TLDR: We need to talk about M&S handbags
Who knew Marks' was suddenly killing it in the bag department? Here are my personal picks.
So I guess I missed the memo, but colour me enlightened. I went on to the M&S website yesterday to research an unrelated post, and got completely waylaid by the excellence of the own-brand bags. They’ve somehow managed to pay homage to the big designer brands without making nasty ripoffs - nothing is overstyled, over-detailed or too ambitious and consequently stays well on the right side of tasteful.
There were so many I loved from the over 500 styles on the site (though I’d honestly only bother with the 144 by M&S. By comparison, most of the branded bags looked like they’d come from another decade), that I thought I’d pick out my favourites for you to see. To be clear: this comes to you with zero involvement from M&S, who have no idea what I’m up to. I’m doing this purely because I cannot believe how much their accessories game has been raised, and my policy for Goodness is: “If I’d text the recommendation to my girlfriends, then I should be Substacking it”. As a handbag fiend, I would very happily wear any of the 12 that follow. All of them are under £100.
1. Leather Shoulder Bag, £79.99
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Is it boring? Arguably, yes. Is it useful, practical, versatile, roomy, all leather, pretty secure and well laid out for a (currently very trendy) hobo style bag? Also yes. Comes in a lovely cream colour too, which is tempting, since it perks up an all black, navy, beige or brown outfit. Besides, no one wants to pay designer money on something that relies so heavily on the appearance of British summertime.
2. Leather Woven Shoulder Bag, £99
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Bottega Veneta dupes look infinitely better than high street interpretations of most other designers’ work, because a leather weave is classic and timeless in its own right, and looks way more convincing than an approximation of someone else’s loud logo or quirky design feature. I also love leather weave because I often dress monochromatically, and so any interesting texture stops an outfit looking homogenous and flat. You obviously can’t go wrong with the black, but I also like this cream colour a lot.
3. Leather Sling Bag, £79
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If there’s any fashion fan left in Britain who owns neither the Uniqlo banana bag nor the COS sling bag, this latecomer may be the best buy of them all. The grainy pebbled leather will make it more resistant to scratches, and the interior zip pocket means essentials like a railcard and keys won’t get swallowed into the black hole. The substantial adjustable strap gives the whole thing an edge, too.
4. Leather Woven Cross Body Bag, £49.50
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A perfect little summer bag for chucking across you en route to the beer garden or beach bar. I love the idea of the black version across a plain cotton summer dress or T-shirt and denim shorts, although in this compact size, the silver adds just the right sized flash of metallic and is tempting.
5. Faux Leather Cross Body Bag, £35
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No prizes for guessing correctly which iconic Celine handbag inspired this one. There’s something very Parisian cool-girl about its satchel shape and minimal styling. This version has a fluted, rich gold-tone clasp and comes in a toffee, black or a summery two-tone black and natural canvas combo. Very elegant over wide legged jeans and a button up shirt, and an absolute steal.
6. Sequin Shoulder Bag, £39.50
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I mostly hate pink, I don’t like eveningwear and don’t much care for sequins (I own one sequinned item), so I really don’t know what’s come over me here. But there’s something about this that I like a lot. I think it’s the oversized shape of the sequins and the slouchy shape, which together make it less dainty and girly, more like somewhere an edgy Maid of Honour would keep her red lipstick, condom and party fags. I’d like to see it against battered jeans, an old grey sweatshirt and sandals, too. Also comes in a nice slate grey.
7. Tote Bag, £25
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I like the look of crochet bags and loose-weave, but I can’t be doing with turning my handbag into a messy, leaky window display of all my personal belongings. This considerately subdues my neurosis around lost lipsticks, pens and Tampax, with a matching canvas lining that sits inside for privacy and security, and an additional pouch for small items and valuables - both of which can be thrown into the machine. Excellent. I like the natural colourway with a stripy Breton, or the black against beige, white or khaki, but there are a couple of cool brights for the more adventurous.
8. Faux Leather Shoulder Bag, £39.50
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A dead ringer for Phoebe Philo’s beautiful Bean Bag, only smaller, vegan-appropriate and costing less than a new bathroom. Both colourways go with everything and anything, and the magnetic closure holds its shape and stops the gape.
9. Straw Striped Tote Bag, £29.50
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Another bag with the helpful canvas insert, this is very similar to one I bought last year from Muun, which I love a lot but cost me about three times as much. The big, wide tote style isn’t secure enough for summer in the city, but does make for a perfect errand, shopping or beach bag. I love the black touches - they make the whole thing less rustic and twee, more smart and modern. I’d buy it now if I didn’t already own something like it.
10. Leather Pleated Sling Cross Body Bag, £79
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My favourite. Remember what I was saying about texture? I am frequently funereal, and so any variation in texture breaks up an otherwise minimal, monochromatic outfit, adding interest and dimension. This is a brilliant bag - in both colourways. The gold hardware, all-leather exterior and Issey Miyake-esque plissé folds elevate it to something much more special and dressy than a regular sling style, and the adjustable strap allows for optimum under-boob positioning. So, so good. Getting.
11. Straw Tote Bag, £45
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Let’s not beat around the bush. Clearly, this is inspired by the classic Loewe basket bag. So if you’ve ever wanted that, but balked at hundreds of pounds for a bag wearable only on the three sunny days of the year, then look no further. This is smart, well made and looks great with pretty much any casual summer outfit. The trim here isn’t real leather, but for £45, one musn’t grumble.
12. Faux Leather Woven Cross Body Bag, £29.50
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More Bottega vibes. A brilliant summer holiday bag for carrying through the airport to keep passports and tickets close to hand, before dumping into a larger carry-on for the flight. On arrival, it’s the perfect size and wipe-clean material for carrying sunglasses, room key, wallet and sunscreen, and at home, it’s a great grab-and-go for a quick coffee or swift half. I’d prefer it to be all leather, in all honesty, but no one could expect it for this price and vegans can rejoice.
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Hi Sali I love this thanks . Totally unrelated but looking for pretty bras and matching big knickers that don’t cost a fortune but are better than the current selection at M&S , age appropriate I think for a late fifties lady who has smallish boobs sized 36 B .
Thanks so much Sali x
Coincidentally I asked for your advice for a wedding frock last year , you were so helpful and I eventually bought one you recommended at wyse but then another one you’d recommended went on sale at Me & Em so I now have two , the latter is my choice for the day , navy and cream silk with full skirt , it’s a beauty I would never have found had it not been for you so thank you so much for being so kind .
Wedding is next month , will send you a pic 💕
Oh, belts as well please.