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Not all trips call for a strictly practical travel wardrobe. While crossbody bags and backpacks are the ideal everyday sightseeing bag on a trip, having a nice purse can breathe life into neutral outfits and transform a classic tee/jeans ensemble into something special. These are the best summer handbags to infuse style into your vacation this season!
Best Summer Handbags
Written By: Niki Landry
It’s no secret that accessories can make or break an outfit. Especially when traveling with limited options and usually neutral palettes, accessories and handbags are the perfect way to liven up any travel wardrobe.
If you’re looking for traditional travel purse options, read this:
- Cute Backpack Purses for Sightseeing
- Why Crossbody Purses are the Best for Travel
- Best Antitheft Travel Bags for Women
- How to Choose the Best Purse Organizers
We’ve narrowed down the best summer handbags to brighten up your travel outfits. There are no basic bags here–only fun patterns, bright colors, and interesting embellishments have made the cut.
Tassels
Tassels are showing up everywhere! They embellish shoes, jewelry, clothing, and my favorite…handbags. A little accent of fringe is a great way to add interest to plain bags and purses.
Tassels are the perfect complement to the boho chic crossbody above. The best part about tassels is that most are easily removable, giving you two bags in one.
You can also purchase tassels sans bag and use them to dress up an existing handbag. It’s an affordable way to bring new life to older purses.
Looking for crossbody purses? Choose the best travel purse that’s right for you!
Leather Crossbody Bag Handbag Purse
Perforated
These punched-out patterns have the airy feeling of lace or eyelet, but instead work well with a structured material or leather. Pick up one of these pieces in a bright color and it will transition well from sightseeing to a summer night out.
Use this bag to play up wedges and a crisp white sundress. Together, they’ll create the loveliest balance of flirty and fashionable.
Find out the best travel pants that you can wear everywhere and which styles top our list!
Floral
The signature sign of spring and the perfect pattern to spruce up your travel outfit is a pretty floral. From soft and sweet tones to bold punches of color, the options are practically endless when it comes to floral print.
If you’re in the market for a new crossbody bag, this white and multicolor piece from reader-favorite Fossil can easily transition into a year-round bag, making it a smart and versatile choice.
Floral print dress styles are super popular right now. Check out our top picks and outfits showing you 2 ways to wear each one!
Woven
Woven handbags can come in many forms, but I love the classic straw style that has completely dominated the season. This versatile bag will work with just any sundress you pair it with!
Finish off the look with polarized sunglasses and gladiator sandals for a day out sightseeing in Europe.
What are neutral colors? Take a look at our clothing ideas for your capsule travel wardrobe!
Animal
There is no better time to sport a purse with an animal embellishment then on vacation in the summer. These purses were made to travel.
There’s no need to stress about your outfits when you can sling on these bags to instantly elevate any ensemble. The funky elephant print in the bag above would be right at home at a resort or beach in Southeast Asia.
Pair it with our favorite beach sandals that readers rave about – you can also use some for trips away from the sea, too!
Beaded
I’m usually not one for a beaded purse, but when paired with a crisp white shirt and denim, even I can get on board with these bags. Beaded details seem to work best on a clutch as opposed to an everyday purse, and they would easily dress up an outfit for a night out on your trip.
Flat pack them in your luggage and be sure to protect the delicate details from being beaten during transit. They are a little more high maintenance than your traditional travel bag, but for the right trip they may be worth the effort.
Learn how to pack lightly, efficiently, and fashionably for any destination with the Pack Light Stylishly e-book!
What do you think are the best summer handbags for vacation? Share in the comments!
For more tips on travel bags, please read:
- How to Choose the Best In-flight Travel Purse
- The Best Anti-theft Travel Bags for Women
- Shop the Best Beach Bags and Totes for Summer Vacation
- How to Make a DIY Camera Bag Purse
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Author Bio: Niki is an interior designer and artist from Louisiana. In addition to her design work, she writes for local and online publications sharing her experiences and passion for travel. Niki is currently adding stamps to her passport while building her design practice, Niki Landry Designs.
Love this article! I had an old beat up backpack which I need to replace soon, and this post gave me plenty of ideas.
I currently own the gypsy bag from The Sak and its doing a GREAT job of being trendy and being a hold all!!