Why women still love ‘ludicrously capacious’ bags

It’s been a few weeks since the final season premiere of HBO’s hit series “Succession,” and one scene from the Shakespearean-like drama is still captivating the internet. Beyond the Roy siblings’ clashes with their media mogul dad, a Burberry bag is hogging the spotlight, spewing memes and debates from fans, fashion critics, shoppers and meme-makers alike.

“I’ve heard you’ve made an enormous faux pas and everyone’s laughing up their sleeves about your date,” Tom (Matthew Macfayden) says to Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) at Logan Roy’s birthday party, referring to Greg’s date, Bridget.

“She’s brought a ludicrously capacious bag,” Tom continues. “What’s even in there? Flat shoes for the subway? Her lunch pail? Greg, it’s monstrous. It’s gargantuan. You could take it camping. You could slide it across the floor after a bank job.”

The character of Tom, himself the OG interloper, isn’t wrong when he calls it a faux pas for the 1 percent of the 1 percent.

Bridget’s excess baggage hints at everything she lacks and everything the Roys and their kind are used to. The size of the bag implies that Bridget does not have a staff catering to her every whim. She must carry everything she needs for the day with her.

Tom’s insults aside, searches have spiked for this Burberry bag since the episode aired, according to a report from Fashionista.

Outside the universe of “Succession,” the bag’s price of around $3,000 is a huge luxury for most. In the show, Bridget is a lowly commoner; in reality, she’s probably wealthier than most.

Practical

In the real world, the average woman’s world is full of bags. Whether high-street or designer label, no woman goes anywhere without them—filled with leftover snacks, reusable water bottles, makeup, gym gear, the list goes on. Look inside a woman’s bag and you’ll probably find bags within bags like Russian Matryoshka dolls. And sometimes they even bring another—like a laptop bag or those eco bags for last-minute groceries. Like a friend, “ludicrously capacious” bags are what we rely on to get through the day.

Even celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz, Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber have all been seen carrying even more gargantuan handbags. Super-sized bags are more apt for everyday dressing—they are practical for navigating a full daytime schedule. For Bottega Veneta’s latest collection, much like the “Succession” eyesore, the models didn’t carry those large leather bags on their shoulders, but had them under their arms like clutches.

For most of us who love our big bags, in case you get invited to a party like Logan Roy’s, there’s nothing wrong with them; if you don’t have the time to leave it at home, maybe just leave it at baggage check.

Sorry, Tom, while you may want to skip the flashy designer logos, we say, embrace the ludicrously capacious bags, whatever the season. INQ

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