Gone are the days of the bigger the better , this season 's IT bag is a bitesize version of its former self . Today 's on trend totes have shrunk to a third the size they were giving women a headache when it comes to packing essentials . For the latest catwalk trend of exclusive petite pouches replacing the tank-size-totes of previous years has hit the High Street . Scroll down for video . High street stores have seen sales in smaller handbags rise thanks to celebrity and catwalk influences . Marks & Spencer Autograph suede skirt . Hits stores soon ! Visit site . Be still our beating hearts , this midi length suede skirt is the stuff of dreams ... It 's not actually available until April , but it is already whipping the fashion world into a frenzy . And not just for the fact that style icons Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo both wore it in the space of one week . But also because it 's from Marks and Spencer . Yes , you read that right - good old M & S ! It 's from their Autograph collection , and if you 'd like to stock up on some of their current season styles ( as modelled by supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , no less ) , then click ( right ) now . We 're counting down the days until it lands online and in store . We love the A-line shape , strokable texture , tan shade and retro Seventies style of this skirt , which Alexa teamed with ankle boots and a black shirt tucked in . Plus , with those stitched pocket details , it would n't look out of place on a catwalk at London Fashion Week ! But if you ca n't quite wait that long , look to our edit of the best similar styles out there right now . Topshop 's version gets our vote , or the price of this Missguided skirt will surely perSUEDE you ? TopShop suede A-line skirt at Nordstrom . Visit site . Miss Selfridge suede popper skirt . Visit site . Missguided faux suede A-line skirt . Visit site . MiH suede tan skirt at Neiman Marcus . Visit site . Retail chain Debenhams has seen the most popular size of the average handbag sold shrink by almost 200 per cent , according to a recent sales analysis with styles such as H ! Henry Holland iridescent 'milk carton ' bag and Bailey and Quinn 's mini tote bag leading new trend . Two years ago the average handbag size was 12 ' wide x 8.5'high x 5'depth , which due to the tapering shape of most larger bags , plus lining fabric and compartments , would create an average of 350 cubic inches of internal space . But now the average size of bags purchased this year , has dropped to 8'wide x 5'high x 3 ' depth , with approximately 120 cubic inches of space inside - almost three times smaller than the previous most popular bag size . One in three female shoppers already own or are planning to buy a smaller bag thanks following in the footsteps of celebrities such as Alexa Chung . Both Taylor Swift and Lily Aldridge have been spotted recently carrying the new bijou tote . The trend for a bijou bag may have been helped along by a strong celebrity following with famous faces such as Taylor Swift , Alexa Chung and even the Duchess of Cambridge downsizing their arm-candy . An additional survey for the retailer found that the trend was set to increase among the public with one in three female customers ( 32 per cent ) either owning , or were intending to buy a smaller handbag within the next four months . Recent designer brands to launch mini and even micro bags include Moschino , with one of the smallest at 2.4 ' x 3.5 ' , Valentino , Mulberry , and Dolce and Gabbana with one of the largest at 5 ' x 6.7 ' . For most women a slightly larger bag is needed for everyday accessories , but many are jumping on the downsizer bandwagon and using it as an excuse for a personal-possession detox , according to the Debenhams study . The most popular item which women said they would dump to make room for essentials in a smaller bag was , old receipts , closely followed by 'old/used-up ' make-up , with extra pairs of tights , umbrella , knickers and even spare shoes , getting a mention . Head of Accessories Natelle Baddeley said : 'For years women have filled holdall size handbags with everything from make-up and hair straighteners to laptops , ipads and even a change of clothes on occasion . 'So it 's not surprising that this latest fashion for a lighter load on our arms has taken off . 'The designs are gorgeous , but the size means women have no choice but to be ruthless about the items they carry around with them . 'There is something very appealing about stripping back possessions to the bare essentials and realising that all those 'just in case items ' were weighing us down physically and maybe mentally too . '
Sales of smaller bags have risen by 200 per cent according to Debenhams . Sizes have shrunk from 350 cubic inches to just 120 cubic inches . The average size for a shopping bag has fallen from 32 litres in the 1980s to 28 litres today.