The Most Important Handbag Trends of Summer 2021, Period

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(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

Summer is right around the corner, and we've been busy getting you hyped up to start really dressing again. But no matter how many new dresses, shoes, or other accessories we present you with, slinging a fresh bag over your shoulder is still one of the quickest ways to level up your look.

So what are the biggest bag trends that we can expect all the fashion girls to be slinging around their arms this summer? Luckily, there is a little something to suit every sartorial taste. From the revival of vintage Y2K carryalls and teeny-tiny tote bags to soft teardrop-shaped bags and bold, bright hues, we're crushing hard on these six styles below. Read on as we share the summer handbag trends set to dominate this warm-weather season.

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(Image credit: @pernilleteisbaek)

Sorry for the pun, but saturated colors have really been coming in hot. As summer nears, colors are getting more and more intense. With everything from electric yellow to lime to tangerine, a bright bag just happens to be one of the easiest ways to get in on the warm-weather vibe.

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(Image credit: @himichelleli)

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(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

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(Image credit: @samimiro)

If we sound like a broken record at this point about the return of Y2K style, it's because the redux is just coming back with such a vengeance. Prepare for all the nostalgia if you grew up in the late '90s and early '00s because fashion girls are carrying monogrammed Coach bags and all manner of logo-filled carryalls.

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(Image credit: @oliviamarcus)

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(Image credit: @oumaymaboumeshouli)

2D bags popped up on the runways and immediately had our whole team chatting about them. With slim, barely-there profiles, as the name suggests, these filing folder–inspired bags just feel so fresh and new but classic at the same time, if you know what I mean.

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(Image credit: @champagnemani)

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(Image credit: @catchmeeksifyoucan)

When we referred to shoulder bags in the past, it was always about slim baguette bags, but there's a new shape bubbling up, and it's all about a slouchier teardrop shape.

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(Image credit: @brooklynngallagher)

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(Image credit: @emilisindlev)

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Belt bags took a bit of a hiatus there, but I'm pleased to report that they're back in a remarkably fresh way. Think of a chain belt with a miniature compartment attached à la Chanel and Jacquemus.

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(Image credit: @annawinck)

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(Image credit: @jazzmynejay; STYLING: Telfar Small Shopping Bag ($150))

If you looked at the bag collections of fashion girls everywhere, you'd see one common theme: these small-scale structured stunners, which usually come in a top-handle shape and in an array of bright, candy-colored hues.

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(Image credit: @chrissyford; STYLING: Brandon Blackwood ESR Tote ($85))

Speaking of summer, this is the vintage trend everyone will wear in the warmer months.

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.