I spent years searching for the perfect weekend bag – and I’ve finally found it

With Easter around the corner and the bank holidays not far off, I’m once again on the hunt for a women's weekend bag that ticks all my boxes. It has to be utterly practical, holding everything short of the kitchen sink, but it must look good and fit into my spring capsule wardrobe, too – think A-lister, not bag lady.

It shouldn't be this hard, but finding the perfect weekend bag has been a quest of mine for years – and I know I’m not alone. Like many women over 40, I’ve spent decades lugging around everything my kids could possibly need, from nappies and bottles to snacks and sports gear. Now the kids are growing up, I’m ready to trade in my battered old changing bag for something more stylish. I need an overnight bag suitable for grown-up adventures, from weekend trips and bank holiday getaways to mini breaks and work travel.

Enter the new Marylebone Tote Bag (£59.95, ROKA London), which is made from water-resistant cotton canvas, and had me at hello. With a 42L capacity, it’s seriously spacious, which I love, because I am not a light packer and I hate having to decide what to leave behind.

Every time I travel, I find myself stressing about what bag to take. If I’m flying, I’ll repeatedly check the airline cabin bag details and measure obsessively to make sure it fits in the bag checker. For short breaks or overnight stays, I rarely have a bag that doesn’t feel stuffed to overflowing – which never makes for a very put-together look.

I’m not a designer handbag person either – I simply want a stylish, affordable overnight bag for women, with plenty of room for everything, including my laptop. But finding one that's both stylish and practical has been surprisingly difficult – until now.

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The Roka London Marylebone Tote is thoughtfully designed with not one but two internal zipped pockets – perfect for stashing your phone or a handful of make-up essentials, so you’re never rummaging around for them mid-trip. I also never leave home without my Stanley tumbler as I'm not a fan of single-use plastics and I'm constantly thirsty – another thing I have to thank perimenopause for – so the dedicated water bottle compartment is a real bonus.

As for the handles? Whichever genius thought to add both long and short carry handles deserves a pay rise. You can clutch the short straps in your hand, dangle the bag from your forearm, or throw the long straps over your shoulder, and switching between carrying positions is a breeze.

Best of all, the Marylebone Tote Bag has a padded laptop sleeve, which is unusual for such an affordable bag. I usually end up carting my laptop around separately when I travel, but now it stays safely tucked away, leaving my hands free. Honestly, it’s like someone read my mind and created a women's weekend bag that meets all my needs. And because it's canvas, it can be squished into a confined space if needed.

The Marylebone Tote comes in more than a dozen dopamine-inducing colours. I was tempted by Sherbet Stripe and Pastel Multistripe, but Strawberry Stripe is perfect for spring and summer, and fits with the coastal core trend that's everywhere right now.

Perfect for everything from park picnics and beach days to weekend getaways or just brightening up everyday life, this bag has earned me compliments wherever I've taken it, and it's one I know I'll reach for again and again. I think we can safely say my quest for the perfect overnight bag ends here.