Being in the southern hemisphere has its advantages at this time of year. First, after weathering a winter that felt longer than most while watching every man and his mother gallivant around Europe, we are finally beginning the slide into warmer weather. But with warmer weather also comes a very needed wardrobe transition to suit the longer, more carefree days.
Naturally, we all need a bit of inspiration, and fashion month is the perfect source. Throughout September and October, we saw fashion take over all of the major global cities in the northern hemisphere, from Copenhagen to Milan, New York, London and Paris. And because we’re always two seasons behind in Australia, watching the Spring/Summer 2023 trends hit the runways make it easier for us to plan any new additions to the wardrobe and grab hold of the trends right away.
The simplest place to start when planning your seasonal wardrobe is with your accessories and, specifically, with handbags. It’s the perfect place to add a pop of colour without too much commitment and to have fun with your wardrobe, particularly if you subscribe to a capsule closet style. Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest bag trends to come out of fashion month that we’ll be wearing all summer.
Mini Hobo Bags
The hobo bag has seen countless iterations, but we’ll bet the words “hobo bag” conjures images of the mid-’00s “it” girls wearing oversized sunglasses and an equally oversized bag. This summer, though, the hobo bag is foregoing the soft and slouchy styles of years past, in favour of a textured mini version. Undoubtedly, the most-seen styles this fashion month was the Balenciaga Le Cagole XS Shoulder Bag, which comes in a huge range of colours and has just the right amount of grunge, and the slightly more polished Bottega Veneta Mini Jodie.
Sparkle and Shine
Metallic and sparkling bags were seen throughout fashion month and it’s great timing for us, as they’ll fit perfectly into any holiday season wardrobe. In particular, we love to see the updated version of the Prada nylon reedition shoulder bag in summery pastel shades and matching rhinestones.
To the (Half) Moon
A natural evolution of the classic shoulder bag that’s been blowing up the past few years, the crescent moon bag is a wearable trend that’s delicate enough for summer but also robust enough to carry all of your daily necessities. We love more structured bags as they’re perfect for anyone who doesn’t like the casual slouchiness of the hobo bag, and our top pick is the one above by Louis Vuitton.
Woven Shopper Bags
During summer, we all need a larger tote that we can toss all the daily necessities in, whether we’re headed to the office or the beach. We’ve long been fans of the neutral woven basket bags from seasons past (particularly the Loewe — in every size), but we’re all about the dopamine dressing this summer, so it has to be the raffia Prada tote in a fun colour this year.
Hot Pink
Hot pink has officially been hailed as the colour of 2023, with Valentino’s signature bold pink taking over runways and street-style galleries this year. Now, other brands have been jumping on the (hot pink) bandwagon and it’s sure to be the perfect pop of colour for summer. We’re crushing hard on the classic Saint Laurent shoulder bag that’s been given the hot pink treatment above; it’s simple enough for everyday wear, but has enough interest for a night out, too.
