I don’t know about you but, as soon as I start being able to see my breath in the mornings, my ability to leave the house with fewer than 20 things in my bag disappears as suddenly as my enthusiasm for open-toe shoes. Where once the surprisingly roomy (but nonetheless quite small) viral Uniqlo crossbody bag would suffice for the holy trinity of phone, money, keys (and, optimistically, sunglasses), winter, with its umbrellas and extra layers, calls for something more capacious. 

Thankfully, there’s a new viral, high street bag that’s not only taking the fashion world by storm but is also big enough to stash as many winter essentials as your back will allow. If you’ve ever seen someone stylish slinging a dramatically quilted, almost ludicrously oversized bag over their shoulder, the chances are it was Cos’s quilted oversized crossbody bag, £65. With more than 22.2 million views for #CosQuiltedCrossbody on TikTok, it’s a bona fide viral sensation.

The style is known to sell out almost immediately, with many fans taking to resale sites to secure their favourite colour. Of the white, black, silver and blue colourways currently sold by Cos, at the time of writing only white and silver are available – which feels well-timed for the festive season.

Made from recycled materials and complete with inner and outer pockets that will please even the most fastidious of handbag organisers, it’s incredibly practical. And, like every great series, there are, of course, spin-offs – such as new, smaller sizes (micro and mini) and luxe autumn/winter-specific leather versions in black, chocolate brown and a select few well-chosen pastel colours. 

You can shop the style on Cos.com but, if you’re after a more under-the-radar style that’s similarly quilted and oversized but has less of a viral presence, we’ve tracked down the best lesser-known alternatives to shop now… 

Images: Cos; courtesy of brands