Just Because It’s Warm Outside Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Carry a Black Bag for Spring and Summer

Black? For spring? Groundbreaking.

It’s lovely to think of all the pretty, bright hues we’ll wear during warm weather, especially when we’re waiting out the doldrums of winter, but in reality, that’s not how a lot of women dress. I’m among that group; I’d put my collection of black sundresses up against anyone’s, and warm weather rarely has a significant impact on the colors that appear on my clothing or accessories. While I can appreciate brights or pastels for others, my spring and summer bags tend to be the same color as everything else in my closet: black. And I’m far from alone.

Designers have always understood this phenomenon on a certain level; they all produce black leather all year. Lately, though, it seems as though some of them have picked up on the seasonless love for black bags in a more nuanced way, with an increasing number of dark straw and woven bags dotting the summer market.

Of course, a bag can still be black leather (or even black suede) and still feel like a summer bag, because a summer bag is a little bit like obscenity—you know it when you see it. Below, we’ve collected 20 options that we think fit the bill, including some options that mix significant black with other colors, in case you’re looking to branch out (but not too much).