trader joe's tote bag
Definition
A cult-status line of affordable canvas bags sold by the American grocery store chain Trader Joe's, which have gained notoriety as high-demand collector's items and subjects of intense social media bidding wars.
A cultural barometer for the intersection of consumer FOMO, resale market absurdity, and the tendency for ubiquitous household items to be treated as luxury fashion accessories.
Examples
I told myself I was just going to Trader Joe's for milk, yet I somehow walked out with a $3 canvas bag that people on the secondary market are fighting over like it's a Birkin.
If you have an extra $500 to spend on a piece of painted fabric, I have a Trader Joe's tote and a dream that might just make you the most confused person in the checkout line.
The sheer audacity of reselling a three-dollar grocery aide for the price of a mid-range laptop really captures the romantic spirit of modern, overstimulated capitalism.