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Updated: Apr 5, 2021 84 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Cuyana Oversized Carryall Tote

Coffee Break

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Once I head back into the office, I may need a new tote for all that stuff I used to schlep on my commute. For ages, I’ve had Cuyana’s Oversized Carryall Tote on my wish list.

I prefer a more tailored and structured bag for work, and this one checks those boxes. It also comes in four classic go-with-anything colors and includes a zipper closure, interior side pockets, and a removable strap. It has more than enough room to hold my laptop, lunch, and other on-the-go essentials.

This tote is not just all work and no play — it would make a great overnight bag for weekend getaway.

The tote is $245 ($260 monogrammed). Right now it is only available in dark olive and navy, but hopefully Cuyana will restock black and stone soon.

Sales of note for 9.30.24

Sales of note for 9.30.24

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

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About Ann

Ann is a working mom, a longtime reader of Corporette and CorporetteMoms, and has been writing our morning fashion advice on CorporetteMoms since November 2020! She is a public interest lawyer in Washington, D.C.

Comments

  1. Anon

    wow, this dark olive color is a beautiful neutral. I have the regular tote, not the oversized one, and it has been a workhorse.

  2. Anon

    It is really hard to find a nice bag that fully zips, so this catches my attention. Any word on that thin strap, though? I tend to pack bags full with heavy stuff.

    • Ellen

      I have a great leather bag I got in law school to carry law books, which are VERY big. It looks like a saddle bag and is of high quality leather. When I walk around the City, I often hear men making comments, some along the line that they like my bag. One guy called me Annie Oakley, I think b/c the bag looks Western. The construction guys on 47th Street always love to stare at me, which is about the only male attention I want these days b/c of Covid. Once this is over, I need to make up for lost time!

    • Anonymous

      I really like the Brahmin totes. There are several with top zips that are really well designed for business travel. They have smooth leather now, in addition to the alligator looks.

    • anon

      I have a different Cuyana and I load.it.up. Zero issues and I freaking adore the brand.

  3. H13

    I’ve been waiting for them to bring back the small size in this style. I contacted them over a year ago and they were prompt to respond but they still haven’t brought it back. It is my unicorn bag!

  4. Anon

    My husband has volunteered to take the kids (8,6) for a trip in June, if I organize it. They haven’t been on vacation in two years. (My prize is being alone in my home for a week!) I want him to do something outdoorsy – like Colorado, Arizona, Montana or Wyoming. My kids aren’t super into nature so this would be good exposure for them – activities like horseback riding, fishing, day hikes, etc. Does anybody have any suggestions for lodging or tours? Budget is fairly generous (maxing out at $600 a night), but some of the all-inclusive resorts are just way too expensive.

    • Anonymous

      Wow, I’d never want to stay home rather than do that trip!! Wyoming would be a good choice activity-wise, although you might want to check on how local transmission is there. I had a family member who traveled there in January and he said cases were out of control paired with low mask-wearing. I think that could put a damper on the trip for me, even though I’m sure (hopeful?) that cases are lower there now.

      • Anon

        I knowww – but I don’t have the vacations, and I promised a girlfriend I would take a trip with her, since she spent the duration of the pandemic by herself. Just one of those things where we had to divide and conquer. I’m taking a family trip with the kids later in the year!

        • Anonymous

          If you have a fun alternative with a girlfriend planned, that’s great too. As long as you get an actual vacation and not stuck at home doing chores or something!! Have a GREAT time with your friend!

    • Anon

      where are you coming from? it is much easier to get to Colorado, Arizona or even Utah from the east coast than to Wyoming or Montana. I’ve been to both Vail and Aspen in the summer on family trips when I was a kid – we generally stayed in condos and rented a car to be able to get to the various activities, but also stayed in places where we could walk into town. We’d usually do a morning activity and then possibly swim in the afternoon. like rent bikes for 1-2 days, hikes, horseback riding, white water rafting, etc.

    • Cat

      May I gently suggest that you not force your children into a full-on outdoorsy vacation when they aren’t naturally outdoorsy and haven’t had a vacation in two years? Could you try to do some weekend activities that are outdoor-focused instead?

      Like- I am also naturally not outdoorsy and if someone told me my first post-vax trip was fishing in Wyoming rather than a beach trip, I would have a tantrum.

      • Anon

        Hard, hard disagree. The absolute best possible thing for kids after the year we’ve had would be a new, fun, adventurous experience away from screens. All kids can enjoy the outdoors, even without prior experience, and the novelty factor will make it even more fun for them.

        • Cat

          I didn’t say “not outdoors” — I specifically mentioned a beach trip.

          As a kid (and today) I strongly dislike being dirty, bugs, etc and so just suggesting a full-on weeklong Out West Adventure as a way to convince them it’s great… is a gamble.

          • Anon

            Sigh, anticipatory anxiety about stuff that the vast majority of kids will find totally awesome is a drag.

          • Cat

            The OP said her kids are “not super into nature.” I would not characterize gentle questioning about whether a full-immersion nature press will be fun for them as “anxiety” but whatever.

          • Counterpoint

            Cat, her budget is $600 a night, we’re not exactly talking about serious roughing it here. And anyway, to counter your anecdata, I too was a kid who strongly disliked being dirty, bugs, etc. My parents dragged me camping, real camping, but I didn’t throw a tantrum because that wasn’t how I was raised. I just sucked it up and read in the tent mostly and listened to my Walkman. And now I’m an adult who actually loves the outdoors and cherishes the camping trip vacation memories that my cruel parents forced me to take and paid for entirely.

        • Anonymous

          +1. The best, most memorable vacations include fun, outdoors, nature, and risk-taking. Would 100% do this with kids at that age and would specifically recommend horseback riding to an alpine lake that you can jump in, a half day or full day river rafting trip, and a guided rock climb.

          • anonshmanon

            as a child who hated hiking and just didn’t appreciate beautiful scenery, I can agree with anything that’s a little more exciting than merely walking around. One of those canopy parkour climbing places can be great for this age group, or an archery class, or a cave tour.

        • Anonymous

          I do like OPs take on this given below, in giving their kids an opportunity to find out more about what they like.

          But to use your words, hard, hard disagree on the forced outdoor adventurous “fun” for kids that have expressed dislike for the outdoors (which it seems was most of our initial reading of the OP). There are plenty of unadventurous ways to be outside, without forcing kids to be uncomfortable on their first holiday after a shitty year. Kids deserve to be taken seriously if they are uncomfortable.

          • Anon

            It’s good for kids to be uncomfortable and to learn and grow. It’s also good to be positive and to not assume the worst about OP’s itinerary. Why default to assuming the kids will hate it?

      • OP

        We will make it plenty cushy for them ;) They need to be exposed to these things in a fun, supportive way because we have no idea whether they are outdoorsy or not. They haven’t been given an opportunity to know that about themselves yet.

        • Anonymous

          Love this attitude, OP. A trip like this will be amazing for your kids!!

        • Anonymous

          Just throwing this out there, but if any of your kids are interested in dinosaurs, maybe something that can include looking for fossils? (I wasn’t an outdoorsy kid but I was obsessed with dinosaurs, still kinda am really, and learning about dinos in any sort of condition would have been fun at the age the OP’ kids are.)

          • Anonymous

            Check out the Black Hills of South Dakota; lots of kid friendly activities including dinosaur park, gold panning, great hikes, adventure parks, Bear Country, caves, Reptile Gardens, Storybook Island, horseback riding, kayaking, paddle board, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse— reasonably priced; lots of AirBnBs for families.

        • Anon

          I love your attitude. Only caveat: hiking and fishing sort of sounds like a vacation for people approaching retirement (NTTAWWT). I think kids would really enjoy horseback riding, swimming, cave tours (?), and some time to just hang out in a resort pool, admiring the mountains and scenery they don’t get back home. It is fun to see big waterfalls, which may or may not involve a hike.

          • Aunt Jamesina

            Lots of people who aren’t approaching retirement enjoy hiking and fishing! I don’t think I would ever choose to go fishing on my own as an adult, but I have fond memories of going with my dad (and mostly catching seaweed). If they truly hate it, then OP can choose different activities for their next trip. But they’ll never know if they like it if they don’t try it.

          • Anonymous

            Hahahahaha you have never met my kids, who have never had a vacation that did not involve hiking :).

          • Trixie

            You are crazy–I’ve been hiking and fishing my whole life, and love those activities. Lots of people hike–even children!

    • Anonymous

      Central Oregon! There are several resorts (black butte ranch, Sunriver) that have activities like horseback riding, bike trails and swimming pools, it is also close to the mountains so you can visit the fish hatchery, go fishing, take a hike, or take the (paved) trail in a lava tube. I worked at a resort as a teenager and now living elsewhere think it sounds like a great family trip. Bonus that it doesn’t get too hot out there even in August. Should be within your budget too for a condo

      • Senior Attorney

        Sunriver is great for families and there are a lot of houses and condos for rent.

        • Anon

          +2
          Sunriver is awesome for families, all the outdoor things you mention, and you should be able to find something for under $600. They can fly into Bend.

        • Sloan Sabbith

          +3 I’m not outdoorsy and I had a great time with my extended family in Sunriver. We rented a house.

      • LeeB

        I hate to be the downer here, but as someone who lives on the West coast I have to point out that August is now during Fire Season (July – October). You take the risk of having to cancel if there are fires in the area or even “just” really bad air quality from fires in CA or Canada. Something to think about in your planning process. Welcome to the reality of climate change.

    • Nesprin

      Not camping focused, but this sounds like San Diego- there’s a ton of museums+ a world class zoo in downtown at Balboa park+ Beaches. (though June Gloom gives me pause- its usually overcast in June). Add in a day trip to the desert + a day trip to Julian for apples + horseback riding and you’ve got a solid week.

    • Anonymous

      YMCA camps of the Rockies (CO) have always sounded like a good mix of family fun and outdoor to me. Can do kid only or family activities. Just waiting for the right time for my brood.

    • Anon in Dallas

      If you go to Colorado in June (and possibly others but I know Colorado) it’s prime river rafting season. 8 and 6 year olds would LOVE that. It is an absolute blast. I’ve taken kids to as place near Vail but I’m sure there are others.

  5. Clementine

    I went shopping this weekend (first time in over a year!) and took pictures of some outfits to get a good friend’s input. Well, husband and I have a shared photo stream so I didn’t realize it but he could see all the photos. Now my husband keeps complimenting the outfits I tried (including the stuff I didn’t buy) and it’s really a nice ego boost I didn’t know I needed.

    • anon

      Ha, I saw “husband and I saw shared photostream” and got nervous for a second…that’s sweet of him!

      Somewhat relatedly, my SO and I had a long convo recently about what traits we value in each other and what we value in ourselves/are proud of and I noticed he was making a particular effort to compliment me on some of the things I mentioned about myself but had been feeling like he didn’t appreciate. That he would have the presence of mind and take the initiative to do that was really nice.

  6. Anon

    I miss purses! Right now, I use a card pocket on my phone and a fanny pack (worn that way; I am not the cool kid who can rock it cross-body).

    Question: are people not using the giant Otterbox Defender type bomb-proof iPhone cases any more? My phone is 4YO and if the cute ones will actually protect it (I’ve broken a phone before), I may get one when I replace mine. IIRC, the slimmer cute ones maybe didn’t always work as advertised. I don’t regret my Otterbox one bit but what companies bill as “phone pockets” on skorts and pants often don’t account for a giant phone case. But for a 1K phone, I don’t want it breaking b/c I can’t really have nice things.

    • anne-on

      I think you have to know yourself. I to cannot have nice things (white clothing, silk blouses, shoes that won’t immediately have scuffs, etc.) and plan accordingly, so yup, super bulky Otterbox for me. I also have a protection plan because my kid, dog, and even cat have knocked my phone out of my hands/off surfaces and I want to know I can get it replaced if necessary.

      • Sloan Sabbith

        I’ve found that a hard but slim case with a high-quality screen protector is the best bet- I’ve dropped my phone probably 30 times in the case I currently have and cracked the screen protector a couple of times but the back of the phone has always been fine. I have the Silk (looks like it’s Smartish now) case with card pocket.

    • Anonymous

      I drop my phone all the time so I definitely err on the side of a more protective case. I’ve had good experiences with the “tough case” options on Society 6. They have a decently sized bumper that has saved my phone many times but still also fits well into the slim pockets you sometimes see on yoga pants.

    • Shelle

      I use the Otterbox Commuter. Slimmer than the Defender but it has saved my phone so many times!

    • Anon 2.0

      Otterbox defender for life here. I don’t care that it is bulky and clunky looking. I am really rough on my phone. Also, if Gen Z can rock those horrid clunky white sneakers, surely I can rock a clunky Otterbox, no?

    • Anon

      I have a Moto G Power and bought the only Otterbox available for that style. I would have gotten the beefed-up version if they offered it.

    • Is it Friday yet?

      I have a slim, pretty case for home/socializing/work and a giant Otterbox for barn/climbing/skiing/etc. It’s easy enough to pop it in and out between the cases when I need to. I have an S21 Ultra, though my work phone is an iPhone SE (with an otterbox commuter series case).

  7. Anonymous

    I’ve been wanting to (and off and on trying to) leave a job for a few years. Not a bad job but just rote and I’m gaining no skills whatsoever and makes me no longer want to be a lawyer. Just got a last minute email staffing me on a new case — because a guy in my division is leaving . . . . Granted he’s been there for 9 years vs. my almost 6 years but it feels like a punch in the gut given that I can like never even get an interview and someone else has an offer.

  8. Anon

    Where did the white suit go?

    I just messaged my first boss and apologized for being an idealistic PITA my first few years of practice. He would get frustrated because I was spending time on what I now realize are terrible cases, or at least not worth the many, many hours I spent on them, because “It’s a great case/client/I could really make a difference!!!!!” and I would think he was just a burnt out cynical attorney. I’m now working with a new attorney….I’m sure she thinks I’m the cynical burnt out attorney, and he was 150% right. It’s aggravating.

  9. fabulous lipstick?

    I just got my first vaccine dose and feel like hot garbage. Which I’m not even mad about, for the record. I’ve taken the afternoon off and am shopping for lipstick with an eye toward the day when we can all go out without our faces covered. What’s your favorite lipstick?

    • Anon

      I’m not even eligible yet, but I am trying to remind myself not to jump at any chance but to do it Friday morning so I hopefully don’t wreck my workweek or my weekend.

      I hope you feel better.

      Burt’s Bees Dahlia (not a lipstick, but great and cheap). I have a lipstick from them to and love the consistency but I picked a pretty color vs one flattering to me.

      • Cat

        I would recommend doing it Thursday evening and blocking your calendar on Friday – for me, the worst was about 15 hours after #2, meaning I barely slept that night.

        • Anon

          I’m not currently eligible and am locked out from scheduling anything until next week. We’ll see what the calendar actually looks like then. This is just theoretical (or to ask for PTO in advance when everyone else isn’t out getting their shot the same day).

    • Anonymous

      Congrats on getting your first dose! I just got the Sephora Lipstories lipstick in Spring Break and love it. It’s more rosy colored than nude on me. They also have a million colors to choose from and should be part of the sale later this week.

    • I feel you

      taking it easy after my second dose, with mild cold-like symptoms (little achy, a bit of brain fog, and the arm is sore). My PSA – Legally Blonde is now on Netflix – one of my go-to movies for chilling when I’m under the weather.

    • Senior Attorney

      taking it easy after my second dose, with mild cold-like symptoms (little achy, a bit of brain fog, and the arm is sore). My PSA – Legally Blonde is now on Netflix – one of my go-to movies for chilling when I’m under the weather.

      • Anon

        The Black Honey looks like garbage on me, but the Pink Honey is divine! So glad I got a small sampler with both.

        • Shananana

          I am a huge believer in samplers first! I have not tried the pink honey yet – do you find it runs cool or warm toned? Anything warm toned looks like garbage on me lol

          • Anon

            I am very, very sallow (basically a human Simpsons character) and it looks great on me. So if you need cool tones, I would not recommend it.

        • anon

          I look so, so bad in Black Honey. It looks goth-like on me, despite being a sheer lipstick. Super strange. I do want to try Pink Honey, though.

        • Anon

          Love Black Honey. It is my favorite, as well as that of all of my sisters and my daughter and we have a broad range of skintones/eye colors/ hair color.

      • Anon

        I wanted to like black honey but I found the formula super drying on me. You didn’t experience that?

        • Shananana

          not in the almost lipstick, but they definitely occasionally release other formulations of it and I disliked all of those.

    • Anon

      Lately, the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine in 003, Glossed Up Rose. I like it because it’s easy to apply without a mirror and is like a wet lip balm with color.

      My long-term favorite is Laura Mercier Sheer Lipstick in Healthy Lips. It’s the perfect pinky red/rose that is not too dark but not a nude either.

      • Anonymous

        I was coming here to recommend the Revlon. I have it in ruby and love it.

    • No Face

      I really like Mented’s semi matte lipstick. They are selling at Target now.

    • Anonymous

      I discovered Black Moon Cosmetics awhile back and I’m a huge fan of their liquid lipstick. Comfortable and non drying, great color payoff, and the tubes last a long time. Their brand identity is very goth-centric, and they have amazing theatrical colors but they also offer wearable shades for the non-goths among us so they’re worth a look.

      I love most of the colors I own from this brand, but their metallic red is the one that gets me the most compliments:

      https://www.blackmooncosmetics.com/products/deville

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