Until recently—and coinciding with the dawn of the midpriced handbag—I was much more of a shoe person. Designer handbags had always felt so far out of reach, and cheap bag styles didn't particularly appeal either. So I'd often buy vintage or secondhand bags, or be particularly picky about anything affordable.
However, one guiding rule always led me to something that looked chic and expensive, no matter the price tag or heritage… Tan handbags always look sophisticated, and the simpler, plainer styles will not only look classy, but they'll also be timeless, too—meaning you get more bang for whatever buck you've put down.
I've always found that tan and brown accessories work better with everything in my wardrobe: Black can be too harsh (especially during the summer months), white flits in and out of trashy territory, navy is hard to come by and other neutrals are only available as and when they're in fashion. So tan has always been there, a supportive friend in times of great outfit need.
Due to the trends aligning and the fashion gods or data crunchers perhaps seeing just how well women like me respond to tan bags when they're on the market, it's a category that has more options than ever before.
My latest tan bag addition: A raffia style from Elleme.
Last year, the look really hit its stride, with cult labels such as Staud, Loewe and Wandler creating the kind of tan bags that felt as classic as they did of-the-moment. I invested in a Staud Bissett bucket bag, but in all honesty I've been collecting different iterations for years now. Scroll down to see the styles I own, plus shop my edit of the best tan handbags to buy right now (and love forever and ever).
Mulberry's mini drawstring style is one I often use for work.
An unusual box-shaped style from Danse Lente.
Monogrammed and personalised from Coach.
Wandler's bags are a popular choice in the WWW office.
I've been carrying this Staud bag for a few summers now.
Not forgetting a more trend-driven alternative—a belt bag from & Other Stories.
The Best Tan Handbags Under £2000
Okay, it's £100 over the limit, but LOOK AT IT.
The Marni style I've been saving up for. It will be mine one day!
Still not over this Chloé bag.
It's the one with the big fashion following and an even bigger waiting list. It will be arriving back in stock soon.
The Best Tan Handbags Under £1000
I'm really into Wandler's clean lines.
I also own this little guy, and it's great for workdays when I don't need or want to carry too many items.
Related: The One Product All Busy Girls Need in Their Handbag
Acne's quietly cool handbags are gathering quite the following.
When you want a tan tote with a bit more personality, check out Boyy.
Best Tan Handbags Under £500
Obsessed with this unusual shape.
All the French girls love this brand.
It's the new brand everyone's talking about.
This is the Staud style I already own, and I've used it so much.
The Best Tan Handbags Under £100
Those teeny-tiny shoulder backs you had forgotten about are back.
A trending alternative for summer 2019.
Croc-effect accessories are still going strong into A/W 19.
The perfect little summer companion.
Next up, everything you could ever need to know about Chanel bags.
