I Rarely Write About Bags, But I'm Obsessed With This Style for Fall.
Paging Sienna Miller...
Are you ready to talk about fall fashion? Maybe not, but suddenly I can’t stop thinking about it, personally, which is different from how I think about it professionally (that started in February; I compartmentalize things). At this time of year, I should be present and enjoy the last few weeks of summer, but alas, this Virgo brain struggles to accept that concept.
At the same time, I’m also a realist. I am currently spending more time in my YCOHO swimsuit—Left on Friday’s Sunday Top and Hi Tide Bottom—than I am in actual clothes, and to be perfectly transparent, I don’t really want to wear fall clothes right now. It’s literally 90 degrees here in Los Angeles, and the thought of putting on a coat makes me cringe, even if that coat is a dreamy, jewel-embellished cocoon number from Dries Van Noten. Swoon.
As I grumped around my house, it suddenly hit me. A solution, thanks to the most obvious fashion lightning bolt thought of all time! There’s one wardrobe category that doesn’t care what season it is, and is basically unaffected by the weather: Bags. And best of all? There’s a new-old bag trend gearing up for fall, and it just so happens to be the perfect piece to start considering now—the hobo bag, which we’re going to call the boho bag moving forward.
(British Vogue wrote an interesting history of this bag a few years ago that’s worth checking out. It speaks to the fashion industry’s problematic way of romanticizing migrant workers and unhoused folks, which was also captured brilliantly in Zoolander with Mugatu’s derelicte collection. In addition to these problems, I also feel like it’s just not a great name. This bag style is almost always referenced with bohemian trends, so why not call it a boho bag?)
So why this bag style, and why now? Well, blame (and by blame, I mean, thank) Chemena Kamali, the newish creative director of Chloe. The brand is about to have a major, major moment, thanks to Kamali’s Fall 24 collection, which got a hugely positive reception when she showed it earlier this year, and is just about to hit stores. (Kamali’s Pre-Fall collection is currently available, too.) In my opinion, Kamali’s take on the ‘70s-inflected, feminine-with-edge boho look is going to be impactful for the next few seasons, so now’s the time to start gearing up.
(On a side note, I have to say how much I love the shoes from these collections too. I have a soft spot for sturdier platform sandals, and am excited about this style, in particular. They remind me a tiny bit of a pair of wood and leather Chloe sandals I bought in 2006 and still own. If memory serves, they’re from the last collection that Phoebe Philo designed for the brand. And that’s the thing about Chloe shoes; they’re really well made and truly last for decades.)
Sure enough, there were loads of bohemian bags in the Chloe fall collections, many of which were soft and crescent shaped. There’s a slouchy bracelet bag that can also be worn with a longer shoulder strap, a relaxed shoulder bag that’s low-key luxurious, and a khaki crescent bag with gold horse hardware embellishments and a horse-bit chain that just gives me all the feels. (And will the most oversized boho bag of them all go into production? Sure hope so.)
The good news is that a) the exact Chloe runway bags are already showing up in stores and b) there are a range of these bohemian-inspired styles from other brands on the market right now. So it’s possible for all of us to find the right bag for our specific personal style and budgets.
I will start by saying you might already have a bag that works for this trend in your wardrobe, and that there are loads of incredible vintage and secondhand options on the market. For example: The RealReal has a phenomenal leather and suede Balenciaga slouchy boho bag right now that’s $410. If you don’t buy it, I will. There are also a handful of oversized suede Bindle Bags from The Row on the site too, many of which are in the $500 price range.
In terms of newer options, Isabel Marant is always a go-to stop for me when looking for elevated bohemian pieces, and the brand’s signature Oskan bag with whipstitch details feels very much in line with the trend. Also good in black. Coach is making a slightly oversized, very simple, slouchy bag for fall that Bella Hadid has been carrying everywhere this summer. The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 39 comes in four colorways including a very brat-adjacent green that I keep coming back to. Reformation also makes a small, slouchy option in an excellent, acid-y, off-putting green; so cute.
The Copenhagen and Paris-based brand Aesther Ekme makes a midi suede shoulder bag that’s understated and luxurious, which is ideal if you’re more of a minimalist. If you’re a minimalist with a maximalist bank account, there’s always The Row. The beloved Bindle 3 Bag is sold out on The Row’s website, but available elsewhere, and is less shockingly priced than one might imagine. (Still spendy; don’t get me wrong.)
Though slightly more structured than I tend to think of boho bags, I also really like the hula hoop bag from Bottega; feels like it nods to the trend, but still polished. If you like the soft crescent aspect of the trend, but still want some glamour, try Valentino. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the circle bag that’s making all the girls go wild for a few seasons now: Khaite’s suede Olivia tote. Still cool.
If you’re a little preppier (and I mean that the trad way; not the way the kids are saying it), Polo Ralph Lauren makes so many good options that have been a hit with fashion insiders for a couple of years. The cinnamon suede version is quite stunning, IMHO.
And now the big question: Are you into this style? Are you ready for the return of bohemian trends? Did you wear any of these looks the last time boho was a big discussion? And did you, like me, lose several hours of your life looking at mid-aughts photos of Sienna Miller’s style? Does it feel funny to consider slouchy bags, because you, like me, are traditionally more of a structured bag girly? (A proper Dior 30 Montaigne Bag or Gucci Horsebit 1955 Bag will always speak to my sensibilities, no matter the trends.) Let me know in the comments below!
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The Lemaire large Croissant bag that I purchased last fall is the perfect crescent shape for everything. It’s not leather so it’s lightweight. The strap is long enough to wear as crossbody. It’s large enough to add a light sweater. It’s got a semi-secret zippered front stash pocket for a phone. And like any well-considered bag that’s meant to be used, the lining is light colored so I can actually see my wallet, sunglasses, etc. without digging endlessly. Three weeks in Paris= just one bag.
First up, appreciate your rename. Second, "boho" typically is not me, and always like "oh I am sitting this one out." New Phoebe, Old Celine Phoebe yes, Chloe Phoebe no! BUT as I look at that Coach example, I am reminded of a bag on own, the Hermes Masai, larger size. It was not cheap but also under four digits, and I used some tricks and some waiting to get a great deal. It has this look. And I actually love it with edgier things that feel like me -- my big men's cut off shorts with stripes down the sides, tees I got on ssense that look like they have attached suspenders, etc. This bag holds a lot and gives some desperately needed "not trying" to this try-hard girl. Thanks for the beautiful examples and reminder to take this old love out on the town!