ISABEL SPEARMAN
WHY IT WORKS Updating your work wardrobe in the heat? Don’t forget your handbag
QWhat bag do you carry to meetings in the hot weather? My navy black tote feels too wintry.
AOne day last week I wasted 30 minutes of my morning digging in the back of my wardrobe, trying to find a handbag that wasn’t black or navy. My trusty tan holdall felt a bit too heavy with my summer dress, and I knew somewhere (in the aftermath of a recent house move) there would be something more suitable. After inhaling a worrying amount of dust, I pulled out a vintage Anya Hindmarch tote in white leather, perfect for a day of meetings. Having worked for a luxury handbag designer for nearly eight years, I take my handbags for granted. But this year I feel tempted to invest in a few new summer staples. I am personally trying to downsize rather than carrying around the kitchen sink – not just to save my back, but also as my summer workwear is quite feminine and a large carryall doesn’t always work. After a serious edit, I can now fit everything I need into a medium-sized handbag, which generally looks more elegant. Don’t baulk at white: it’s an easy neutral in the summer, and, as long as you don’t drag it along the floor of a train carriage too often, it looks really
sharp and modern. It’s probably worth buying a white bag at a high-street price so you can consider buying another box-fresh one next summer.
A tangerine or zesty lemon bag is very tempting. Yes, it will clash with most of your wardrobe, but that isn’t always a bad thing, even for someone who loves matching as much as I do.
While I’m not usually a fan of pastels, I love the idea of a pink bag, which would look chic with navy or soften a trouser suit. Be wary of anything too bubblegum in shade and go as pale as you can bear. If pink is a step too far for you, then opt for a soft nude. Snakeskin print is another brilliant neutral for the summer that will break up an all-black outfit, but also look lovely with block colours. The high street has perfected good quality faux snakeskin with a reasonable price tag.
Off duty, I am permanently shopping for holidays (mostly wishful thinking) and have a serious weakness for wicker or raffia accessories. Alas, most are not really office appropriate – but if you stick to darker colours, rather than natural tan, and smarter styles with clasps, you might just pass them off as workwear.