Celebs kept it surprisingly covered up and professional this summer (marvel at how many of these celebs are wearing blazers or leather jackets), so much so that I sort of longed for the rampant daisy dukes that came to define summer 2013. Alas, flagrant skin exposure was mainly limited to the midriff this year. Stars mostly played it safe, and let their big, beautiful handbags do the talking. With the sole exception, of course, of Taylor Swift, who moved to Tribeca and completely reinvented herself, style-wise and (apparently!) music-wise as well.
Two other summer 2013 trends that were noticeably absent from summer 2014: neons and minis. They’ve been wholly replaced this season by moderately sized bags in pale, muted tones or rich darks. Between all the blazers and the unseasonal hues, you’d hardly know it was summer at all, if not for the fact that almost every one of these celebs is wearing a fabulous pair of designer sunglasses. But while the outfits sometimes left something to be desired, the bags certainly did not. Take a gander at our picks for the best celeb bag choices of the season, and tell us what you carried this summer!
Amy Adams
Salvatore Ferragamo Fiamma Bag
$2,250 via Saks
If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that we have a major crush on the Salvatore Ferragamo Fiamma Bag right now, and I don’t think we’ll be getting over it any time soon. Amy Adams was the first celeb we spotted with the Fiamma in tow mere weeks ago, and we’re certain many, many more will follow.
Emmy Rossum
Ralph Lauren Alligator Ricky Bag
$22,500 via Ralph Lauren
Yes, this beautiful, exotic red Ralph Lauren Alligator Ricky retails for a jaw-dropping $22,500. That’s almost 10X the price of a regular leather Ricky. Even more shocking? It’s available directly from Ralph Lauren’s website, making it by far one of the most expensive bags you can purchase online. No waiting list required!
Irina Shayk
Givenchy Pandora Box Bag
$1,650 via Barneys
The Pandora has been around for several seasons, but this ingenious reinvention practically guarantees it’ll be around for several more. The Givenchy Pandora Box Bag boasts smoother lines, smaller dimensions, an even boxier shape, AND it’s supermodel-approved! (Now get off your phone, Irina, and tell me where you got that maxi dress!)
Jessica Alba
Louis Vuitton Soft Lockit Bag
$4,250 via Louis Vuitton
Summer practically kicked off this year with the introduction of the Louis Vuitton Soft Lockit Bag: a classy, considerably less conspicuous new design from the historied, logo-loving brand. We were introduced (and reintroduced by Reese, Karlie, Charlize, and of course, Jessica) to this bag by a ridiculous number of celebs before the bag was even released. You could call Summer 2014 “The Summer of the Soft Lockit,” but I patently refuse to.
Kourtney Kardashian
Céline Tie Tote
The Céline Tie Tote screams “summer.” It invites you to stuff all your picnic supplies into it (tuna salad sandwiches I “made myself,” potato chips, an oversized blanket, plastic wine glasses and two bottles of wine) and trek down to the Hamptons for a leisurely day of illicit beach boozing. Probably because it looks a bit like a picnic basket. A very expensive picnic basket. We saw Kourtney ferrying hers around several times this summer.
Olivia Munn
Proenza Schouler PS11 Bag
$1,950 via Proenza Schouler
What’s the antithesis of an in-your-face summer “It” bag like the Louis Vuitton Soft Lockit? It’s this. A simple leather Proenza Schouler PS11. Just like Olivia Munn’s entire outfit, it’s effortlessly stylish and completely adorable. (And the PS11 just so happens to be half the price of a Soft Lockit.)
Reese Witherspoon
Maiyet Peyton Bag
$2,350 via Barneys
It’s healthy for the dominance of French fashion houses like Chanel and Dior to be challenged now and again by more obscure French brands. (Also, one can only look at so many Chanel Flap Bags.) Enter: the Maiyet Peyton Bag, on the arm of Reese Witherspoon, no less! It’s simple, chic, and orange and white like one of my favorite summer treats: the creamsicle. Oui, sil vous plais.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Saint Laurent Sac de Jour Bag
$2,750 via Nordstrom
Strange but true: no one looks better going in and out of airports than Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Rosie gave us an ample selection of bags/looks to choose from, but I have no problem singling out this gorgeous, emerald green Saint Laurent Sac de Jour. Rosie owns several Sacs, but this one is definitely my favorite.
Taylor Swift
Bulgari Isabella Rossellini Bag
$3,150 via Bulgari
Bulgari hasn’t really been a name you associate with handbags, even though they are pretty exclusively associated with conspicuous luxury items in every other department. But that all changed around the end of July, when two different celebs carried two different Bulgari bags in the same week. Two might not sound super impressive, but one of them was Taylor Swift.
Taylor Swift
Dolce & Gabbana Agata Bag
Karlie Kloss
Dolce & Gabbana Sicily Bag
Shop Dolce & Gabbana via MATCHESFASHION.COM
Yes, it’s T-Swift again, this time with another one of our favorite handbag wielders: Karlie Kloss. This is really just a pic of two (super famous) gals enjoying a nice, laid-back weekend bestie brunch with their Dolce & Gabbana handbags, like you do. And yes, Taylor gets two bests on this list. She’s definitely earned the privilege.
