We don’t encourage impulse shopping here at Who What Wear. These days, it’s obviously important to be more thoughtful about our purchases to make sure our considered buys stay in rotation in our wardrobes for as long as possible. But, when I saw that Arket’s curved leather and straw bag had arrived back in stock for 2023, let me tell you, I moved fast to add it to my basket and place the order before I could miss out again. To be fair, although the speed at which I checked out may seem impulsive (especially coming from someone who usually sits pondering over my online carts for months until the season ends or things sell out), this wasn’t a purchase I hadn’t thought a lot about.
The bag in question—a leather-trimmed, raffia bag in a slouchy, curved shape—actually came out last spring, and after seeing it being styled up on multiple influencers’ Instagram feeds I started to think it would make a great addition to my capsule collection of handbags. After all, it was reasonably affordable coming in under £100 and classic enough to go with everything in my wardrobe of mostly neutrals; the straw made it feel really fresh for the warmer seasons, and perfect for both beach days and city outings thanks to the hard-wearing leather straps; the practical size sit somewhere between my tote bags and mini crossbodies (a gap I’d been trying to fill for a long time), and the modern, sling-like design added a cool edge to everyday outfits (much like a larger version of my beloved COS crossbody). I had sold it to myself, but when I finally went to buy the bag mid-way through the season, it was sadly out of stock.
Since then, my desire for this bag has only grown and I often find myself putting together outfits and longingly wishing I had bought it when I’d had the chance. Which was all the proof I needed when I saw it pop up in Arket’s new-in section once again this week. I’m sure I’m not alone in my love of this bag. In fact, when I excitedly shared the link on our team Slack channels, deputy editor, Maxine Eggenberger, commented instantly on how much she had loved it last year, too. So, I thought it was only right (after I’d purchased my own this time, obvs), to share the good news of its return with you all.
Keep scrolling to shop the bag now, along with the elegant black leather version that’s also proving incredibly popular (the suede styles have already sold out). I’m pretty obsessed with this curved bag shape and seem to be seeing it everywhere at the moment, so I’ve added a few more similar styles below as well. Just don’t make the same mistake that I did and miss out.
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