I spent three summers convinced basket bags were a holiday costume prop, something you wear once in Sicily and never again, filed next to the raffia hat you bought in a panic at the airport. I was wrong, and I’ve come round to it slowly, the way you come round to admitting your mother was right about something.
A good basket bag earns its keep because it does the opposite of what your other bags do. It’s not trying to look expensive, it’s not trying to look sleek, it’s just doing an honest job of carrying your stuff while looking like it grew there. The best ones have proper structure through the base so they don’t slump into a puddle of straw the second you put a water bottle in, and handles that feel like they’d survive being swung about rather than snapping the first time you rush for a bus. Leather trim helps, not for the look of it particularly, but because it’s usually the bit that goes first if it’s cheap.
Where it gets interesting is how hard you can push it against things it has no business being near. Worn with something sharp, a tailored shirt, a slip skirt, proper trousers, it stops being a beach prop and starts doing the job a good bag should do, which is undercut whatever’s too neat about the rest of the outfit.
My colleague picked one up off my desk convinced I’d raided a garden centre and then wanted to know where it was from within about four minutes flat once she’d seen it against a plain black dress. That’s the trick. It reads as considered specifically because it looks like it shouldn’t be there.
Practically, keep it light on hardware and let the shape do the work, a rounder silhouette softens anything too stiff, a structured rectangular one holds its own against something more fluid. It’s right for the obvious moments, lunch outside, a market, anything with sun involved, but it’s just as good doing quiet duty on a normal Tuesday when you want a bag that doesn’t look like it’s trying. Just don’t get precious about a bit of straw fraying at the edge. That’s not damage. That’s just it starting to look like yours.
Top Picks
BASKET BAGHARVEY NICHOLS USAncient Greek Bags Basket Medium Brown Leather Bucket bag - Natural
$334.88 HARVEY NICHOLS US
BASKET BAGSHOPBOPHunting Season The Lattice Basket Tote Bag Natural/Oyster One
$395.00 SHOPBOP
BASKET BAGFARMRIORaffia Basket Tote Bag Small
$358.00 FARMRIO
CERQULARHeart Basket Bag Pink - Straw Bag - Iraca Palm Handbag, Top Handle Purse
$80.00 CERQULAR
CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDsatin basket bucket bag bow woven handbag fashionable versatile single shoulder woven bag
$25.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED
MARISSA COLLECTIONSKnot Small Basket Shoulder Bag
$695.00 MARISSA COLLECTIONS
MARISSA COLLECTIONSKnot Large Basket Bag
$795.00 MARISSA COLLECTIONS
MARISSA COLLECTIONSKnot Small Basket Bag
$695.00 MARISSA COLLECTIONS
JOE BROWNSStriped Woven Basket Bag - by Joe Browns
$28.00 JOE BROWNS
MERI MERIFlower Pot Basket Bag
$55.00 MERI MERI
RENT THE RUNWAYClaudie Pierlot Accessories Woven Basket Bucket Bag Brown
$231.00 RENT THE RUNWAY
THE LUXURY CLOSETChloe Marcie Large Off White/Natural Raffia and Leather Basket Bag
$695.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET
THE LUXURY CLOSETCeline Triomphe Black/Beige Raffia and Printed Coated Canvas Basket Bag
$526.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET
SHOPBOPPolo Ralph Lauren Bellport Stripe Raffia Basket Tote Bag Multi Stripe One
$598.00 SHOPBOP
FARMRIOBlack Scarf Raffia Mini Basket Bag
$258.00 FARMRIO
CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDsatin basket bucket bag bow woven handbag fashionable versatile single shoulder woven bag - yellow
$25.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED
ANTHROPOLOGIE (US)Fio Steel Basket with Removable Cotton Canvas Bag
$175.00 ANTHROPOLOGIE (US)
HARVEY NICHOLS USJacquemus Le Panier Soli Raphia Frayed Raffia Basket bag - Brown
$534.52 HARVEY NICHOLS US
ANTHROPOLOGIE (US)Raffia Straw Basket Bag
$98.00 ANTHROPOLOGIE (US)
MERI MERITrick Or Treat Cat Basket Bag
$50.00 MERI MERI
RENT THE RUNWAYYuzefi Grape Mini Woven Basket Bag Purple
$59.00 RENT THE RUNWAY
SHOPBOPLiffner Straw Basket Bag Black One
$445.00 SHOPBOP
RENT THE RUNWAYMaje Mini Striped Basket Bag Multicolored
$96.00 RENT THE RUNWAY
RENT THE RUNWAYClaudie Pierlot Accessories Small Woven Basket Bag With Ring Black
$192.00 RENT THE RUNWAY
DAILY SALE, INC.Fishing Net Hanging Dryer Bag Mesh Clothes Drying Basket Rack - 4 Layer
$23.00 DAILY SALE, INC.
THE WEBSTERMedium Logo Straw And Leather Basket Bag
$490.00 THE WEBSTER
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUNDWomen's Loewe White Raffia Anagram Basket Bag Small in White Small
$630.00 WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDsatin basket bucket bag bow woven handbag fashionable versatile single shoulder woven bag - Sky blue
$25.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED
TENNIS EXPRESSBall Hopper EZ Basket 150 Bag
$27.99 TENNIS EXPRESS
THE LUXURY CLOSETFendi FF Logo Stamp Off White/Brown PVC Basket Bag
$717.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET
THE LUXURY CLOSETLoewe Candle Brown Leather Basket Bag
$771.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET
THE LUXURY CLOSETCeline Triomphe Beige/brown Raffia and Leather Basket Bag
$916.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET
CERQULARBasket Palm Bag - Straw Bag - Handbag Iraca Palm, Top Handle Purse
$85.00 CERQULAR
HARVEY NICHOLS USChloe Woody Logo-embroidered Raffia Basket bag - Blue
$837.21 HARVEY NICHOLS US
W CONCEPT (US)TRM Recycle Polyester Flower Basket Bag (T14F)
$94.00 W CONCEPT (US)
SHOPBOPHunting Season The Lattice Basket Tote Bag Natural/Oyster One
$395.00 SHOPBOP
BROCHU WALKERThe Dune Basket Bag
$188.00 BROCHU WALKER
HARVEY NICHOLS USAncient Greek Bags Basket Medium Brown Leather Bucket bag - Natural
$334.88 HARVEY NICHOLS US
FARMRIORaffia Basket Tote Bag Large
$478.00 FARMRIO
HARVEY NICHOLS USLoewe Anagram Raffia Basket bag - Natural
$895.17 HARVEY NICHOLS US
FARMRIOPrinted Raffia Mini Basket Bag
$368.00 FARMRIO
SHOPBOPHunting Season The Small Trapeze Basket Tote Bag Taupe/Black One
$495.00 SHOPBOP
DAILY SALE, INC.Fishing Net Hanging Dryer Bag Mesh Clothes Drying Basket Rack - 3 Layer
$21.00 DAILY SALE, INC.
HARVEY NICHOLS USChloe Woody Raffia Basket bag - Natural
$759.93 HARVEY NICHOLS US
W CONCEPT (US)BAKOO Portable Foldable Shopping Market Basket Bag Mermaid
$47.00 W CONCEPT (US)
HARVEY NICHOLS USAlemais Macrame Midi Woven Basket bag - Beige
$502.32 HARVEY NICHOLS US
ACCESSORIZE UKCream Beaded Fish Woven Basket Bag
$35.00 ACCESSORIZE UK
FARMRIORaffia Basket Tote Bag Small
$358.00 FARMRIO
W CONCEPT (US)Basket Bag Ver.I_Brown
$340.00 W CONCEPT (US)
−70%
OLD NAVYStraw Basket Bag for Toddler Girls$34.97
$10.49 OLD NAVY
−30%
ACCESSORIZE UKTan Double Strap Jute Basket Bag$35.00
$24.50 ACCESSORIZE UK
−50%
HARVEY NICHOLS USChloe Woody Woven Raffia Basket bag - Beige$837.20
$418.60 HARVEY NICHOLS US
−30%
HARVEY NICHOLS USLoewe X Paula's Ibiza Medium Checked Raffia Basket bag - Fuchsia$966.01
$676.21 HARVEY NICHOLS US
