My shopping habits tend to cycle through different sections of my wardrobe throughout the year. In early spring I was focused almost entirely on jewelry, and in winter I became obsessed with finding the ideal basics for layering. But for summer I am going all in on handbags. They are such a fun and easy way to change the style of your outfit—a silver shoulder bag can make a white tank and shorts feel ultra glam while a straw tote lends a much more beach-ready vibe. To narrow my search for the ultimate accessory, I compiled a list of the top eight summer handbag trends. These are the styles popping up everywhere I look and are most likely to garner all the likes, and definitely more than one, “OMG, where’d you get your bag?”
The Only 8 Summer Handbag Trends You Need to Know for 2025
from the ludicrously capacious to the kitschy
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Updated Jul 22, 2025
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1. Food Fun
Chalk it up to our obsession with The Bear, or beauty and fashion’s general tendency to repurpose food as clothing, but I was ALL. OVER. Jacquemus’ SS26 runway show, which featured a slew of produce-themed clutches—garlic, leeks and strawberries included. It’s very much evocative of Moschino’s celery bag from 2024. High fashion’s not the only one in the gourmand game, though. Kate Spade has long had a line of food-themed novelty bags, as does Betsey Johnson.
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2. Kitsch
From the Central Park Women’s Committee's annual Olmsted Luncheon to New York street style and Copenhagen fashion week, I couldn’t help but notice all the kitschy bags. Flowers and dogs are the running theme, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a full-on Labubu bag down the pipeline…
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3. The Little Black Bag
Just like a little black dress, you can’t go wrong with a little black bag. From the guests at Jacquemus’ SS26 show to the streets of Lagos, Paris and Copenhagen, women around the world are proving that it’s a staple for your handbag capsule wardrobe in any season.
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4. Lit Girl Summer
Ever since Maria Grazia Chiuri created the Dior book tote in 2018, it’s spawned numerous lookalikes, from Marc Jacobs The Tote Bag (2019) to streetwear brands like Sézane. In his debut collection for Dior, Jonathan Anderson signaled that the iconic bag is here to stay, and it’s getting a makeover. The book tote now resembles actual classics, from Dracula to Madame Bovary. Plus, fashion week has been rife with the book-as-an-accessory concept, including 3.Paradis and KidSuper.
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5. Fishnet Bags
Coasting on the rise of the fisherman aesthetic, it’s hardly surprising that fishnet bags have been popping up. I first noticed it in Longchamp’s SS25 handbag collection, where the brand collaborated with another venerable French icon, FILT, a netting manufacturer. Net bags continue to crop up as SS26 continues, with Bluemarble featuring an oversized mesh bag.
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6. Double Bags
I’m already familiar with the French habit of stacking a handbag and canvas bag, but this takes it to a whole new level. Street style photographer Karya Schanilec has clocked multiple instances of bag stacking. A sensible combo is a big + small bag, but, hey, if you want to stack a trio of Birkins, I’m not stopping you.
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7. The Oversized Clutch
I first noticed this on Jenna Ortega while the actor was en route to a Met Gala after party holding a clutch the size of a loaf of bread. Gone, apparently, are the days of toting around a bag so small it can barely fit your phone. Plenty of street style snaps have fashionistas hauling clutches under their arms. An extension of the trend appears to be holding your large handbag as if it were a clutch or small dog, as seen above.
8. Ludicrously Capacious Bags
We first heard the words “ludicrously capacious” in the hit HBO series, Succession, in reference to a less than discreet Burberry bag. Turns out that Bridget was on to something, because gargantuan totes are everywhere. In London in cherry hues, neutral browns and even fringe editions. But the one who really slowed my scroll was fashion and social media star Wisdom Kaye, with his gargantuan Hermès in the streets of NYC, above.
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