HANDY BAGS
Less is certainly more with the new season’s hottest handbags. Sarah Young picks the best
A new season calls for a new handbag, but with so many options on offer, deciding which one to add to your already swelling collection can be a task in itself.
Not this time though, because we’ve rounded up the best handbag trends of spring/summer 2017.
The mini bag
A trend that’s been going strong for a few seasons now – the mini bag – isn’t going anywhere. Investing in a smaller bag allows the opportunity to buy into the designer world with smaller and much cheaper versions of popular styles, but you can just easily pick up this trend on the high street too.
Basket bags
Making their mark back in the 70s thanks to Jane Birkin, basket bags are back in a big way this summer. While straw might seem like an intrinsically non-luxurious material to wear, when it comes to this trend it works to create a distinct French-girl-at-the-market vibe that’s exceptionally stylish and versatile.
Whether you opt for a hand-held basket, a cross-body style or an oversized tote, this style is a failsafe option that will look just as good on a seaside holiday as it will a boozy summer brunch.
Fringe and tassels
An enduring style, fringe and tassel trimmed bags regularly return to the fashion fold and this summer is no exception. No longer the reserve of your nana’s floral curtains, this Western-inspired trend promises to elevate your look in an instant.
Seen on the runways of Elie Saab, Giorgio Armani and Altuzzara, this season’s versions come compact and bristling with seventies flair. For an everyday look, invest in a fringed saddle bag that drapes across your body.
Bumbags
We’ve had chokers, bucket hats and even jelly shoes but the latest, and most unexpected, 90s trend to infiltrate the fashion pack is the bumbag. Breaking away from the polyester atrocities of the time, this season’s versions are super-sleek with leather belt bags and utilitarian canvas packs strapped to the hips.
For a contemporary take on this retro trend wear yours over the top of a romantic floral dress. Metallics Finding a bag that will go with pretty much anything in your wardrobe can seem like a tall task but thanks to designer’s penchant for all things Eighties, metallics are back. Once considered a dangerous choice, shades of gunmetal, silver and gold have quickly become a staple of modern girl garb.
Whichever shade you go for, this is a trend that promises to give you instant style points. Can’t stay away from your go-to pair of jeans and a T-shirt? Then the addition of a shiny bag could be just what you’re looking for.