In New York, your bag contains your life for the day. It’s basically the equivalent of a car. And New Yorkers are always walking which means that their outfits (and bags) are always on display. So yeah, handbags are pretty important when you live in NYC. I don’t live in NYC anymore but it remains one of my favorite places to visit—and people-watch.
I just returned from a trip to the city, and my eyes were peeled for one fashion item, in particular: Yes, it’s handbags. There were six fresh trends I saw over and over, and they coincide with the trends NYC girls have been Instagramming as of late. Each of these trends is functional, versatile, and cool. And they’re all useful no matter where you live. Because if a bag works for NYC life, it’ll work for life in pretty much any city.
Keep scrolling to familiarize yourself with—and shop—the current favorite bag trends among NYC girls.
If you have a really long day and need to carry everything from an umbrella to a change of shoes with you, a slouchy shoulder bag will see you through.
NYC girls are all about trendy bags (that are also functional, of course), and metallics are reigning supreme right now in that category. They somehow kind of go with everything.
Totes, which were once reserved for work and travel, are now perfectly acceptable to carry around the city and beyond. Just toss everything you could possibly need for the next twelve hours in it and you’re out the door.
Thanks in large part to Prada and Miu Miu, bowling bags are one of the freshest trends of the season. It’s a great option if you want something polished yet trend-forward.
Fashion girls have fallen hard for Hermès Kelly bags as of late, which has lead to the rise of structured satchels across the board. It’s a trend that elevates any outfit.
New Yorkers used to have the stereotype of wearing black all the time, but that line of thinking has faded. For example, during my trip, I saw tons of colorful shoulder bags that would’ve fit right in during the ’90s and early ’00s.
Next up, the “It” handbag colors of 2023.