Full disclosure: I’m a food writer, not a fashion writer. That said, I have built a purse collection that consists of lots of vintage Coach, one vintage Bottega Veneta, and a custom-made leather tote, so you should take what you’re about to read at least 81% seriously.
I would like the record to reflect that I am not a Stanley girl, nor did I set out to carry a cooler bag from a trendy brand as a purse this summer. But when I unboxed a cream-colored Stanley All Day Julienne Midi Cooler with gray accents, I thought, This is really cute, in a fun, athleisure kinda way.
Stanley Julienne Midi Cooler Bag
At that point, I still didn’t plan to carry my new soft-sided Stanley cooler as a purse. I figured I’d use it for my next trip to the pool or the park, and I left it sitting on my dining room table so I wouldn’t forget it when the time came.
Then on a sweltering Friday afternoon, as I was preparing to pick up my kids, I remembered I needed to stop by the store for a few groceries, including some small perishables. A perfect first run for my new cooler bag, I thought! But I didn’t want to carry that and my purse because I was already sweaty and miserable, so I secured my wallet in the front zipper pouch, slid my phone and sunglasses into the stretchy side pouches, and tossed a packable tote into the main compartment.
Minutes after walking into the grocery store a woman complimented my “cute bag.”
“Thanks, it’s a cooler!” I chirped back—the handbag equivalent of bragging about a dress with pockets.
I decided I’d keep using my cooler bag as my main handbag over the weekend because I knew I’d be out and about with my kids and didn’t want their snacks—or the red lipstick I almost always have on me—to melt under the brutal late-June sun.
I haven’t really stopped carrying it since.
