Call me optimistic but this weekend I started the process of shifting the contents of my wardrobe from winter to summer, packing away my thicker knitwear and woollen coats away for what I hope will be a sunny few months. In doing so, I pulled out the linen and cotton pieces I haven't seen since last September and, along with them, a couple of basket bags I only ever carry in the warmer months. Seeing them sitting next to the black leather bag I've carried for most of 2024, I realised just how much a difference a bag can make to your summer outfits. Lifting up said black leather bag, it almost looked too harsh set against the lightweight clothing I'd just unpacked.
This lead me to think about the bags that come back around each year like clockwork. Of course, summer bags can look very trend led if you want them to but there are certain styles that feel equally as relevant this year as they did 10 years ago. I decided I would chronicle these everlasting summer bag trends for you below, just in case you're looking to switch up or add to your collection this season. And mark my words: Everything you're about to see will still look the stylish part 10 summers from now.
8 Summer Handbag Trends That Will Never Go Out of Style
1. Braided Leather
Style Notes: Where leather bags can sometimes feel too harsh and stark when styled with warm-weather clothing, brands have worked out a way to make them feel softer and more summery. Braided leather mirrors the look of a straw tote (more on those later), making the leather feel more summer appropriate in the process. Just look at Dragon Diffusion, whose designs have become a regular feature on the arms of fashion people in the summer months.
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2. Structured Raffia
Style Notes: When the topic of summer fashion comes up, basket bags will always be mentioned in the conversation. So much so, two straw styles have made it into my edit. The first? I always see dinky raffia bags in structured shapes make a comeback in the summertime, often acting as a cute evening bag solution; one that's more refined than a standard basket tote but still retains the same charm.
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3. White Tones
Style Notes: When it comes to versatility, a white bag is hard to beat. They work with all of the same pieces you'd pair with your trusty black handbag, but also tend to work better with lighter or pastel palettes, too. A no-brainer for summer, then, when these hues tend to dominate.
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4. Market Baskets
Style Notes: Is there anything more wholesome than heading to the market to pick up fresh veg and carting your purchases home in a basket bag? These sturdy bags might have been made with grocery shopping in mind but fashion people have adopted them for general errands-running, beach days, or even as chic alts to laptop bags.
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5. Colourful Suede
Style Notes: Again, where leather can feel to heavy for summer, we tend to see style tendencies shift towards suede bags in the warmer months. If you're into bright colours, I also recommend choosing a suede finish as, in my opinion, the soft hide tends to diffuse bolder tones slightly, making them look more premium.
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6. Canvas Materials
Style Notes: I'm not talking about the tote bags you can pick up for a £1 in your local supermarket. Over the past few seasons, we've seen high-end designers serve up their takes on canvas bags, which make for a very sleek alternative to traditional baskets. I especially like styles with contrasting leather handles and trims as they look inherently classic and refined.
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7. Metallic Finishes
Style Notes: In the summer months we tend to pack in more occasions than we do any other time in the year, which is likely the reason why metallic bags become so popular in this period. Whether worn on holiday with wide-leg linen trousers and a simple strap top, or paired with an embellished dress for a garden wedding, a metallic bag will make any outfit feel glossy.
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8. Crochet Weaves
Style Notes: It might technically be knitted, but crochet comes into its own in the summer months, with the open weave work bestowing it with a breezy vibe. In bright colours and varied silhouettes, it's easy to see why fashion people find them so appealing.
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