The rise of the analogue bag: fashion's answer to doomscrolling

"So-called analogue bags, filled with activities such as crosswords, knitting, novels and journals, have become the unexpected accessory of the season. They are being championed by millennials and gen Z as a way to reduce screen time. Similar to a prep bag, the idea is that the bag or basket should contain the essentials needed to remain offline for as long as possible."

"David Sax, the author of The Revenge of Analog, approves of the trend. The idea that we can all just get into a lotus pose and fall into a state of meditative bliss is wildly unrealistic for the vast majority of us, he says. Our phones have everything you could ever ask for, so you need an alternative to hand in order to fill that void. The term was coined by Sierra Campbell, a 31-year-old content creator based in California."

"The idea has somewhat paradoxically become hugely popular on social media, with users posting videos talking through the contents of their analogue bags and sharing tips on what to fill them with. Some refer to them as their stop scrolling bags. There are analogue wicker baskets for evenings on the sofa, bags for long journeys and even some for romantic weekends away. Suggestions include doing a joint wordsearch rather than playing Wordle individually."

Analogue bags contain activities such as crosswords, knitting, novels and journals to provide offline entertainment. Millennials and Gen Z promote analogue bags as a way to reduce screen time and remain offline for extended periods. The concept involves preparing a bag or basket with essentials to replace phone use. The term was coined by Sierra Campbell, a 31-year-old content creator in California. The trend has grown on social media with users sharing contents and tips, including wicker baskets for evenings, bags for journeys, and joint puzzles instead of individual phone games. A popular video showing a New Yorker subscription, gel pens and a sketchbook earned more than 200,000 views in five days. The trend reflects backlash against doomscrolling and always-on pressure.

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