I absolutely adore the tiny croc Jacquemus bag above, alongside the requisite fall 2020 accessory: a face mask. It is defiantly impractical in the most delicious of ways: heavy on form and light on function, exists purely for aesthetic enjoyment. To which I say: cheers. We all need a little frivolity this year. (You can get a similar whimsical top-handled croc find here for less).
More of my top picks for the best bags for fall 2020 here:
LE SPLURGE // At the top of my personal bag lust list? A Bottega Veneta Cassette bag. I’ve seen a few in NYC and they are crazy chic. They’re downtown-elegant-cool in the way Alexander Wang bags were maybe a decade ago — remember all the studs and hardware, and we were all kind of scared and entranced by them? Ha. Anyhow, I think I’d be a whole new woman carrying that BV bag. Wowza.
LE EVERYDAY WORKHORSE (COULD BE DIAPER BAG!) // On the more reasonably-priced front, I love the new shape/shoulder strap of the updated Naghedi tote in inky navy blue. This is a fantastic everyday bag that could work as a diaper bag for those of you with small children. And it has a kind of Bottega Veneta-esque quality thanks to the woven styling. It’s the kind of bag that will make people wonder “what is that bag?!” And, just on the heels: “I need one, too.” I know because I saw a mom carrying one a year or two ago and I thought the same thing.
LE ALTERNATE EVERYDAY WORKHORSE // also still love my MZ Wallace medium metro tote for schlepping around with the children. It’s durable, incredibly lightweight, and chic. A lot of you mamas refer to this as your “winter diaper bag” and opt for something more summery in the warm months — now might be a good time to invest if you’ve been eyeing it for awhile. I wrote a full review here.
If you like the MZ Wallace bag but feel that they’re becoming too ubiquitous and therefore want something different (I, too, am an erstwhile philistine), consider this slightly sportier variation from Vee Collective.
LE CHICEST SHOULDER BAG // I am drooling over this polished knot-tie snakeskin-embossed bag. It is just the kind of understated elegance of a Carolyn Bassette Kennedy-type. The lady who wears this bag is sharp, practical, and understated chic.
LE ON-TREND STEAL // Absolutely adore this steal of a canvas tote with the on-trend croc straps. YES. Bought this for fall everyday wear to swap in for the Pam Munson straw tote I carry all summer long.
LE BOLD TOTE // Have eyed this timeless Clare Vivier forever. Love the punchy tangerine color and sporty handles.
LE DOUBLE TAKE TOTE // This roomy All Saints canvas bag is amazing. It looks like it could be something by Balenciaga, Loewe, or St. Laurent. LOVE the trapeze shape.
LE MUST-HAVE POUCH // This Mansur Gavriel lambskin “cloud” pouch clutch is a major yes for fall. It is fresh, modern, and has a “I watch the runway” kind of fashion-forwardness to it. You can get the look for a little less with Loeffler Randall’s similar style, or splurge with Bottega Veneta. And you can get the vibe for under $35 with this Amazon steal, a Magpie reader favorite!
LE CROSSBODY // I have seen a ton of moms wearing simple crossbody bags when picking up their children. It makes so much sense — hands-free, and the perfect shape for stowing sanitizer, mask, phone, and wallet. I see a lot of Gucci logo and Chanel crossbodies on the streets these days, but I also think this timeless Celine trio would be an amazingly chic pick, as would this green croc St. Laurent (wow wow wow). On the more reasonably priced end of the spectrum, I love this simple style from J. Crew with this snakeskin-embossed strap swapped in!
LE FLAT CLUTCH // These under-$80 monogrammable flat canvas clutches are so fun and splashy, and the monogram options are reminiscent of Goyard. Meanwhile, this strawberry-and-python print (yes, you read that combo correctly) statement gives me major Gucci vibes. LOVE.
P.S. Statement sweaters for this season, too. And lots more fall finds here.
P.P.S. Reminiscing about my time studying abroad.
P.P.P.S. Visits with my friend, who passed away a decade ago.
Oh, Bottega… sigh. And all the heart eyes…
Wait, Naghedi has a new one with a shoulder strap?! I love my light blue tote from them, and you are right about the BV look. You know, I’ve actually been asked that exact question, “what is that bag?” by strangers!
That’s so interesting to learn about MZ Wallace — it does not feel ubiquitous here in CA the way you describe in NY. I use my tote frequently (I’d say MZW and Naghedi are my most used totes!)
And I’m with Jennifer on Cuyana — I really don’t need another bag but I have been so impressed by the quality of their items.
I want to share too, on the crossbody front — this past winter I bought the Polene Paris “numero un” crossbody in the nano size. I landed on this after I semi-retired my Mansur Gavriel saffiano crossbody after using it for what seems like 5 years straight, and the edges of the strap were starting to show wear and tear. To me the Polene also has Celine vibes, with the discreet logo and grained leather (it does come in smooth leather too, but the grained leather is a better match for my clumsiness). I still love my Celine nano belt, which I will definitely use more once my toddler is older and there is less risk of sticky/inky/mucky fingers 😉 (since I have it in a taupe shade). The Polene one, at $300 or below, won’t give me a heart attack if it gets stained, but I find it to be really good quality nonetheless!
!! Had not heard of Polene — tres chic, Mia!! Love that, and the careful reasoning on material/cost/grubby fingers/etc. Motherhood entails a funny kind of calculus at every turn.
xx
Really Great post I love a good bag but have found that with little ones I’d rather let my nicer bags stay… nice ha! But you still need to like
What you carry! I’m eying the neoprene Haute shore tote In camo/pink stripe as a fun fall mom tote! Thanks
Totally hear you – so nice to have something that you don’t mind leaving in your stroller / resting on the ground somewhere when you have little ones in tow!
xx
Great roundup — that Celine classic is the stuff of dreams, as is the Mansur Gavriel cloud clutch! I also ADORE the LR snakeskin knotted tote … whew, so so chic!
That Clare V. tote reminds me of something so random — I had purchased a CV woven crossbody strap (the multicolored one) a few years back to pair with a random Dooney & Bourke black leather bag whose shoulder strap broke. I donated the D&B bag (sans replacement strap) earlier this summer, because I never wore it, and now I want to find a black leather CV bag to pair back to the strap, because it was nearly $100 and I have worn it maybe thrice. Haha! I am in love with their “Messenger” style but don’t want to spend nearly $500, so I’m keeping an eye on The RealReal! 🙂
xx
TheRealReal can be a gold mine!! I’ll keep my eyes peeled 🙂
Love these picks!! Someday I won’t need to be so practical—ha! I hadn’t thought about it but haven’t been carrying my MZ Wallace tote or backpack all summer! I opted for a fjallraven number two (with the leather trim) and have Loved it as a minimal diaper bag!! I do like a cross body for preschool pick up I have a salt strap on a simple madewell crossbody that is super comfy! I love the pop of pattern.
I hear you – one day, we can return to frivolity…sounds like you have some really good and chic workhorses in your closet!!!
Thank you! I love a good bag but have found that with little ones I’d rather let my nicer bags stay… nice ha! But you still need to like
What you carry! I’m eying the neoprene haute shore tote In camo/pink stripe as a fun fall mom tote!
I need new bags like I need a hole in the head, but I did just get a crossbody and a clutch from Cuyana. I find the clutch is easier to stash in the diaper bag but prefer the crossbody for the (rare) times I don’t have the baby with me. But that green croc Saint Laurent – that’s totally what I would want if I weren’t trying to be more practical.
Oh I know, I totally get the juggle between practicality and the-heart-wants-what-it-wants. xx
I have to warn you- that all saints tote is MASSIVE. I ordered it and sent it back. When the box came I couldn’t figure out what piece of furniture I’d ordered. Nope, just the tote. It would make an excellent carry on bag, but for everyday it was laughable. I wish it was smaller bc the shape is so chic.
Oh shoot – thank you so much for weighing in on this! I’ve made that mistake with sizing before, too. Thanks!