Spring & Summer Handbags – Save, Spend or Splurge

Hello and welcome to Dressed for My Day! Today’s post is going up a little late because I was sick yesterday and decided not to write this post with a fever. Ha! Don’t worry, it was totally NOT Covid related. I went to the doctor, got an antibiotic to treat my infection and am feeling so much better today. Anyhow I’m so excited to finally put together today’s Spring and Summer Handbags collection for us. I love, love, love handbags! Let’s get going!

This spring and summer look for handbags to be fun! The colors, shapes and styles reflect a desire to get out and go. Hmm, I wonder why that is? We’re seeing lots of hands-free options like backpacks, crossbodies and even more belt bags. Although I think the latter is being replaced by the former.

But, while I love having a handbag that looks fashionable and current, I do think these accessories are highly personal. A woman can live out of her handbag. Amiright??? And we each have features that are important to us. Maybe you prefer lots of pockets and zippers or maybe you like a streamlined bag. Perhaps you want your bag to be big enough to pack your lunch, sneakers and umbrella in or maybe you want something small and compact. And you could want a colorful bag that reflects your sunny disposition or you could prefer to stick with neutrals.

So, while I’m sharing the latest and greatest spring and summer handbags, I suggest that you do you! And I’m providing lots of options in each of the major categories that are currently fashionable: totes, satchels, crossbody bags, shoulder bags, backpacks and special occasion bags. Oh, and I’m also sharing some beautiful straw bags because those are my favorite for this time of year, especially as we get closer to summer.

Spring & Summer Totes

I love carrying a tote bag for travel or for a full day of being out and about. It provides the room I need to carry all those things! Plus, I’m 5’8″, so a large tote bag looks very proportionate for me. But if you have a smaller frame, I suggest sticking with a smaller size tote or other bag.

My Everlane leather tote above is no longer available, but I’d say this Rebecca Minkoff unlined tote at Nordstrom Rack is pretty close. But my Madewell Transport tote below is still available. And I’ve included plenty of other options in the shopping widget below.

For each category of our spring and summer handbags I’m providing a shopping widget with options in the save, spend and splurge categories. Just as our bags are personal, so are our spending preferences. I personally don’t mind investing in a quality handbag that I’m going to use for at least several years. I carry a bag every single day that I go out, and I know it can drastically affect my appearance. So I like carrying bags that are high quality, but not extravagant. That said, I also appreciate the value of buying a bag in the “save” category when I’m trying out a trend or looking for a color that may go out of style the next year.

The links in the shopping widgets and throughout this post are affiliate links. If you shop through them I potentially earn a commission on your purchases, but at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting the work I do here by shopping my links. I really appreciate you!

Pro Tip: Don’t be scared away by the openness of a satchel. You can also find satchels that zip closed or that have at least a few zipper pockets for safe keeping of things. Choose a satchel that works best for your frame.

Spring & Summer Satchels

I personally love carrying a satchel, but I know some women don’t like having to hold their bag in their hand. But nothing elevates a look quite like a satchel. It just generally looks very ladylike and intentional. I also like the size of a satchel and they generally include lots of internal compartments and zippers.

I know several of my readers have already told me that they purchased the Yellow Magnetic Closure Satchel above and like it. I’m so glad to hear that. I purchased it to add a splash of the trending yellow to my wardrobe without having to wear a lot of it. It does indeed have several compartments and zippered areas. And the faux leather feels convincingly supple and soft.

But I also recently purchased the Coach bag below. A sweet friend had given me a sizable gift card to Nordstrom, so I wanted to purchase something meaningful and special. This Coach Cassie Leather Top Handle Bag (not included in the shopping widget below) is currently sold out at Nordstrom, but it’s still available at Coach. I love that it comes with three completely detachable straps for very different looks, but I plan to carry it by this top handle most often.

Do you enjoy carrying a satchel? I have selected a variety in a full range of prices in the shopping widget below. But remember, my Coach Cassie Leather Top Handle Bag is not included in the widget.

Pro Tip: Satchels come in all sizes, so choose one that works best for your frame and personal preferences. But also look for a satchel with interchangeable straps that provide for different functionality.

Crossbody Bags

Crossbody bags are continuing to trend this spring and summer. And I think the silhouette that is most on trend is the camera bag. This style is defined by its fuller rectangle shape, similar to the size you would use to carry a camera. I love this size of bag because it provides so much better functionality than a flat crossbody.

I’m already loving my J.Crew Canvas Camera Bag and I’m carrying it a lot. It’s the perfect size for my Vera Bradley coin purse (that holds my credit cards), glasses, keys, small lotion, lipstick and mask. This bag is also available in several shades of leather and they’re actually marked down 38% today.

Of course a lot of bags, including many of the satchels I shared above, can be worn as crossbody bags. But I love having a small camera bag like this because it doesn’t weigh me down and gives me true hands-free functionality. Likewise, I also enjoy the performance of my Brighton phone organizer for the same reason. In this bag you insert your cards directly into sleeves in the bag.

Pro Tip: To carry a smaller bag like a camera bag, keep your contents pared down. I like to carry a mini size lotion and a change purse (if necessary) to carry my essential cards.

Spring & Summer Shoulder Bags

Of course, any number of bag styles could fall into the shoulder bag category. But here I’m sharing those mid-size bags that truly work best on your shoulder. Think hobo bags, saddle bags and such.

I’m so glad to see that my Ted Baker London Amali Leather Shoulder Bag above is still available. I can’t find the bag in my color anymore, but those sold out early last spring. This year the Ted Baker London Amali Leather Shoulder Bag is available in an absolutely lovely brown, ivory or red. I think this is such a nice smallish shoulder bag for wearing with dresses or when you want something that doesn’t overwhelm your look.

Also trending in spring and summer handbags this year are baguettes and other bags that are worn even closer to the body, like the beautiful bags from Michael Kors below. I’m so in love with the colorful selections in these bags. And right now they’re having their Spring Event, so you get 25% off your purchase.

Of course, I’ll still be carrying my favorite shoulder bag, my Tory Burch leather hobo. In fact, I have three of these in various shades. My black Tory Burch leather hobo bag is probably my single most used bag, but I expect I’ll carry the others more this summer.

You’ll see some crossover in the bag in the shopping widget below. Yes, some are in my crossbody section, but that’s because they have multiple or adjustable straps and can also be worn that way.

Oooh, and I am majorly crushing on this Kate Spade Roulette Hobo bag in peach melba. It also comes in a lovely blue glow here.

Do you prefer a shoulder bag? I have lots to choose from for this spring and summer in the shopping widget below. You can save, spend or splurge!

Backpacks

Now these are REALLY trending. I’m seeing backpacks everywhere for spring and summer. And I’m all in.

I purchased my Tumi Patricia Voyageur Backpack to use on our frequent daytrips, but I find myself using it most every day lately. I took it just yesterday to the doctor and then the pharmacy. It’s so nice to have the handsfree functionality. And this backpack includes an outside pocket for your phone at the top, but it has a magnetic closure for safekeeping.

My Tumi is not on sale anymore, but this similar Tumi is 20% off. But don’t fear, I’ve got plenty of other great backpacks to choose from in the shopping widget below at all price levels. We’re seeing backpacks in leather, faux leather, vinyl, canvas and other fabrics. The sky’s the limit!

Special Occasion Bags

I know, I know. Who’s going to special occasions these days? Well, maybe this year we will. I absolutely hope we all get to attend a wedding or other special affair very soon.

Many of the bags I’ve already shared would be perfectly lovely worn with a nice dress. But if you’re looking for something a little more refined and elegant, I’ve got several lovely choices at all price ranges in the shopping widget below.

Spring & Summer Straw Handbags

I would wait until closer to summer to share a full post on straw handbags like I did last year, but that might be too late. Last year I discovered that the selection had been quite picked over by the time summer arrived. So if you, like me, love a straw purse for the summer, now might be the time to snag one. So I’m including these quintessential bags in our spring and summer handbags review.

I purchased the above Brighton Dune Straw Satchel during a rare sale at the end of the summer last year, so I haven’t actually carried it yet. But I’m chomping at the bit! This is my straw “dream bag!” Brighton is never inexpensive, but I don’t know anyone who does straw or raffia bags better either. This Brighton Dune Straw Satchel was an investment that I hope to carry for many years to come.

But I’ve found a lot of other beautiful straw bags to choose from, too. And I’ve loaded so many of them into the shopping widget below. Enjoy!

Well that’s a wrap! Or, shall we say, this post is in the bag! Ha! Okay, obviously my fever may have returned. Hmm. Thanks so much for stopping in today. I hope you find a pretty bag to celebrate spring and summer with, whether that’s here today or somewhere else soon. I hope you enjoyed our spring and summer handbag review. Have a lovely day, sweet friend.

Don’t Miss a Post:

If you like what you’re seeing here at Dressed for My Day, I invite you to subscribe to my email list. You can receive an email each time I post (about 6 times weekly) or just on Saturdays. You choose! But you’ll also receive the password to open up all the subscriber freebies I offer.

---

Blessed for My Day

Hope is so important to our well-being. It picks us up off the floor, dusts us off and squares our shoulders to keep moving forward. Hope reminds us that things are not always as they appear. In fact, it assures us that we can’t possibly see the reality of our promised future, but we can know that it is for sure and amen.

If you need a little hope today, I pray that God would fill you with His joy and peace. I pray that He would restore your perspective and give you fresh vision for what lies ahead. And I ask that He would assure you that He can do what He has said He will do. Allow God to give you renewed hope today, sweet sister. Do not despair; trust in Him.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~ Romans 15:13