Do you need a new bag? No. I have a pair and a backpack and, as I said before, I don’t worry too much about bags.
But surprise me, something notable is happening on the stock market front this winter. Even if you don’t need a bag, you’re about to be seriously tempted.
At Marks & Spencer alone, there are at least three gems you can pick up, just like that, and (drumroll here) you still have £100 change.
I’m starting to believe that a new bag for winter is not a luxury, it’s a choice that will make a difference in your look.
There are two main reasons to buy a bag now. Firstly, the high street has embraced the feeling of stealth wealth that dominates fashion and has gone to great lengths to produce high-quality leather and faux leather bags that have classic appeal and a long lifespan.
Priced at just £45, this soft padded tote bag from M&S is tactile and smart.
Typically a bag selling for £30 looks like it will last a couple of months, but this lot has magnetic closures, immaculate shiny gold hardware, thick padded straps, neat lining and internal pockets, and they feel really desirable.
The second thing is the finish factor. Throw one of these bags over your shoulder or arm and you’ll instantly look more expensive and more cost effective.
This isn’t an It Bag moment, but a suitable bag completes your look and adds the essential sparkle that’s key this fall. If you upgrade now, when the high street is experiencing a spectacular handbag moment, your clothes will thank you.
There’s no particular bag style for winter, just bags that suit your style, whether it’s a puffy faux fur baguette to carry under the arm of a jacket (£35, marksandspencer.com) or a large tote and spacious with patent leather effect. enough to fit a laptop and a pair of shoes (£35.99, zara.com).
But the prevailing vibe is minimalist (this is not a time for logos and jewelry) and luxurious, inspired by brands like Phoebe Philo and The Row.
The £150 Dune slouchy bag, seen here on Katie Holmes’ shoulder, instantly gives the wearer a bohemian swagger, says Shane Watson
For the same reason, it is not a very colorful time for bags. Burgundy is a good choice – it goes well with browns, black, navy, gray and denim – and M&S has a great deep, slouchy burgundy shoulder bag (£89).
But in general, coveted bags now work best in black, unless it’s an oversized suede bag, in which case tan, brown, and dark olive are the colors of choice.
Zara’s super-chic XL tote bag (£149) tops the list for bags with more bohemian swagger (wear it ’70s style with flared trousers or a sweater and leather skirt), or there’s the more compact, woven, tan Dune (£150, dunelondon.com).
There are plenty of woven bags, in the mold of Bottega Veneta’s signature shiny leather bags, in part because bags made from thin strips of supple braided leather scream luxury. At the more expensive end of the high street, Massimo Dutti makes several versions, including a large woven croissant bag (£369, massimodutti.com), and & Other Stories makes a more structured braided bag (£225, stories.com) .
Still, I’m more taken with M&S’s stylish handmade polyester braiding top-handle shoulder bag (£45), which is the store’s second best-seller; the similar large, soft, padded bag (£45); and its best-selling nylon quilted shoulder bag (£35), which is puffy, tactile and somehow as stylish as leather.
It comes in black and cream, as I have seen on a woman on the street, slung over the shoulder of a navy blue coat. I can report that it increased his fashion rating by about 70 percent, and I wasn’t the only one giving him appreciative sidelong glances.
This winter’s bags tend to be soft and tactile, and many of them are XL, but one of the strongest handbag trends (good news for women who like to keep things simple) is the sleek, professional bag. This falls anywhere on the spectrum, from a neat bag with a top handle and longer strap (£39.50, marksandspencer.com), to a tote that looks a bit like a small weekender bag ( £249, massimodutti.com), or even a faux leather bag. briefcase bag. Once again, M&S makes a particularly clever one (£39.50).
Somewhere in the middle is & Other Stories’ large leather tote with an adjustable strap so you can carry it briefcase style or use it as a tote (£195). They are as simple and useful as bags, and they do not go out of style.
I’m doing my best to find better alternatives to the huge range available at Marks & Spencer but it’s not easy to find the same quality at those prices. (Massimo Dutti has some lovely bags but they cost over £200). Hurry, because they are definitely worth it.
