5 Majorly Fun Handbag Trends That Will Help You Carry The Day
Isaac Mizrahi once said, “A handbag is the most emotional purchase you’ll ever make. It has to be just right: fashionable as well as functional.” Truer words were never uttered. Think about it: our handbags carry so many of our most important belongings that they’re practically the guardians of our secrets (hence why our husbands boyfriends, fathers, and brothers are terrified of ever rummaging through them!). And, since we carry them everywhere and they serve as extensions of our beings, we want them to dazzle while they work.
Luckily, the latest handbag trends are deliciously charming and, in most cases, also surprisingly practical. Below, I’ll break down 5 handbag trends that are sure to make you smile and to infuse a cheerful energy into your wardrobe.
THE BUCKET LIST
If Jack and Jill of nursery rhyme fame had actually succeeded in their quest to fetch a pail of water, they might have been the ultimate trendsetters. After all, one of this season’s “it” accessories is the bucket bag, named for its signature cylindrical shape and for having straps that resemble the handles of its namesake container. This fall season, we’re seeing some whimsical reinventions of this classic handbag style. Minimalism-prone fashion label Mansur Gavriel — which is credited with sparking the bucket bag’s comeback nearly seven years ago thanks to its sleek designs — has given the silhouette a sculptural quality by adding crisp, accordion-like pleats along its circumference. Christian Louboutin has taken the bucket bag to rave-worthy territory by using an iridescent PVC material and adding a tough silver-toned chain strap. Gucci, meanwhile, has added a fun textural touch by fashioning its latest bucket bag out of a rich velvet material.
Below, check out some of the season’s best bucket bags!
Mansur Gavriel Pleated Bucket, $595. Available at Shopbop.com
Gucci Mini GG Marmont 2.0 Velvet Quilted Bucket Bag, $930. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
Christian Louboutin Marie Jane Glitter Sunset PVC Bucket Bag, $1690. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
Madewell The Austin Crossbody Bag,$128. Available at Madewell.com
Fendi Mon Tresor Mini Leather Bucket Bag, $1790. Available at Barneys.com
Nico Giani Kalea Bucket Bag,$375. Available at Shopbop.com
Proenza Schouler Hex Medium Colorful Patchwork Bucket Bag, $2595. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
Wild Fable Leopard Print Mini Bucket Crossbody Bag, $20. Available at Target stores and Target.com
JUST BEAD IT!
Beads aren’t just for Mardi Gras celebrations, y’all! When colorful beads are carefully strung together to create a handbag (or adorn its exterior), the result can be playful, charming, and free-spirited. If you swoon every time you encounter heart-shaped glasses, you’ll be lovestruck when you check out the beaded Proenza Schouler tote pictured below. Boho style mavens, meanwhile, will appreciate the laid-back but girlish vibe of the RIXO Nelly Bag, which comes in a cutesy candy pink, and the Cult Gaia Jasmin Bag, which features tortoise shell-colored acrylic rings attached together using gold-toned hardware. And for a proudly irreverent statement, check out the Skinnydip Rainbow Samira Tote, which revels in its own eccentricity.
Cleobella Richie Bag, $98. Available at Revolve.com
RIXO Nelly Bag, $200. Available at Shopbop.com
Lovers + Friends Justin Beaded Bag, $143. Available at LoversandFriends.us
Cult Gaia Jasmin Tortoise Acrylic Bag, $388. Available at CultGaia.com
Loeffler Randall Maria Beaded Heart Tote, $250. Available at Revolve.com
Cleobella x Show Me Your Mumu Clementine Beaded Bag, $98. Available at ShowMeYourMumu.com
Skinnydip Rainbow Samira Tote Bag, $68. Available at US.Topshop.com
Susan Alexandra Zebra Beaded Acrylic Tote Bag, $360. Available at BergdorfGoodman.com
PUT A RING ON IT
Forget flimsy leather straps and tough-as-nails chain straps: some of the most stylish purses this season feature a perfectly round top handle that’s so sleek, it practically outshines the handbag itself! Take, for instance, the Benedetta Bruzziches Brigitta Small Leather Top Handle Satchel, which features a sculptural golden ring handle with a pretzel-like twist accent or the Chloe Nile Minaudiere, which features a bracelet-like handle so the mini bag can dangle from one’s wrist with ease. Whether shiny and metallic or wrapped in raffia, leather, or snakeskin, these ring handle bags that will round off your look!
Benedetta Bruzziches Brigitta Small Leather Top Handle Satchel, $800. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
Nancy Gonzalez Regina Genuine Iridescent Snakeskin Top Handle Bag, $1895. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
Serpui Marie Blair Wristlet Bag, $299. Available at Shopbop.com
Ulla Johnson Lia Crocheted Cotton Tote Bag, $395. Available at Barneys.com
GABS Blue Half Moon Mini Grab Bag, $48. Available at US.Topshop.com
Oliveve Laine Ring Bag, $198. Available at Shopbop.com
Chloe Nile Small Bracelet Minaudiere Bag, $1490. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
WARM AND FUZZY
Snuggle bugs, rejoice! This season, you might actually want to cuddle with your handbag thanks to the abundance of totes and satchels with fuzzy, shaggy, and furry exteriors. I personally love the Off-White Montone Jitney 2.8 Fur Top Handle Bag thanks to the juxtaposition created by pairing a very structured silhouette with a woolly exterior that generates feelings of coziness and comfort. Other fun options include the MM6 Maison Margiela Sherpa Triangle Bag, which has a teddy bear-worthy exterior but which feels modern and chic due to its triangular shape, and the Vasic Bond Mini Bag, a bucket purse with a drawstring closure that features a shaggy white faux fur exterior that pops thanks to the brown cowhide trim. Prepare to get all the warm and fuzzy feels!
Off-White Montone Jitney 2.8 Fur Top Handle Bag, $1445. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
MM6 Maison Margiela Sherpa Triangle Bag, $535. Available at Barneys.com
Tory Burch Miller Shearling Mini Shoulder Bag, $528. Available at ToryBurch.com
Vasic Bond Mini Bag, $325. Available at Shopbop.com
COSY Pink Borg Grab Bag, $40. Available at US.Topshop.com
Hayward Mini Faux Fur Shopper Baf, $490. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
Cult Gaia Estelle Mini Bag, $328. Available at CultGaia.com
CLEAR AS DAY
Do you have nothing to hide? Well, then you won’t mind exposing the contents of your purse and rocking a see-through handbag like the House of Harlow 1960 x Revolve Millie Bag, an envelope shaped purse with green, pink, and silver glittery trim for a saucy feel, or the Barneys New York Leather- and Bamboo-Trimmed Tote Bag, a structured tote with a completely clear body, leather trim and handles, and a thick bamboo accent along the top hinge.
Not ready to bare it all? No worries! You can always pick a more discreet option like the Sole Society Avah Transparent Tote, which allows you to store your more private items (tampons, anyone?) in a smaller clutch within the clear tote itself.
Take a look at some of the clear winners below!
House of Harlow 1960 x Revolve Millie Bag, $59. Available at Revolve.com
ZAC Zac Posen Earthette Chain Shoulder Bag, $495. Available at Shopbop.com
Barneys New York Leather- and Bamboo-Trimmed Tote Bag, $295. Available at Barneys.com
Sole Society Avah Transparent Tote, $59.95. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
Ted Baker London Unicorn Raspberry Ripple Small Clear Icon Tote, $48. Available at US.ASOS.com
Kelly Wynne Clear Mingle Mingle Mini Crossbody Bag, $195. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
STAUD Shirley Transparent Tote, $210. Available at Shop.Nordstrom.com
