CLAUDIE PIERLOT’S WOVEN TOTE BAG
I wouldn’t ordinarily advocate buying a high street bag; if you’re going to invest anywhere, then my personal theory is that coats and handbags are the outfit components which are most visible but suffer least from wear and tear – ergo, this is where you should really spend. But my tried-and-trusted formula is unravelling faster than a Taylor Swift outfit change (see the singer’s Delicate video released this week and you’ll understand that means “very quickly”) thanks to some serious game-upping by retailers this season. The shift has a lot to do with the basket bag’s elevation to status symbol: exhibit A, this Claudie Pierlot tote. It taps into the trend for braided and woven detailing, but in the kind of subtle way which means it isn’t ever going to look shockingly outré, a balance I search for in everything I buy. I also love the size, which I think will be as perfect for my forthcoming beach holiday as my commute once I’m back home again. It helps, too, that it looks stealth-wealth expensive.