The Hottest Bag Trends to Warm Up Your Winter

Winter is fast approaching, which, for fashion lovers, means time to bundle up in that elegant wool coat that's been sitting in your closet for a year, just waiting for the cold to arrive. It's also another excuse to splurge on a bag that will get you through your winter blues, or at least that's how you can convince yourself to pull out your credit card... It's a need, not a want. To make things even better, this season's bag trends are nothing short of captivating... And by that, I mean not being able to stop thinking about them until you're taking one—or two—home.

Juergen Teller for Coach

Stand via Vogue Runway

As we move into the winter season, the padded trend isn't going anywhere. We've all seen the padded sandals trend that was prominent during the warmer months, but as we move into colder weather, puffer jackets aren't the only excessively puffed items available. Excessively padded and cloud-like bags are all the rage, as the Coach Pillow Tabby took social media by storm. Making its debut in the summer, the highly anticipated fall/winter restock means it's a sought-after bag this season. As someone who managed to get their hands on said bag, it was definitely worth it. In like manner, Scandinavian brand, Stand Studio, brought padded fashion to the forefront of their FW21 collection, with a variety of padded styles of bags premiering at Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW).

Prada FW21 via Vogue Runway

If you prefer a more classic design, structured shoulder bags are popular. Not only are they super sleek and compact, but they add effortless sophistication to any look. You can find one by virtually every designer under the sun, including but not limited to Prada, Gucci, and Staud. Key elements of the bag consist of structured, glossy leather with one shoulder strap and minimal hardware. With very similar attributes throughout each brand's adaptation, it is clear that the style is a must purchase this season. Although Gucci came out with a revamped Jackie in the fall of 2020, the style originally dates back to the '60s, proving that it will be current for years to come.

Tod's via Vogue Runway

Burberry via British Vogue

Although the padded and structured shoulder bags tend to appear in smaller styles, that doesn't count larger bags out completely. The big bag has gone from overly heavy and inconvenient to chic, lightweight and oversized with a mere facelift. What makes this updated version so much better is the construction. With thick straps and structureless fabrics, not only are they less bulky under the arm, but they hold a lot more without sacrificing style. Tod's showed a larger bag with similar features to Gucci's Jackie bag, whilst Burberry and Lemaire took oversized to the maximum, pairing voluminousness with another bag trend, soft and fluffy fabrics.

Marques' Almeida via British Vogue

Maybe you're into fuzzy bags but are more of an "only the essentials" kind of person, in which case, Marques' Almeida's feather-trimmed mini bags are for you.

Longchamp via British Vogue

Fendi via Vogue Runway

And if you're more of a detail-oriented person, chain-strap bags just might be your pick. Paired with simple and classic designs, both thin and thick chain-linked straps of all colours can elevate any handbag. Longchamp opted for a bold white chain against pops of colour, while Fendi went for sexy minimalism with gold chains popping against stark black bags. Seen prominently in HVISK collections for the past few years, the trend is debuting throughout luxury collections in a large-scale way. As for the bags themselves, the chain can aggrandize clutches, shoulder bags, and anything in between. A little bit can go a really long way with this trend.

If you're still not convinced you need a new winter bag, I commend you. But you should still get one. Not only will they look sublime next to that wool coat, but they'll also last you a lifetime. It's safe to say that these bags hold a lot of longevity with the minimalist in mind. Plus, isn't it so much more rewarding to purchase something you know you can use for decades? I think so. In any case, what you should be doing once leaving this post is instantly starting to browse for that one bag that is sure to warm up your winter.