Stylish Totes for the Grocery Store: Envirosax and Anya Hindmarch

Looking for a stylish-yet-eco way to hit the grocery store? She’s a Betty has a great solution: Envirosax. A set of five is only $35, and they fit into a pouch you can stash in your glove compartment. Woohoo! No more forgetting them at home because you don’t want unsightly King Soopers bags littering the car.

It sure beats the Anya Hindmarch “I'm Not A Plastic Bag” bag that’s been dangling on fashionable arms. And this pains Cat to say because she’s been a huge – huge! – Anya fan for a while now. She’s always wanted one of the British designer's whimsical totes, but the closest she could afford was a small makeup bag in which she keeps all of her laptop cords and accessories. It was originally made by Anya as the "kit" for first class passengers on British Airways, but there were tons on eBay so Cat snatched one.

Unlike those, this enviro bag is just so obvious. It feels like laughing at your own joke or giving to charity just so you can brag about it. Cat has a lot more respect for people and designers who are doing their thing every week without having to clamor for the spotlight. Locally, Deb Henriksen produces most of Equillibrium Clothing T-shirts out of bamboo and hemp (they’re amazing!), but she doesn’t put the slogan “I’m Bamboo” on the chest. She’s all about the environment, but it’s more about walking the walk every day, not just doing a one off and then publicizing herself for it. Sort of like last month’s Vogue, where they devoted the entire front of the magazine to “green” designers. Cat could almost hear them saying, "Okay, yep, done with that little fad. Now we can get back to regular consumption."

Still, if you must, must, must have the season’s “it” bag, you’ll need a friend on a coast who can buy the $15 tote from an Anya Hindmarch, Ron Herman or Fred Segal Flair store after June 20 -- or at East Coast Whole Foods after July 18. (Cat has friends on the coasts if you need the hook up, just drop her a line.)

There’s a ton on eBay – they went on sale in the UK way before the States – but buyer beware: Anya fakes are prevalent and you will pay way over retail.