In the serious seasons (aka fall & winter), I’m never really sure what bag I’m going to be carrying. There’s an expectation that an outfit is more of An Outfit, and The Bag is part of a cohesive whole. Summer, however? A totally different sport! Once the temps climb, my bag personality goes full-on vacation mode: woven, playful, a little bit quirky. Bonus points if the bag looks vaguely like something I could use to pot a plant. So whether I’m schlepping a giant beach tote or grabbing a clutch for sunset drinks, the common denominator for me is texture – raffia, net, crochet, straw.

Jane Birkin called it, decades ago: a straw (or woven) bag really does look good with everything.

There are two bags, in particular, that I’ve been carrying for almost a decade: Clare V.’s Pot de Miel is one (see, “5 Years Later, This Bag Is Still Worth It” written in 2022!!) and Clare V’s Sandy Tote is the other. I’ve been so happy with both of these bags that they’ve basically ruined me for all other summer bags. (The Sandy Tote, in particular, is amazing for travel, too. And washes/dries beautifully.)

The 10 Best Woven Summer Bags That Are Jane Birkin Cool (Says Me)

Still, June has me scrolling. The result? A shortlist of ten bags: a mix of long-time workhorses I already swear by and a few new finds that make my heart beat fast. None of these bags are precious, mind you – they’re intended to be used, worn with everything, in all situations. And all of them nail that Jane Birkin, cool-kid, summer vibe.

1. Bembien Naomi Bag

Bembien Naomi Woven Shoulder Bag

This is the bag I’m the most excited about this summer. Such a cool, updated shape, with Bembien’s usual meticulous craftsmanship (all Bembien bags are hand-woven). I love the play of a fancy-casual here (and the woven part is astonishingly beautiful).

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2. Naghedi St. Barths Petit Tote Bag

Naghedi St. Barts Petit Tote

Naghedi is a female-founded, majority female-led, slow fashion brand that makes these seriously cool, yet indestructable bags out of woven neoprene stripes. Each bag is woven by hand by artisans working from home, and they each produce just one or two bags per day. This bag is probably my most-used bag all summer.

top – sold out, here’s similar | jeans – sold out, here’s similar | sandals | bag | necklace | earrings

The color, ‘cashmere’ seems to go with everything (yet is a really pretty neutral) that packs flat in a suitcase (all Naghedi bags do, actually). I especially love how this one can be carried as a day bag or a nighttime clutch.

Sometimes I’ll thread one handle through the other which helps in high pick-pocket areas and/or just changes the shape a bit.

dress | petit tote | shoes | ring

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3. Clare V. Sandy Bag

Clare V Sandy Tote

I can’t say enough good things about this bag: it’s another one of my most-worn, looks cool with every outfit, and packs easily into a suitcase. Mine had gotten a little grubby from years of use, so I recently threw it into the wash and it came out just as good as before. If I had to point to one bag that’s the biggest no-brainer on the list….it’s this one.

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4. Bembien Franci Bag

Bembien Franci Woven Bag

I have been stalking Bembien for years – their designs are special, and this one, Bembien’s Franci Bag is a good example of why. It’s hand-woven (raffia), with real leather straps and a leather base so it’ll keep its shape. I also love how the whole thing just channels some [she waves hands, vaguely] vintage-Riviera energy, too.

If you’re looking for a larger tote, Bembien also happens make this exact one in a larger, beach-tote size, too.

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5. Clare V. Pot De Miel

Clare V. Pot de Miel

People always ask me if stuff falls out of this bag and the answer is…never. The shape is brilliant, I get complements every time I carry it, it looks good in EVERY situation/outfit, and it holds a TON of stuff. The only downside to this bag is that it doesn’t pack into a suitcase very well. That said…it’s still one of my most-worn bags (so much so that I own it in two colors), at least 8 years running.

tee (m) | pants (m) | shoes | bag | earrings | ring

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6. Sezane Justine Basket Bag

Sezane Basket Bag

This bag comes in bunch of different options – plain straw, with various leather handle colors, different embroidery – and I honestly like them all! This bag is a perfect shape for tossing over your shoulder, yet there’s multiple straps (that easily fold away) so you can also carry this bag by hand, too. But the best part is that there’s an interior drawstring pocket to secure valuables. So if you’ve been eying the Pot De Miel but were pausing because of that open design…this is a solid compromise.

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7. Naghedi St. Barths Large Tote Bag

Naghedi St. Bart Large Tote

If you’re looking for a beach bag that is lightweight, packable and also indestructible…voila! And while those handles look narrow, they’re designed to stretch a little over time, so you can, actually, carry this bag over your shoulder. This one comes in a zillion colors (I, of course, own the taupe aka “cashmere”).

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8. Woven Checkered Tote Bag

Woven Checkered Tote

If you want a simple, easy little tote that can be used for running errands, beach trips, packs flat into a suitcase, and is cute enough to perk up boring outfits for, uh, under $50? It’s this guy. I love it so freaking much. It’s also machine washable, and made by women-owned, small business, Casupo, who donates proceeds from every purchase to FUNDANICA, an organization that provides medical care to children in the Venezuelan mountains where the founder, Luz, grew up.

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9. Mansur Gavriel Pascucci Bag

Manseur Gavriel Pascucci Bag

Mansur Gavriel’s limited-edition Pascucci Tote is, technically, a collector’s piece: the Italian canvas is hand-stamped in Pascucci’s centuries-old workshop, finished with vegetable-tanned leather handles, and each bag is individually numbered. But it’s still a big ‘ol canvas tote (fits a 16″ laptop), albeit a really freaking cool one. Despite the collector’s item status, this bag should be used – it’ll only get better and better with wear. This is the one that is currently haunting my dreams.

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10. Staud Caro Bucket Bag

Staud Caro Bucket Bag in Woven Leather | Staud Caro Bucket Bag, Jeweled

Staud’s leather woven bucket bag strikes the right note of playful & put-together. I have the plain leather one, and am always surprised by how much it elevates my outfits. While it doesn’t hold things in as well as the Clare V. Pot de Miel (I do have to be a little careful of what I put in it)…there’s no doubt it is a really, really cool bag. I’ve primarily used mine for the quickest of errands or date night.

top (s) | shorts (30) | sandals | bag | earrings

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xo,

S