One Shopping Editor’s Quest for the Perfect Mesh Tote Bag

This summer, I started noticing fashionable women carrying unique mesh bags. I don’t mean mesh as in the famous Alaïa tote (love her, though); these are different—a tighter weave and made of material indecipherable to my naked eye. They’re almost always brightly colored and striped. Even Gap had a sold-out pouch in the style, and really, how often do pouches sell out? People I follow on Instagram were posting pictures from their Euro-summers with these bags in tow. And I’ll admit, I was jealous of both their vacations and accessories. After feeling haunted by the mysterious, unnamed totes for all of August and much of September, I finally tracked them down. They’re called mercado bags and have roots in Mexican tradition, where the handwoven item has always been popular.

Best Mesh Tote Bags

While these haven’t infiltrated the mass market in America yet, they serve as an “if you know, you know” style symbol—the mark of a cool, laid-back woman. Even if you order it online, it gives the vibe of something you picked up from a shopping stall somewhere along your travels. Plus, similar to when I went hunting for the chicest clear bags, I was surprised to find several designer options. Some of them don’t fit the definition of a traditional mercado bag, but big labels and fashion houses, from Bottega Veneta to The Row, are offering mesh tote bags right now. Because I predict this trend will only grow, I’m rounding up the best ones below.

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