Viral TikTok: Adorable girl turns Woolies bag into a fashion statement

Let’s be honest, by now the Woolies bag is no longer just a bag. It’s a lifestyle. A quiet flex. A whole personality.

In true Mzansi fashion, we’ve taken this humble black-and-white carrier and catapulted it into the fashion stratosphere. It’s not just a shopping bag anymore, it’s a symbol. A statement. A moment.

Enter Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, whose now-legendary “money bag” moment has had the internet in a chokehold. In just a few weeks, the Woolies tote went from practical to prestige, from checkout lane to cultural currency. And let’s be clear this isn’t about glamorising anything shady.

The Woolies bag was already elite. Carry one and people assume you know your herbs, your barista, and your life. But when Matlala stepped into the spotlight, that “cheap” recyclable bag suddenly outshone a Louis Vuitton Neverfull.

TikTok spiraled. Twitter had a meltdown. Facebook aunties were shooketh. The timelines transformed into a Woolies-bag shrine, equal parts satire, sass, and the kind of dark humour only South Africans can serve while dishing up pap.

Just when we thought the saga had peaked, the fashion girlies said, “Hold my rooibos.”

In a now-viral video, the most adorable little girl rocked a full Woolies bag jumpsuit. The streets are calling it “The Cat Suit.”

Iconic, right? She styled it with a bold red beret (yes, the EFF-adjacent one), pink Hello Kitty Crocs, and a tiny purple handbag, because obviously, the lip gloss needs a home.

The internet? In stitches.

@ClintonR commented on @brad36034’s clip: "This country 🤣🤣🤣🤣 can never be serious. She's so cute."

@Thabo Tbos added: "She's wearing a R300k dress👌 Bheki Cele knows it too 😁."

@Freddie wrote: "My girl, it's expensive taste at that age 🤣"

And @kobus sealed it with: "🤣SA people 😂. If money was a person it would definitely look this cute ☺️💐☺️."

At this point, the Woolies bag has lived more lives than a telenovela character: Grocery tote - Soft-life starter pack - Alleged evidence bag - Now? Haute couture.

Versatility? Unmatched.

And just to add a poetic twist, Woolies recently switched their reusable bags from black to white. Meaning the OG “Cat Edition” is now a vintage collector’s item.

Mzansi, never change.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE