Straw bags are that one summer bag trend we cannot get rid of whenever springtime begins. Apparently, for this spring season, the straw basket bag trend is literally blooming, and we are happier than ever before.
Since basket bags are so popular, the options are literally countless, and there’s a straw bag for any fashion taste and style, from rounded to the tote to the classic oversized design. Jump to our hand-picked list of the best straw bags of the season, before analyzing the trend along with some style inspirations.
Best Straw Bags: Contents
15 Best Straw Bags for 2021
What are the best straw bags for this summer? Definitely the 15 amazing options presented below! Let’s dive in!
1. The Most Romantic Vintage Straw Bag of All Time
Starting off our list of the best straw bags with a vintage Chanel basket bag was almost mandatory. Compact and utilitarian, Chanel’s vintage basket bag exudes summertime sadness vibes through and through and is easily available for purchase at Farfetch. Pair it either with a maxi or midi skirt, and just get ready for the chicest summer-long Parisian vibes!
2. Any Basket Bag Collector’s Dream
Kayu’s basket bag Reece is a real must-have in the fashion industry, which is gaining even more success season after season. If you are a bag collector, we recommend heading to My Theresa to quickly invest in one! Its iconic structure is the epitome of fashion, so you won’t regret buying into it!
3. Speaking of Versatility
This Olympiah circle straw bag is this summer’s protagonist, as it could be effortlessly flaunted both at a night party nearby the beach, and when out for a stroll in the city center with friends. You can get it from Farfetch!
4. Bicycles and Straw Bags
Muuñ’s Lou basket bag is not only handwoven from natural straw in Ghana, but is also the perfect it-item to flaunt in your bicycle’s front rack, of course along with a checked dress and a pair of flat sandals. And don’t forget your straw hat! You can find it online at MatchesFashion.
5. The Perfect Cross-Body Straw Bag
Embracing the basket bag trend has never been easier thanks to this highly urban-chic cross-body rattan bag. Its structure, combined with its straw material, is a key ingredient for a stylish outfit. You can find it at ASOS – check it out especially if you still can’t decide whether basket bags are your thing or not!
6. Magnetically Straw Love
Since structured straw bags are easier to pull off especially when living in a big city, here we introduce one of Silvia Tcherassi’s most functional basket bags, available at Forward. Practical and roomy, you can fill it with various essentials and just carry it around from daytime to night-time. Also, you’ll love its magnetic closure!
7. Seventies-Inspired Straw Tote
If a look à la Jane Birkin in the Seventies is what you are striving for, Clare V’s ‘Pot de Miel’ basket bag is your dream come true. Romantic, hippy and fancy all together, it will elevate your outfit in the blink of an eye. Check it out at Nordstrom!
8. Gucci’s Straw Bag
One of the most acclaimed and requested straw bags of the moment, Gucci’s glazed straw shoulder bag might not look as the most traditional one, but is surely one of the chicest (and the most whimsical, as anything Alessandro Michele touches is). We recommend pairing it with big, flowy floral dresses and just carrying it around carelessly. You can find it on Nordstrom.
9. Pops of Color
Serpui’s structured straw bag, like Gucci’s, might seem quite unconventional for those looking for a classic tan-colored straw bag, but is surely eye-catching. Romantic, delicate, and kawaii, it will help any casual “jeans plus white tee” outfit look like a million bucks. Get it from Farfetch!
10. A Basket Bag for Your Bicycle Rack, Part 2
Here is another basket bag that is just meant to be in any bicycle’s front rack, this time available from Loeffler Randall at Net-a-Porter. Carry it around all summer long, particularly at the beach parties (just keep it away from the bonfire)!
11. Playful Straw Bag
Sensi Studio’s basket bag is probably the most cheerful one on this list, as it features both a cute structured circular design and soigné leather details. It is also quite tiny and easy-to-wear, as you definitely want to carry a small straw bag when out and about in the city, bringing with you just your sunglasses and wallet. You can get it from Farfetch.
12. Straw Tote Bag
For an extra dose of whimsicality combined with practicality, head over to Shopbop to find Caterina Bertini’s simplistic straw tote bag, which will instantly pervade your outfit with the coolest bohemian vibes ever! The tiny bow on the handles makes this straw bag the cutest ever!
13. Conceptual Basket Bag
For a more conceptually chic straw bag (who thought basket bags could get conceptual?), have fun imagining the multiple ways in which you could combine your Cult Gaia ark bamboo clutch because we know you want it already! You can get it from Net-a-Porter.
14. Magic Circle Straw Bag
If you already own a classic squared basket bag and would love to get your personal style to the next level, check Eliurpi’s black circle straw bag. Its versatile color combined with wooden top handles will just make anything look Parisian-style-approved within seconds! Find it online on MatchesFashion!
15. Sentimental Straw Bag
Basket bags can carry anything, even memories. That’s the case for Cesta Collective’s straw bag, which was handwoven in Rwanda by a single female artisan. Quite roomy, practical and made to impress, it is a win-win accessory for any occasion. Hurry up! It is flying off Net-a-Porter’s online shelves!
Why Should You Try the Straw Bag Trend?
While basket bags have been “a thing” for the past 3 years in a row (if not for a longer time period), it is with the new spring season that it has managed to become a must-have accessory for designers, fashionistas, and it-girls (just scroll down your Instagram feeds to see how many Insta-celebrities have been spotted carrying a straw bag at Coachella and just everywhere!).
Given how versatile straw bags are, anyway, that’s no surprise.
Even though we mainly associate them with the long walks by the beach, flowy summer dresses, and the hippie style, straw bags are actually extremely versatile and suitable for the day-to-day life, even if you are always on the go.
First and foremost, basket bags are usually quite roomy and practical, meaning that you can fill them with any of your personal belongings.
Secondly, given their popularity, summer bags have been designed, revisited, and especially restructured according to different patterns, which range from the romantic circular straw bags to the conceptual hourglass figures.
As for how to pair a basket bag with the rest of your outfits, the options are countless as well.
Straw Bags x Casual Outfits
Since spring and summer are always all about comfort and practicality, invest in a colored straw bag, a pair of designer (or just high-quality) jeans, and a white T-shirt. Combine everything with a pair of hoop earrings (whether silver- or gold-toned depends on your skin undertone), and a pair of brown sandals or sneakers, and voilà! You’ll effortlessly look like an Instagram-ready fashionista for the upcoming 6 months.
Straw Bags x Glam Rock Outfits
As you might know, we are obsessed with contrasting outfits. If you are into contrasts too or are just looking for ways to carry a basket bag, consider pairing an extra small straw bag with a vinyl skirt (or a pair of trousers), and a (faux) leather jacket, as the contrast obtained will inevitably turn heads. Added bonus: any androgynous look just turns out to be haute couture-esque when finished off with a geometrical straw shoulder bag!
Straw Bags x Romanticism
Last but not least, even if it sounds like a cliché, we cannot help suggesting pairing a basket bag with a big, flowy and romantic skirt (better mid-length. Straw basket bags are for the lazy days spent outdoors with friends and are even more glamorous when combined with a conventionally bon-ton outfit.
You can even use them for weddings! And we all know how painful looking for a wedding-approved outfit can be, so why not check off at least the bag of the “outfit for my sister-in-law’s wedding”?
How to Clean Your Straw Bag
Before jumping to the shopping session or even start picturing yourself with a basket bag and a floral dress, knowing how and how often you should clean your straw bags is extremely important.
Like leather bags, straw basket bags require a little maintenance and cannot be left all covered with dust in your wardrobe. Luckily, cleaning a straw bag properly isn’t that difficult. Here’s what you should do:
Step 1: Empty Your Basket Bag
First things first, whenever it is time to clean your straw bag, you should empty it. And by saying “empty,” we mean that not even one single bobby pin should be left stuck in a piece of straw.
Step 2: Pull the Interior Out
If possible (and present), pull the fabric interior of your straw bag out, so that you can clean it from the dust and all those Oreo crumbs (you can vacuum clean it, too).
Step 3: Start Cleaning the Exterior
Moisten a cloth (preferably white so that it cannot leave any color stain on your straw bag), and start wiping (gently!) the bag. If it is really dirty, use at least two different cloths.
Step 4: No Stains Allowed!
Since straw materials are way prettier when clean (they look kind of “raw” anyways, so there’s no need to go for the “faux dirty” effect with them), and we know you probably took your basket bag out for an outdoorsy activity, you’ll very likely have to work hard to remove a few stains here and there. If a simple moist cloth didn’t work, take another piece of moist cloth and add two or three drops of baby shampoo or dish detergent on it, creating a soapy mixture that will kill even the most obstinate stains.
If there’s a persistent yet extremely small stain you can’t get rid of, use a soapy cotton swab or a toothbrush to remove it!
Step 5: Dry Your Straw Bag
Let the bag air-dry completely away from the heat and the sunlight before using it again.
Step 6: Brighten Up the Color of Your Straw Bag
If your bag is completely clean, and you now would love to brighten its rich color, just take a darker cloth soaked with alcohol-diluted water, and start polishing the straw! Your basket bag will look like a hot newly purchased item.
Step 7: Store Your Straw Bag
You should clean your straw basket bag twice a year (unless you dropped an entire glass of wine on it at a party), i.e. before the spring season begins, and before you are about to store it in your wardrobe because you know you won’t use it during wintertime.
When storing your straw bag in the wardrobe, stuff it with tissue paper to keep its shape and, most importantly, never store it in a plastic bag. Opt for a cotton tote bag or a pillowcase instead! Also don’t hang it, but just lay it on its side.
Photos via Instagram
