I Just Test-Drove the Handbag Chic Celebs Are Fighting Over

It’s a strange phenomenon when you go from not knowing about something to seeing it everywhere you look. As someone who studies the styling behaviors of celebrities and influencers on a daily basis, I should be used to it. After all, it happens quite frequently in fashion spaces. And yet, I’m always thrown for a loop when I notice the next big thing become ubiquitous nearly overnight.

Such is exactly what occurred when Tory Burch launched its latest handbag, called the Romy. The style comes in three distinct shapes—the Tote, the Small Tote, and the Bucket Bag—and a variety of colors, from muted hues like light cream, light granite, and black, to trendy alternatives, including tan suede and “lemon.” One day, I had no association with the name Romy. The next, it was being toted around by multiple celebrities, including Emma Roberts, Jodie Turner-Smith, Michelle Williams, and Suki Waterhouse. The best part? For once, the bag on every It celebrity’s arm wasn’t $5000+. It was $598 at most, with smaller versions priced at $498 and $328. Given that all three sizes are made of genuine leather (crafted in partnership with a Leather Working Group–certified tannery), my first impression was that, for those prices, the Romy bags were a steal. Of course, I had to see, feel, and carry them all to know for sure if my assumptions were correct.

Scroll down to read my review of all three versions of the Romy Tote by Tory Burch.

Tory Burch Romy Tote

Full-body and close-up images and gifs of Eliza Huber testing out the Tory Burch Romy Tote Bag in black with a long black Nanushka coat, jeans, and a scarf.

My Review: The Tote is the version of Tory Burch’s Romy style that I’ve seen celebrities spotlight most, so naturally, it was the first bag I wanted to test. Bags aren’t like clothes—you can’t just try them on and get the full picture in a matter of minutes. You need to carry them when they’re full of stuff, testing how much you can fit inside and finding out how they feel on your shoulder or arm after a long period. To properly determine the practicality of the Romy Tote, I grabbed all of my many essentials and took it on a journey to my favorite outlet mall outside of New York City in New Jersey. It was expected to snow, and my boyfriend and I left our apartment around 8 in the morning, so I needed a lot of things to survive the wet day ahead. Inside was a Celsius, an empty water bottle, protein bars, and a few packets of Liquid I.V. I also, of course, had my wallet, keys, and sunglasses, as well as winter accessories like leather gloves and a scarf. Honestly, there was probably more inside; I just can’t recall what all that includes. Whatever all was in there, it was a lot. And unlike many of the other hundreds of tote bags I’ve tried in my time as a fashion editor and NYC commuter, it didn’t leave my shoulder feeling numb or looking indented. My back didn’t ache after carrying it around for eight hours essentially without pause. It even handled being in the snow well. (Though, I admittedly used the umbrella we packed to protect it at all costs.)

All in all, I can see why celebrities can’t stop carrying this bag. It’s lightweight but high quality, and its lack of flashy logos and its minimalist design make it easy to style no matter what color or material you choose to go with.

Eliza Huber testing out the Tory Burch Romy Tote Bag in black with a long black Nanushka coat, jeans, and a scarf.