Okay, This Is 2023's Most Practical Bag Trend—31 Budget-Friendly Options to Love

best-pocket-handbags-305075-1674243980498-main

(Image credit: @luciacuesta_)

Functional handbags are definitely my love language. Every season, I'm closely eyeing the runways for the latest mid-size handbag trend worth adding to my closet. I usually look for something practical and functional, but still on trend. 

This season with the utilitarian aesthetic taking off, the pocket shoulder bag was a clear front-runner. Although there are dreamy aspirational runway versions from designers like Miu Miu, Altuzarra, and Hermès, I set out to find more affordable options that still feel exciting. 

The below 31 bags are on my shopping list for nailing this trend. 

Next: These Are the Only 6 Handbag Trends You'll Need to Know This Winter

Copelyn Bengel
Associate Shopping Editor

Copelyn is the associate shopping editor for Who What Wear based in New York City. She writes about fashion and accessory trends in addition to creating original content.

Before her time at Who What Wear, Copelyn was at Bustle Digital Group working on the accessory market for cover shoots and fashion features across Nylon, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Romper, and Elite Daily. Copelyn has also previously worked at InStyle and Cosmopolitan in the fashion and accessory departments on shopping and fashion market.

Copelyn has a journalism degree in editing and graphic design from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her spare time, Copelyn freelances in graphic and web design in the fashion-and-lifestyle space. She also loves to upcycle clothing and home décor as well as collect an embarrassing number of colorful sneakers and experiment with her hair color.