Imagine with me the archetypal Parisian uniform. Did bouclé jackets, fine knits, cardigans, slim jeans and ballet flats immediately spring to mind? You’re not wrong, and although the French wardrobe is incredibly diverse we often see Paris’ best dressed reverting back to these wardrobe staples. But what of the accessories? Every outfit deserves a good bag, and the French are known for quilted bags in autumn/winter (likely Chanel) and basket bags for spring/summer, but French women also have the same eye for trends as the rest of us, and if there’s one easy way to bring an outfit up to date, it’s with a new handbag trend.
While the 2024 runways were awash with pops of colour, bucket bags and ludicrously capacious clutches, what shoppers are wearing on the streets of Paris is actually a little different. These smart dressers look for styles with longevity after all, so you can trust French influencers to spot the bags that are truly worth a space in your wardrobe. So, if you’re looking for a new season buy that’ll still look good tucked under your arm in a years time, there’s no better place to search out styles than French street style.
To save you the time of hopping on a plane (or trawling through thousands of Instagram pics), I’ve done the research and found 7 handbag trends that are about to resurface for 2024. From big, roomy totes to ladylike shoulder bags, keep scrolling to see the arm candy that French women are adding to their wardrobes now. Believe me when I say, they are all trés chic.
Style Notes: There’s just something timeless about an animal print, and when mock croc looks this good there simply isn’t any need to buy the real thing. Premium, polished and always effortlessly elegant, this glossy bag is the secret to dressing up even the most simple outfit.
A bestseller, for good reason.
Just look at that shade of deep emerald…
Burgundy bags are trending right now. But more on that later…
Such a cute tiny tote.
Style Notes: If the “throw-on-and-go” attitude was a bag, it would be crossbody sling. These surprisingly roomy hammocks are perfect for the days you need to carry everything (plus the kitchen sink) but a bulky backpack just won’t cut it in the style stakes. From The Row’s canvas banana bag to ARKET’s suede iteration, if you’re in need of a bag that does it all, a sling may just be the thing.
I can’t help it, I’m suede obsessed.
This would look so coat with a camel coat.
So fashion forward.
COS bags have a reputation for selling out fast.
Style Notes: This one is for fans of quiet luxury, as this minimalist bag trend is so understated it practically whispers. But the mini baguette, simple clutch and sleek shoulder bag of the 90’s stick around for another decade, and in the same timeless neutrals as the first time around. The perfect bag for a statement outfit that does all of the talking.
The best of the 90s in a bag.
A directional take on the classic clutch.
Top of my wishlist.
You won’t believe the price point.
Style Notes: If the sling wasn’t quite to your taste, how about another French girl favourite, the slouchy tote? Buttery soft and generously proportioned, unlike the typically structured top handle, these bags are so laidback they’re practically horizontal. Wear thrown over your shoulder and scooped up under your arm with jeans and a white shirt, or an easy midi dress a la Pia Moubayed (pictured above).
This looks so expensive.
Such a sleek silhouette.
This comes in three different colours.
This will fit everything you need.
Style Notes: Sophisticated, supple, and strokably soft, although we aren’t about to trade in glossy leather bags any time soon, suede bags are back in the spotlight, and its a welcome return. There’s something about this rich fabric that feels, well, rich, and if the success of The Row’s Margaux and Khaite’s Lotus tells us anything, it’s that you can make a good bag even better by reissuing it in suede.
Bravo, Toteme.
The bestselling bag, now in suede.
Your weekends, sorted.
A Who What Wear favourite.
Style Notes: We already called it, burgundy is the luxe new colour trend of the season. For SS’24 designers posed a united front on a fresh evolution of the red theme that played out on the street style scene. Black cherry, burgundy, oxblood and merlot bags are our favourite way to introduce the colour to our wardrobes, and it oozes an aura of wealth, status, and power.
Tsatsas are working their way up in my saved folder.
The perfect everyday bag.
How to tick off two trends at once.
Style Notes: And to finish on a classic, the business class bag that you can take everywhere from breakfast and the boardroom, a handbag-meets-satchel-meets-briefcase that always rises to the dress code. Outfit-elevating bags don’t get better than this, and although they are often a little pricier than the other trending styles, this is one bag you know you can confidently carry for the next decade without worrying that it will go out of style.
A strong contender for the next It bag of 2024.
The Row always get it right.
XXL totes are having a moment.
I challenge you to find a sleeker looking bag.
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