Timeless totes, handbags, and clutches.
Sipping coffee outside at the Royal Poinciana Plaza on a stunning day in Palm Beach, I was intrigued by the ‘simple’ straw bags which many women carry. They are casual and neutral with a carefree, ‘This old thing?’ attitude – but each one has a personality and style. Paired with white or black – they look timeless and chic. Add a scarf for color.
It turns out that ‘straw’ bags can be made of raffia, regular straw, jute, cornhusks, bamboo and even seagrass. Rattan and wicker bags give a similar, timeless natural look.
This Straw Cabana Tote has ‘saddle’ leather handles, and it also comes with navy and white handles. $295
Eric Javits makes tailored, well-made ‘straw’ bags (and hats). I have one which must be 20 years old, and I love it. The secret is Squishee® which is a man-made material that resembles raffia but has advantages in flexibility and durability. It is lighter weight than straw.
This Squishee Bardot Straw tote comes in natural/black and shell/white. It can be rolled up if you can bear to put it into your suitcase. It has two inside patch pockets and a key clip holder. 13½” L x 10½” H X 7″ W. On sale for 227.50.
This Squishee® Bel Air natural bag has a zipper top, an outside leather pocket for easy access, a sidewall zipper compartment, dual patch pockets, and a key clip. 12″ L 11″ h 5.75″w. On sale for $262.50.
This handwoven Caitlyn seagrass tote has faux leather straps. 12” h x 18” wide and 5.5” deep. A portion of profits goes to the Areeya Scholarship Fund, benefiting Thai weaver communities by providing financial means for young women and children to attend school. $142. A larger Camryn seagrass tote is $160
This simple, chic, raffia moon tote has a magnetic closure and an interior zip pocket. 11.5″W x 13″H x 3″D. It also comes in black. $295
Handwoven straw tote bag. L15.8″ x H11″ x W4.5″. $43.99.
This Crochet Raffia Tote has metallic threads. The top handle is a 5” circle. The brand, Flora Bella, was founded by a Dallas-based husband-wife-daughter trio. It comes in Almond/Silver and Natural/Gold. $220
This raffia zip pouch from Aerin can help organize the inside of your bag and double as a clutch. It comes with hearts in natural, chartreuse and denim and closes with a zipper. 10.0″h x 13.0″w. $80
This AERIN small striped raffia pouch has a cotton lining and a zipper. 6.0″h x 8.5″w
This Allegra raffia pouch has a cotton lining and a zipper closure. 8″h x 11.4″w
Raffia fibers come from leaves stripped from Raffia Palms. The strands are dried in the sun resulting in a warm sand color. The fibers are graded and sometimes dyed. They contain a resin that makes the fibers flexible and resilient and somewhat water-resistant. Raffia harvesting is considered a sustainable practice.
An investment? This HERMES 35cm Barénia Fauvre Straw Kelly Picnic Bag Natural is currently listed on 1st Dibs for $75,000. Choose your new straw bag well and maybe it will become a classic.
