The Uniqlo crossbody bag is going nowhere – it’s still, almost two years after it first launched, everywhere. The £15 ($19.90 in the USA) “round mini shoulder bag” was dubbed the bag to end all bags on TikTok, thanks to its cool Scandi-designer vibes but definite ‘end of the month’ price tag.
And when I say it’s everywhere, I mean not just in the news (which it is right now) or the in the metaverse, but real life. I don’t think I can do one school run or trip to the supermarket without seeing a fellow Uniqlo bag fan, even two years on.
Just what is the appeal, you might ask? The data speaks for itself - it’s become Uniqlo’s bestselling bag of all time, praised for being small, but deceptively roomy with Mary Poppins vibes in terms of what you can fit in. It even has its own hashtag, #uniqlobag, with over 40 million views. Is it really that good?
© Carla ChallisIn a word, yes. I’ve had mine for 18 months now, and every time I think to myself, don’t use that bag today, I use that bag – because it really does fit everything* in (*almost). It’s become such a part of my daily uniform that friends of mine send meme’s of the Uniqlo bag. Along with my Stanley cup, Varsity sweatshirt and mom jeans, I’m about as cliché a 40-something year-old as you can get, but do I care? Do I heck, I wear my Uniqlo bag with pride.
And it says something about a bag when a brand keeps releasing it in new colourways and fabrics (the cord version launched last year) - Uniqlo's latest incarnation of the ubiquitous bag includes eight pastel shades, such as spring blue, lemon yellow and macaron pink. Since mine is starting to look a touch shabby (only a touch, to be fair), I’ll be upgrading my dark camel version for a lemon yellow bag for spring.
When I first purchased the Uniqlo bag in 2022, I even added a few to basket for the fellow mums in my life, who battled chasing their child around a playground while hauling their valuables in some sort of bag (mine had been a cloth bag or a structured leather half-moon bag, not the most practical).
And as a mum of one, it’s perfect for days out with the four-year-old. I can easily fit everything she needs in it. We’re talking her water bottle, a few snacks, baby wipes and a change of clothes along with my purse, keys, lip balm and phone. I even managed to squeeze in a mini cuddly unicorn and her sunglasses, because my daughter always has to have these along for the ride. If you’ve got a baby or toddler, you’d be able to fit in a nappy or two, if you forfeit the unicorn.
Slinging it across my body, I find I’m free of the restraints of my usual cloth bag falling off my shoulder, and being wipe-clean (it's a nylon-mix fabric) meant my daughter’s sticky fingers weren’t held at arm’s-length. And when I’m walking the dog, it’s an ideal bag for those dog-walking essentials too. It’s lightweight in itself that it doesn’t weigh you down, and has an adjustable strap for fitting over a puffa too. A few other friends have since bought the bag (a pink version and the green, FYI that are now out of stock).
My HELLO! colleague Rachel Avery has bought it in stone. "This cult bag is a staple in my wardrobe as I can pair it with everything from my gym gear to dresses. You’ll be genuinely astounded by how much you can easily fit into it - Mary Poppins eat your heart out!"
© Rachel AveryAnd another HELLO! staffer, Leanne Bayley, has one in black: "My sister bought me the viral crossbody Uniqlo bag for Christmas, and well, it's kind of amazing isn't it? I have the black one as I ideally wanted to wear it with gym outfits. Choosing a bag to go with activewear or a hoodie can be a bit tricky but this just looks awesome. I also love that your possessions feel safe as well. I'm always so paranoid about my phone being pinched, and this bag just makes me feel more reassured. I want the macaron pink next!"
The downside of the bags? They do get dirty - my dark beige bag has had to be washed, but that's the good news, you can pop it into the washing machine. I’ve put mine on a cool cycle a few times and it’s always come out sparkling.
Yes, they’re everywhere, but you can’t deny a good bag when you see one. The cost per wear of mine must be running into minus figures by now...
