23 May 2016

The Totes of BEA 2016

Totes of BEA 2016 @ www.BethFishReads.comI probably shouldn't admit this in public, but I'm kind of a tote bag nerd. One of things I really enjoy at BEA (besides learning about new books and seeing friends) is finding and collecting the cool totes of the year. Totes are my favorite swag, and I put them to good use throughout the year--especially when traveling and shopping.

I tend to be attracted to the canvas bags (they're durable and washable), especially those with fun graphics or sayings. I'll collect a noncanvas tote if something draws me to it, like the Louise Penny audiobook tote, seen in the center of the photo at the left.

Every year I wish someone (not me) would run a best tote of the show contest. I always have one or two that make the top of my list.

One new trend at BEA 2016 was coloring totes! I plan to color the bags I collected with fabric pens, though I bet Sharpies would work too. Aren't they cool? (Click the images to see them full size and in sharper focus.)


Now for my top three totes of the show:


In third place is the gusseted canvas tote from Sounds True. I love the tote's shape and the cord handles. In second place is the very nice tote from Hachette Book Group. This one has a zippered outside pocket and a zipper closure at the top of the tote. Great features! But my vote for best tote of BEA 2016 is the pretty, gusseted tote from London Review of Books. I love the color and the way the words run up the sides of the bag. Although their booth was hidden in the far corner of the expo floor, the London Review of Books totes were found everywhere. So distinctive, and the blue really popped.

Of course, I didn't take every available tote, and I saw some really cute ones that other people were carrying. However, I really like each one I added to my collection. If you were at BEA, which totes did you love?

12 comments:

Vicki 5/23/16, 8:04 AM  

I love them!! Oh my goodness, I've been a tote nerd for many many years! I need to take a photo of mine sometime and post it on my blog. My daughter calls me the bag lady!

Leslie (Under My Apple Tree) 5/23/16, 8:34 AM  

I love the canvas bags too! Someone asked me what I was going to do with even more tote bags but I really do use them. There's a stack of them in my car too. The coloring book ones you picked up are really nice -- sadly I missed those!

Daryl 5/23/16, 8:58 AM  

what a fun thing to collect .. not just fun but useful ...

Cecelia 5/23/16, 9:18 AM  

My favorite tote of BEA was the Saveur one - perfect size, weight, durability. I got tons of envious looks/asks about it as I used it throughout the show.

bermudaonion 5/23/16, 9:24 AM  

I always loved the zippered totes too. The gusseted bags are great to use in the grocery store. I have to say the "I Dissent" bag in your big photo caught my eye.

(Diane) bookchickdi 5/23/16, 9:26 AM  

Oh the coloring totes are so clever. I love to use my totes as gift bags, some of them are just so pretty.

Kailana 5/23/16, 10:05 AM  

The colouring ones are a fun idea!

Andrea Stoeckel 5/23/16, 10:28 AM  

Tote bags....gotta love em....make a statement without saying a word. My old fave is from the late,lamented Amazon Women's Bookstore in MLPS,MN...you know, the won that won in TSCOTUS against Amazon.com?

And if you live in cities who have banned plastic, they are a godsend!

Gina 5/23/16, 10:46 AM  

Alas, another year of BEA I wasn't able to attend... one day maybe, but in the mean time, I can live vicariously through posts like yours! ☺ I actually snagged one of the #PenguinProblems totes thanks to the publisher and the upcoming tour... so cute! Thanks for sharing!

Florinda 5/23/16, 11:36 AM  

I completely missed the coloring totes--how fun! The Hachette tote was my favorite. Fortunately, I picked it up pretty early, and I put it to some good use for the rest of the week!

Jen Forbus 5/23/16, 2:24 PM  

I missed the colorable totes, too. Bummer. But I love my Hachette one. Jenn Lawrence also secured me one from the Editor's Choice panel where I had to leave early. Both are keepers for me. :-)

rhapsodyinbooks 5/23/16, 3:39 PM  

Unfortunately I ended up leaving a bunch behind because of stuff, but anyway, I love totes too!

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