The Anti-Trend That Women in Paris, London, and Rome Wear on Repeat in Summer

In my mind, trends are like waves in the ocean—unpredictable, sometimes turbulent, and constantly shifting. When you're wading through it all, you have to proactively choose not to ride every trendy wave and instead return to solid ground (aka those stable staples). That's an even more relevant sentiment during the summertime because practicality always wins out when push comes to shove. After all, who wants to be bothered by picking a cute outfit when it's boiling outside? Or who can buy into every summer trend when you're also trying to book a flight? 

In short, having staples you can rely on to get you through the summer is a godsend. But that's not limited to clothing; numerous accessories lend themselves to being summer essentials. One of the prime examples? Straw accessories. No matter what's happening on the runway, you can always find women wearing various straw accessories, including bags, hats, shoes, belts, and more.

Accessories made from various woven materials (i.e., straw, palm leaves, and raffia) have moved past being a seasonal trend and have cemented themselves as a staple in their own right. To show the staying power of straw accessories, I've combed through hundreds of outfit ideas to identify three ways the fashion set has embraced them. Plus, I've rounded up the best straw, raffia, and woven accessories to shop online. If you've been looking for that item that can be your anchor every summer, you'll want to keep scrolling. 

1. Straw Bags

Straw totes have always been a quintessential summer staple for a good reason! What has cemented woven bags as a perennial staple among the fashion set is their versatility. Not only can they be worn throughout the summer for various occasions (e.g., a day spent seaside or brunch in the city), but they look good with just about anything. Add in the fact that you can now buy many types of woven bags. Plus, there's no shortage of ways to carry a woven bag, from classic oversize straw totes to raffia clutch bags. 

It's this innate versatility that makes it a continued must-have, year after year. But if you're not sold on this style yet, you'll want to keep scrolling as I've rounded up a few examples of how to wear straw bags (courtesy of the fashion set). Plus, I shopped some of the best woven bags available now.

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2. Straw Hats

Besides bags, there's another accessory that the fashion set wears throughout the summer: straw hats. Part of the intrigue of wearing a woven hat during the summer is practical, but it's also because, for so many, this is the season that you can get away with the more "campy" accessories. While most may think of wearing an oversized hat to a far-off destination or a local farmer's market as extra, during the summer is essential. The freedom to get a little more dramatic via woven accessories has given straw pieces staying power with the fashion set for so long. 

But it also has to do with the fact that so many recent spring/summer 2023 collections feature far more statement hats. We've seen every form of woven hats bubble up on and off the runway again, from oversize woven hats to straw boater hats to crochet cowboy hats and beyond. There are so many ways to wear woven hats that this formerly "cliche" summer accessory feels cool again.

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3. Straw Shoes

Lastly, the third way the fashion set is continuously adopting straw accessories is through its footwear choices. While there's always a slew of new shoe trends during the summer, without fail, you'll see women around the world stepping out in shoes made from woven materials. Though this footwear doesn't necessarily always use the same traditional weaving techniques other straw accessories use, the styles have nonetheless become synonymous with summer style. 

The appeal woven footwear has with the fashion set has to do with the fact there are so many different types of shoes to choose from—e.g., wedges adorned with ropes made from raffia, slide sandals made from straw and leather weaves, or flats made from a material meant to mimic the look and feel of woven palm. The versatility of this shoe, much like the aforementioned other accessories, has allowed this style to weave itself into the foundation of women's summer wardrobes. 

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Next up, Fact: Every Summer Look That Screams "Old Money" Includes This One Ingredient