Ditch the logos — the best bags don’t brag!
WELL, if you’re one of those women who can take or leave a fancy handbag; if you can’t see the point of a mini mini bag, or a bag that weighs as much as a toddler, or giant clasps and clip-on bag charms, then, fellow branded bag deniers, our time has come
Have we reached peak branded bag? Maybe. Over the summer the cool fashion girls were carrying straw bags, and even the flashiest designer labels’ sell-out bags were raffia.
Naturally, women still want smart bags — but there’s definitely the feeling in the air that we’ve had enough of logos and bling, and now it’s time for something fresh: a bag for life, not just for this season, that’s functional, unobtrusive, the opposite of ‘Woo Hoo! Look At Me!’, but also elegant. Grown up bags, in other words.
You might have noticed these non-brand bags around the place: a boxy crossbody purse dangling at hip height on a woman in a striped T-shirt and jeans, or a saddle bag nestled at waist height on a yummy mummy in a shirt dress.
You’re not meant to know where they’re from (leave that to us); you notice them only because they’re neat and sleek and look like the sort of nofuss, carefully designed bag a woman can do business with.
THErE isn’t one must-have style, though the one that seems to be cropping up more than most is the saddle bag (a simple flap-over U shape) or a straight half-moon.
As for colour, there’s plenty of black and tan as ever, but also tastebud-tickling honey, chocolate and burgundy. Virtually all of them can be hand-held or slung over your shoulder: maximum versatility is the name of the game.
After several years of making do with a rucksack, albeit a nice one, I’m seriously tempted. These under-the-radar labels aren’t cheap — prices hover around the £400 mark — but they’re a fraction of the cost of a high-end designer bag, and the more minimal a bag, the more the quality shows.
The idea is that this bag is going to be around for a while, so it’s worth spending a bit more if you can. Even the Duchess of Sussex is known to go for a more under-the-radar bag, such as the green mini Strathberry (above).
One of the best names in this mid-range bracket, for quality and style, is Mansur Gavriel. The fashion girls at Vogue have been on to its tie-necked bucket bags for a while, alternating them with their best Chanel and Gucci. For
autumn, they’re coveting its double-zip crossbody bag (£400, mansurgavriel.com), and the mini bucket bag (£425) is still going strong.
The Dutch label Wandler is another hot favourite: I love its half-moon Yara bag, especially the snake-effect one (now £350,
matchesfashion.com), or the Luna leather shoulder bag (£285, net-a-porter.com), which has a chic studded strap.
There’s also the Hortensia bag (from £325, matchesfashion.com) — more like twothirds of a moon — which works well hand-held, too.
Then there is the croissant bag (a half-moon with more of an exaggerated curve). The most covetable is by Chylak — another label to watch (£290,
chylak.com). It has a thick clip-on strap, comes in glossy chocolate mock croc and, worn slung bandolier-style across your body at waist height, it adds a swagger to your outfit.
I’m also tempted by the slightly flashier French brand Elleme, in particular its perky mock-croc baguette (£335,
farfetch.com) which is nothing like a baguette — it’s more like a squished cushion.
The other style that adds punch to an outfit is By Far’s python-effect half-moon bag (£319.59, byfar.com). Mock croc and snake are good for doubling up as evening bags, too.
And there is something timeless about a red rectangle crossbody bag. If you can’t stump up for the pricey version (£650, jandmdavidson.com) there is always APC’s Demi Lune (£346, farfetch.com) or Carvela’s lipstick-coloured bag (£59, kurtgeiger.com).
If the crossbody look is not what you are after, Matt and Nat do a straight tan tote (£144, mattandnat.com). Or, if you prefer something small but not silly, try a black leather bucket-style bag by Vagabond (£90, vagabond.com).
There are plenty of tophandle bags around, too — but why not go with the mood and try hands-free? It’s just so much easier.