This is what we’re all looking for at this time of year: a small addition to our wardrobe that doesn’t break the bank (under £60), lasts forever (not just until autumn) and makes everything we wear a hit.
And here it is, right on time, just when we can’t stand the sight of the sale racks any longer, calling out to us from the new section of your favourite High Street store: the Booster Bag (BB).
I’ve said it before: I’m not a fan of seasonal handbags; I’m a practical bag owner and I have everything I need. But I’m also increasingly interested in finding a shortcut to looking chic, glamorous and on-trend with minimal effort and outlay.
There’s nothing I love more than that simple, guaranteed change of look that always goes with everything. Who doesn’t? And this bag is one size fits all, of course, and it’s not a pretentious designer bag that will make your clothes look worn out.
The BB will fit your arms, your mother’s, your stepdaughter’s, your most fashion-conscious friend’s – it dresses up any outfit and adds a movie star touch to everything you wear.
The gold standard: Zara’s shopper bag for £49.99
I know this because when I was browsing in Zara, I absentmindedly slung one over my shoulder (a woven, gold, slightly shiny shopper bag that looks way more expensive than it is (£49.99 at zara.com)) and just like that, my blue and white striped boyfriend shirt, flared jeans and Adidas trainers just got a whole lot more stylish and upgraded.
The bag has a magnetic closure. It has room for a pair of shoes. It has the shortest soft strap, so you can wear it over your ribs if you want. But I don’t need to convince you that this bag is practical and convenient, because its goal is to make your clothes look better. It’s a style enhancer.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that I walked into Zara looking like myself and walked out looking like someone who could be working with Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow or Kristin Scott Thomas.
And the same magic happened when I got home: with the denim jumpsuit (I glammed it up with a zipper); with the black dress (I glammed it up with red lipstick and heels); with the off-white pants and black top (I added cocktail energy); and when I wear the pretty printed dress to the wedding later this month, it will be the finishing touch and better than a hat.
I wouldn’t wear it in the rain or with matching gold heels (too much), but otherwise, this is the bag to add a little something special to the clothes you own and will buy.
Silver with style: Charlize Theron in Paris last week
Sofia Vergara attends “The Fab Thirties” event on July 21, 2024 in Forte dei Marmi, Italy
Booster Bags come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, though you can’t go wrong with a warm, textured gold (if it’s too polished and shiny, it distracts rather than enhances) or something similar in silver.
M&S’s gold faux fur ruched bag with adjustable strap (£25 from marksandspencer.com) is a nice, slightly smaller alternative to Zara’s woven style. Zara also has a fantastic silver crackle-textured shoulder bag (£35.99) with a slim bow tie. Bows are back this autumn, according to Miuccia Prada, so why not get ahead of the trend?
Otherwise, Mango has a chic short-strap shoulder bag in silver or gold metallic leather (£59.99 shop.mango.com). It’s best to avoid chains and opt for looser styles or you risk falling into dressy occasion bag territory.
Shine and sparkle are what set these bags apart, so they can easily be brightly coloured patent leather or beaded. Zara’s Shiny Patent Effect Half Moon Bag (£22.99) fits the bill for Booster, and red is a colour that continues to make waves all year round. I also like their Shiny Beaded Bucket Bag (£29.99), although this is a summer-only style.
Keep an eye on Zara for fun evening bags for autumn. Think small decorative details, with a wink. It’s the same principle: whether it’s simple tailoring and solid-coloured velvets or a wool turtleneck and jeans, they all look instantly less ordinary.
Zara already has a couple in store, and its brown, cream and black tentacle beaded bag (£35.99) would look great slung over the crook of your arm for a party (another Prada tip for autumn) now or later. You could even get ahead of yourself and pick up a shiny black patent leather top-handle bag from La Redoute in the sale (£44 laredoute.co.uk).
Don’t you wish everything was that simple?
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