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There are a few summer staples that will always be in style: a linen dress, a chambray shirt, and a straw bag (a.k.a wicker or woven bags). The last of these has been surging for several seasons and can be traced back to British actress Jane Birkin, who transformed the simple straw basket bag into an “it” accessory.
Yes, straw bags date back to as early as 5000 B.C.; however, the ‘60s was a notable time for them because it’s when Birkin first adopted the silhouette on a trip to Portugal. The straw bag became an eternal aspect of Birkin’s fashion aesthetic and influenced brands like Saint Laurent, Miu Miu, and Loewe to create their own. But that’s not all — Birkin was among the first to suggest that a stylish straw bag could be carried from the farmers market to the airport and socialite events. Whether filled with green apples or loose reading papers, Birkin paired her straw bags with both blue jeans and white T-shirts and evening gowns and heels.
Straw bags are traditionally composed of natural materials such as dried grass, raffia palm leaves, or rattan palm vines. These materials are waterproof and lightweight, making them ideal for summertime use. Today, designers are reinventing the classic style with nontraditional materials: Loewe has created basket-style bags in both leather and mesh, inspired by Galician artisan knotting, and even mimicked wicker with padded lambskin in a hand-woven basket bag. Bottega Veneta used lambskin in a knotted macramé bag and intreccio style (Italian for “weaving”).
“We’ve seen a few more elevated straw shoulder bags, which are definitely a good investment as they are more casual and versatile,” said Tiffany Hsu, Vice President of Womenswear & Kidswear Fashion Buying at Mytheresa. “Prada has introduced exciting new styles in raffia and canvas variations. Saint Laurent is a go-to for elevated straw options. Loewe and Jacquemus are firm favorites for basket and tote styles as well.”
Straw bags come in many different shapes and sizes. For more casual functionality, you can shop designer beach bags, slouchy shoulder bags, and even backpacks. Straw bags also come in structured bucket bags, similar to basket bags, as well as more modern and luxe straw shoulder bags, top-handle bags, and mini purses. Despite the beachy feel of a straw bag, it can be paired with styles beyond just a bathing suit from one of your favorite swimsuit brands. Straw bags can be worn with anything from white jeans to linen dresses for the spring and summer.
For a taste of Birkin’s style this season, scroll through this Birkin-esque straw bag guide with expert tips and product picks to find your wardrobe hero.
Top Straw Bags of Summer 2024
Banana Republic Slouchy Vida Straw Bag
Banana Republic’s beloved Vida Tote bag is the ideal straw bag for women with all-black-everything summer style. The bag’s soft leather handles make it easy on the bare shoulder or hand to tote around town with a long white shirt dress, minimalist scrappy sandals, and a simply chic belt on the waste. Its slouchy silhouette also adds to the effortlessly chic appeal of this summer must-have.
Price upon publication of this article: $160
Chloe Raffia Calfskin Small Woody Basket Bag
The trusty straw bucket bag is a forever classic that’s worth the splurge any summer, and thanks to Fashionphile, you can secure this Chloe stunner for 23% less than its retail value. Gear up for your “Euro Summer” vacation with a durable, timeless investment that pairs perfectly with any flowy dress in your suitcase from day to night.
Price upon publication of this article: $595
Frances Valentine Hannah Lunchbox Wicker Bag
Not all of the best straw bags this season come in neutral colors. This picnic basket-inspired bag features a fun pop of pink with a rich bamboo handle and shiny gold hardware for extra pizazz.
Price upon publication of this article: $268
Designer crossbody bags are a great style for summer because they free up your hands and comfortably distribute the weight of your items for stylish storage. This Tory Burch Raffia Crossbody is convertible, so it can fit across the body or on the shoulder with an adjustable double strap. The raffia is woven in a natural-colored straw, featuring gold hardware on the front and the chain strap. Inside the bag, there are two interior slit pockets, and one interior zip pocket, and the flap-style top is secured with a magnetic snap. It’s perfect for daily wear with sandals and linen button-down, whether you’re running errands, grabbing lunch, or strolling down the boardwalk.
What reviewers say: “I just purchased this bag to take to Europe this summer and I love it!! It is structured but also light weight so it’s the PERFECT vacation bag! So beautiful and the inside quality is just beautiful. And the size is also perfect, its not too small so a nice wallet and keys and phone will all fit with room to spare.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $399
Last summer, Loewe’s raffia tote bag bhas been spotted on the shoulders of best-dressed influencers and celebrities like Kaitlyn Dever and Dua Lipa. Inevitably, it has taken the number one spot on every fashion person’s wish list — and for good reasons. This logo-adorned style is playful, yet elegantly minimal in design. While this bag was released as part of the brand’s summer collection, we recommend taking it into fall with baggy jeans, clogs (preferably Birkenstock Boston’s), and a blazer, like style influencer Monikh.
Price upon publish date of this article: $990
Mytheresa
Hsu recommends the Khaite Olivia Raffia bag as the perfect straw shoulder bag of the summer. Its chic circular shape is unique to most other shoulder bags, and its slouchy look gives an effortless vibe to polished outfits. While it is limited in size, the flexible silhouette allows for flexible storage, including a phone, wallet, and keys, and can be worn over the shoulder or in the crook of the arm. This bag will dress up any easy summer outfit, such as a linen shirt dress or whimsical romper.
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,350
Loewe is leading the straw bag trend for summer 2024, and this small Loewe basket bag is a great option if you love the look of a wearable picnic basket. It’s made of handwoven palm leaf with calf leather detailing, and features an adjustable top handle strap that can fit over-the-shoulder. While small in silhouette, its wide frame and open top can hold anything from a few books, water bottle, or a fresh bouquet of flowers. Style this with your favorite daytime summer outfit, cute summer sandals, and a wide-brim hat that blocks the sun.
What reviewers say: One customer wrote, “It’s perfect for the pool. It is on the small side, but perfect for a towel, book and water bottle.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $650
Nordstrom
The Saint Laurent Niki Medium Raffia Shoulder Bag was specifically recommended by Hsu as a larger straw shoulder bag for everyday wear. Its large satchel-like size can fit over the shoulder and crossbody, with a long chain strap and top leather handle. The soft structure allows for ample storage of daily essentials, including a water bottle, sunglasses case, or even a mini iPad. Hsu recommends styling the natural yet luxe accessory with a relaxed outfit, like breezy linens and espadrilles.
What reviewers say: One customer wrote, “I was looking for a summer bag in a straw or wicker type fabric. This one is light weight, roomy and will be a great everyday bag. I like a larger bag for wallet, phone, sunglasses and this one will hold what I need to carry but is not bulky or too oversized. The exterior isn’t scratchy. The strap is long enough to wear as a crossbody but I prefer to double it and easily carry it over my shoulder.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $3,100
What To Look For In A Summer Straw Bag for Women
- Special features: When shopping for a go-to straw bag, features to keep in mind include adjustable or convertible straps, top closures, and pocket storage. Whether you want to carry your bag cross-body, on your shoulder, on your bag, or by hand, it will depend on strapping capabilities for different distributions of weight. Some bags have a zipper, button, or drawstring closures, while others have open tops, so if you plan on hauling more valuable items like your best sunglasses, go for a more secure straw bag closure. Depending on how many essentials you like to keep on hand, interior pockets are helpful for organized storage. Tote bags, bucket bags, and mini bags tend to lack interior pockets, whereas cross-body bags and backpacks may incorporate zippered compartments inside.
- Shapes: Straw bags come in a variety of shapes, such as bucket bags, designer totes, handbags, backpacks, and flap bags. Choosing a shape will rely on your styling perspective. A top-handle handbag or shoulder bag will provide a polished, luxe look to an outfit, whereas a tote is more relaxed. Also, keep in mind the structure of the straw bag. A tighter weave will provide more durability, therefore protecting stored items in a harder casing.
- Size: Straw bags come in several size options, so your choice of bag will vary in terms of your outfit and occasion needs. For the beach, a large straw tote can easily haul a towel, water bottle, and reading material, and can be a great carry-on option for flights. Totes are also helpful for day-to-day errands or carrying a laptop to and from a cafe. Backpacks are ideal for hands-free adventures, whether you want to carry a camera, travel journal, or a cute beach outfit to change into. A mini bag holds only the essentials, such as a phone, keys, and money cards, so it would be best for wearing to a fuss-free brunch or a nighttime event.
How to Style Mini Bags: Mini Bag Outfit Ideas
Mini bags have become a major accessory in recent years and there are so many ways to style them. Not only are they adorable in size, but they’re also chic because they relieve an outfit from extra bulk and carry only the essentials, like your phone, keys, cash, and a hydrating lip oil.
- Pair a mini bag with a simple outfit for a minimalist look, such as jeans or slacks with a well-fitted top. Add easy polish with statement jewelry, like shiny hoop earrings or a chain-link necklace that matches the hardware of the bag.
- To play into the casual, beachy feel of a mini straw bag, pair a bucket or basket style with an airy midi skirt, strappy sandals, and one of your best sun hats.
- A mini bag can effortlessly complement a glamorous outfit, because it won’t upstage the story a garment is already expressing. Accessorize cut-out cocktail dresses, long gowns, or sophisticated suits with a luxury top-handle mini handbag for a night out.
How We Selected the Best Straw Bags for Summer
Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections.
In order to curate the best straw bags for summer, we interviewed a fashion and accessory industry expert for product selections and style recommendations, as well as key knowledge on purse styling, popular trends for summer 2024, and various occasion functionality. We chose the best straw bags for women that reflect current and emerging trends, fabric and material innovation, durability, convertibility, and traditional design applications. We also considered the best retailers to shop when selecting the best straw bags, relying on customer reviews and our editor’s hands-on testing experience. We also employed research across the designer bag market, and considered our own product testing. Learn more about us here.
Meet The Expert
Tiffany Hsu was born in Taiwan and graduated from the Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design of London with a fashion design degree. Afterwards she gained a Master degree at Istituto Marangoni. Tiffany previously worked as a buyer at Lane Crawford and Selfridges before joining Mytheresa as buying manager for Ready-to-Wear. In October 2017 she was appointed to be Fashion Buying Director. Within this role, Tiffany oversees the different buying departments and fashion direction by developing capsule collections, exclusive products or special fashion collaborations.
Meet The Author
Olivia Cigliano is the Commerce Writer and Producer at WWD and Footwear News. She is a New York City-based fashion and lifestyle writer, riding the pulse of trends and digital culture. Her previous bylines can be found on CR Fashion Book and Elite Daily. When she’s not writing shopping content at WWD and FN, she can be found searching for a holy grail in a Brooklyn thrift store or surveilling newsstands for fashion magazines — straw bag in hand.
