The Bag of Summer Is a BAB
From that point on, BAB, an acronym for 'Big Ass Bag,' has become a staple of Ms. Barger's wardrobe and vocabulary. The 26-year-old content creator is one of many women on social media who are lugging large totes and purses over their shoulders this summer, in what appears to be an emerging trend.
'It feels like girlhood because we've all carried a big bag with a bunch of stuff in it,' Ms. Barger said in an interview, later adding, 'We've all had that moment.'
In the TV show 'Succession,' the character Tom Wambsgans ridiculed the concept, calling a Burberry tote a 'ludicrously capacious bag.' But the proponents of the current trend rave about the functionality of a BAB, and how they fill it with all the items one may need on a lengthy outing, including — but not limited to — multiple shades of lip gloss, hand sanitizer, a miniature fan, a kindle, a magazine, books, a computer, an iPad, a camera and Pilates socks.
'A girl with a BAB is a specific vibe,' Ms. Barger said. 'She's ready for the entire day.'
Macy Hyman, a 24-year-old content creator in Boston, said the accessory was particularly helpful for people living in cities, because it could eliminate the need to return home between activities.
'I will leave super early in the morning and pack up my huge bag with me, with everything I'll possibly need, and just take it for the day,' Ms. Hyman said.
A BAB can come in all shapes and sizes, and has no required designer pedigree. While Ms. Barger's latest BAB is a Miu Miu, the first tote she showcased came from Anthropologie. Others picked theirs up from flea markets and retail stores. (Several social media users said cross-body functionality, however, gave it bonus points.)
The ultimate BAB, of course, was the original Birkin from Hermès, which recently sold at auction for $10 million. That bag, a prototype for what has become among the most coveted accessories in fashion, was crafted for the actress Jane Birkin so that she could hold all her essentials — diapers, cigarettes, notebooks and more — without spilling them.
Maria Ochoa, a 19-year-old fashion student in New York City, said she was not aware that BAB was an 'actual' term that had been going around, because her penchant for carrying a large bag had already been a long-running joke among her and her friends.
But she said she had seen its popularity grow over the last year.
'I think it's a really 'it' accessory right now,' Ms. Ochoa said. She carries everything she could need in her BAB, she said, including beauty products, a film camera and crystals 'for the good vibes.'
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New York Times
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Max Verstappen interview: On fatherhood, Red Bull's slide and the road ahead
This spring, the world learned how Max Verstappen's life changed, though not as drastically as some may have assumed. The Dutchman and his partner, Kelly Piquet, announced the birth of their daughter, Lily, ahead of the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. Considering Lily is his first child, the new chapter in the reigning world champion's life triggered questions about how it might affect his performance. After securing pole position a day later in Miami, Verstappen joked, 'Clearly it didn't make me slower, being a dad.' Advertisement Adjusting to having a newborn hasn't been a shock, Verstappen told The Athletic in an interview at Red Bull's hospitality building during the subsequent Austrian GP weekend. Compared to how his FIA news conference appearances can seem tense at times, he was relaxed as he discussed this new chapter. Having a young kid around isn't actually new for him, as he's been in the life of Penelope — Piquet and former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat's daughter — since she was one year old. 'You get to understand how to live with a little one,' Verstappen said, 'and I think that has prepared me quite well for my own little girl.' But racing is the only life he's known. Verstappen comes from a racing family: his mother, Sophie, competed in karting until her initial retirement in the 1990s, and his father, Jos, became an F1 driver. The elder Verstappen still races in rally. Max became used to seeing Jos leave for a race weekend and admits he was 'quite upset about it because I wanted to join, but it also makes you understand what you have to do.' Sophie, meanwhile, took 'care of things at home.' And Piquet saw a similar dynamic in her own family with father Nelson being a three-time F1 world champion. 'It's all very natural,' Verstappen said. 'It helps a lot.' 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Throughout his various career chapters, he's consistently enjoyed success and raised the bar compared to his rivals. He is the youngest driver to make an F1 debut, at 17, and the FIA then introduced a minimum age requirement for drivers. He won his first F1 race during his first grand prix weekend with Red Bull, after spending his first season and four more races at its junior team, and he holds the record for the most consecutive F1 wins (10). But this year is new, as Red Bull endures a downturn in performance. And considering that trailing McLaren is far from where it was in the dominant 2023 season, or even last year when Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive world championship, and how his personal and non-F1 racing life is evolving, it begs the question: even without winning consistently, is he still having fun? 'I'm having enough fun, yes,' Verstappen answered. 'Some bits are not fun, but the most important thing that I enjoy is driving the car. And that is fun.' Being a Red Bull driver nowadays, though, may not look like fun from the outside. The Milton Keynes-based team went from making F1 history in 2023 with winning 21 of 22 grands prix and securing 15 consecutive victories that year to now racing with a not-so-competitive car (by the top teams' standards) and sitting fourth in the constructor standings. It faces a 288-point gap to McLaren that could steadily grow during the second half of the season. Verstappen has scored 165 of the team's 172 points, as of the British Grand Prix weekend, and his last win was in May: The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. His last podium finish came in Canada, with second place to Mercedes' George Russell, and the Briton had commented afterwards that 'I don't really know how Max and I are so close to those two (McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ) because they clearly have the most dominant car.' 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Even with four world championships and numerous F1 records to his name, Verstappen believes that there are still ways he can improve. That's the fun of motorsport. The ever-changing cars create an unpredictable constant in drivers' lives and competitors evolve as well. Every season presents a fresh challenge, one that Verstappen still finds enjoyable as his family grows. He acknowledged that 'being fully comfortable' isn't an option — there's always room for growth. 'I think that's why you never stop learning.' (Top image: Will Tullos/The Athletic/)
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The Street Style (and Phoebe Philo–Approved) Way to Wear a Necklace This Summer
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And beyond smelling and feeling luxurious, the foaming bubbles are formulated to support your skin's natural barrier (thanks to the mineral-packed French sea water and red algae), which means you'll leave the tub feeling as hydrated as you do relaxed. £47.00 at Bath Oil Susanne Kaufmann's legendary bath-oil collection is a fan favourite, and for good reason. The latest member of the family, this carmine-red concoction is formulated with hand-harvested hayflowers, picked from the Bregenzerwald forest surrounding her Hotel Post Bezau spa retreat. The headline plant extract is said to alleviate muscle tension, while a hint of lavender amps up the soothing aroma. When poured into a hot bath, the oil will emulsify into a skin-nourishing milk, and the benefits will be felt long after your soak. £60.00 at Haze The first thing you notice when you open Joonbyrd's Violet Haze is the intoxicating aroma: notes of dark chocolate, cardamom and white lily. If you're new to this bodycare brand, don't the playful packaging fool you – Joonbyrd's founder Dr Alex Granite is one of the UK and New York's most in-demand dermatologists. So, naturally, this scrub is more than a sumptuous scent. Ultra fine sugar and chia seeds scrub away dead cells, letting the skin beneath be enveloped in plant-derived butters and oils, niacinamide and Siberian ginseng to emerge softer and more radiant. £40.00 at Wood Body Wash Modern fine fragrance brand Phlur is making waves with it approachable price points – the brand's signature scents smell far more expensive than they actually are. So, if you're not a bath person but you like the immersive experience a long, hot, aromatic soak proposes, take a steamy, well-perfumed shower instead. A crowd-pleaser with both men and women, Phlur's Somebody Wood packs a punch with bergamot, leather, saffron, sandalwood and spicy amber. $27.00 at The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Wash Hailey Bieber famously proclaimed her love for Naturium's Glow Getter range when she posted her pre-Met Gala bodycare routine on Instagram stories back in May. Packed with 50% glycerin, apple extract and plant-derived squalane, this multi-oil formula cleanses without stripping, protecting the skin barrier and intensively moisturising without leaving any annoying residue behind (which frees up your skin for lashing of Bieber's beloved body butter). £14.40 at Solid Soap Not just the best-looking housewarming gift in existence, Loewe's traditionally made, rope-swinging soaps are also a joy to use. New to the family, Ivy is a sweetly scented botanical aroma with a fresh, green edge. £52.00 at Bath Salts While many of the best bath products are firmly focused on sending you to sleep, Bamford's salts are more of an invigorating treat. The blend of chunky sea salt and epsom salts soothes post-workout muscles, while the peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils clear a sluggish head. $36.00 at Wilds Bubble Bath Space NK has expanded its wildly popular own-brand bath and body collection to include a couple of fragrant bubble baths. This one is inspired by the bracing aromas of the forest floor: expect cooling pine needle and juniper over a cosy base of tonka bean. £18.00 at Pie The Firewall Blend Bath & Shower Oil Beauty Pie consulted beauty brand founder and essential-oil expert Kathy Phillips to create its trio of aromatherapy bath oils, and the move paid off: these formulas are some of the most potent on the market. The Firewall Blend is the one you'll reach for when you're feeling stuffy, run-down or simply exhausted – the heavy dose of eucalyptus and peppermint will clear sinuses and soothe aching muscles like nothing else. £25.00 at Z's CBD Anchoring Bath Soak Dreem Distillery is the brand leading the way when it comes to CBD tonics. It uses broad-spectrum cannabidiol, rather than the usual (and cheaper) isolate, as this keeps the terpene compounds intact and ensures you reap the full, soporific benefits of the hemp plant. These spirulina-boosted bath salts contain both epsom and Himalayan salts, alongside arnica and lavender to create a truly powerful evening ally. When it comes to loosening painful muscle tension – and decelerating a mind on overdrive – nothing we've tried has proven more effective. £80.00 at Leaf Body Scrub Aesop is loved for much more than its famously chic packaging: the brand's bodycare creations come with weighty olfactory appeal. Sensorial without ever veering into saccharine territory, this jelly body scrub leaves a soft trail of green geranium on smoothed and buffed skin. £33.00 at Hand + Body Wash Being based in Manhattan, Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz are no strangers to a small bathroom. For this reason the duo created their namesake brand with streamlined routines in mind, with products like this hand & body wash covering two bases in one formula. The super-fresh bergamot scent, meanwhile, is ideal for invigorating and energising the senses as you soak. £26.00 at Bath Soak Annee de Mamiel is an authority in aromatherapy, and her potent bath salts are some of the most intensely mood-altering we've tried. Altitude is her most well-known blend, combining eucalyptus, peppermint and pine to create a powerful, bracing aroma. With epsom, Himalayan and Dead Sea salts, this tonic will soothe aching muscles as well as an exhausted mind. £55.00 at Sleep Foaming Bath Clary sage and patchouli combine to ultra-relaxing effect in this luxury bubble bath. It foams up generously, yet leaves skin feeling cleansed and hydrated. £14.00 at Sleep Bath Soak For insomniacs who find the scent of lavender a soothing salve, these bath salts are a must-try. Boosted with chamomile and vetiver, they're sure to help you settle down for a deep, restful sleep. £26.00 at selfridgesVitality Shower Oil A well-stocked shower can deliver all the calming benefits of a lengthy soak – especially when you're armed with a deeply hydrating shower oil. Made using botanicals grown in the gardens of Heckfield Place, Wildsmith Skin's 100% natural offering is heavy on the black pepper and ginger to wake up even the most overworked of muscles. £61.00 at Oil Reportedly used by the Royal family, Olverum's heady bath oil is one to be saved for those big nights in. The herbal essential-oil blend is famously potent, with a blend of pine, verbena and lavender working to soothe both sore muscles and a weary mind. Not just a fragrant hit, it's heavily moisturising too, leaving little need for body lotion. £78.00 at Bath Oil From the duo behind beloved skincare brand Votary, Verden is a bodycare collection that places scent in the spotlight. These punchy bath oils are strong enough to fill your entire bathroom, and linger on skin for hours following a soak. Our pick is D'Orangerie: an uplifting citrus scent that never fails to pick up our mood. £85.00 at Soundly Bath and Body Oil The soporific effects of lavender and chamomile meet the mind-calming benefits of CBD in OTO's before-bed bath oil. Try using it to massage overwrought limbs too: studies suggest cannabidiol can work to alleviate muscle tension. £49.00 at Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak Odacité's skin-softening soaks masterfully combine salt with scent to create the ultimate bathtime treat. Perfect for anyone who prefers citrus to lavender, the Mood Cleansing blend contains orange and lemongrass alongside invigorating epsom salts. The portable pouch is perfect for travelling with – you'll get a handful of soaks out of the contents. £27.00 at You Might Also Like 8 spring/summer 2019 nail trends to be wearing now 10 best summer shorts to wear beyond the beach 10 pairs of knee-high boots to transform your autumn look
