18 Affordable Handbags (That Look Expensive)

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(Image credit: Collage Vintage)

If you’re anything like me, you have a thing for handbags. I always have my eye on the cool new silhouettes of the season and the bags fashion girls have draped over their shoulders, but since the price tags of designer bags usually are pretty steep, it can be costly to splurge on designer styles (especially when on a budget).

The good news? There are some seriously cool affordable handbags that look expensive. With fast-fashion brands designing cool versions of high-end styles, it’s possible to add chic bags to your closet at a fraction of the price. Ahead are 18 cool bags (starting at just $17) that belong in your next Instagram photo. Go on to shop our favorite affordable handbags from Free People, Cult Gaia, Reformation, and more.

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated. Next: how to repeat French-girl style for under $100.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.