conscious or 'I've been making this since 1947, both of which skirt the issue and don't speak to the very specific instance usually being discussed, and that's unfortunate. Open dialogue regarding copying and 'me-too-ism' would serve the community much better.

May 15, 2008 at 11:47 p.m. pepperhem

i have seen that tutorial on craftster as well.

i personally think that when people see an idea that they have seen around (in tutorials and in stores and such) selling well, they feel maybe the person didn't create the idea at hand so it's up for grabs somehow. i don't think it's right but it's probably inevitable and i don't think it's the same as copying. i know many would disagree though!

May 16, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. anda

Many artists work in similar styles and there is a lot of design overlap in the crafting world.
I think what Etsy has shown me since 2005 is that the most important thing is how you brand your shop. You do this with photography, with styling, with descriptions, with whatever it is...you take what sets you apart and trade on it. To me, the most successful shops create the illusion of a lifestyle or scenario the viewer is buying into. Take moop for example: I look at her item photos and imagine a big room with hardwood floors and lots of huge windows, maybe a stack of interesting library books on the floor next to a bike parked against the wall, it's September and classes have just started; like some loft apartment I wished I lived in when I was 20. I also irrationally imagine that upon wearing the tote I will magically lose 30 pounds, be single again, and my hair will form itself into that cute haircut the model is sporting.
If I were to describe a different shop featured here, I would paint a totally different picture. Thewren's bag makes me ache to visit my best pal in Morocco, wandering down cobblestone alleyways, carrying my groceries home for a long, lazy dinner with friends and wine.
Some shops have little or no clear "daydream" that they are trading on. It's the shops that take branding into account that will be most sucessful on Etsy.

June 21, 2008 at 5:36 p.m. handbags8

Compliment - Great Bags.
Suggestion- Please visit www.handbags8.etsy.com
and provide Your extremely valuable feedback.

Oct. 14, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. PDXfabricdeli

My hat of to you all crafters. The bags are just smashing in design and color combos. Keep it up!

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