There’s always something else to buy, isn’t there? This time, your handbag needs a little pick-me-up. A trinket, keyring or charm is just the dopamine rush you and your arm candy need to get through this dismal summer, according to Gigi Hadid, who is still a staunch advocate of String Ting.
Should we be taking style tips from a woman who wore not one, but two taxi cab-yellow looks (one Miu Miu, one LaQuan Smith, since you asked) last night? Yes, we should, for Hadid has already catapulted both kicked bobs and jorts into the mainstream this season.
The common thread connecting Hadid’s searing Deadpool premiere looks was her petite Miu Miu purse, laden with the kind of touristy paraphernalia a sight-seer might pick up after a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Even the most hardened fashion editor isn’t immune to the joy of a novelty purchase scored for a dime on a whim. Just look at the frenzy Demna whipped up with his nostalgic eBay gifts, which he reportedly personally sourced for editors as his autumn/winter 2024 show invitations (the Balenciaga versions later appeared tacked onto bags on the runway.)
Stuart Vevers at Coach also tapped into our universal penchant for gift store “bits” by saddling up his own autumn/winter 2024 accessories with I Love NYC and Big Apple merch that jangled as models walked. Sure, the bags – like the new boho Brooklyn style championed by Gigi’s sister Bella – might involve saving up for, but everyone can dig out an old-school souvenir or four to clip onto their cross-body.
Consider this trend a continuation of the charm bracelet movement or this season’s answer to the nostalgic jewellery that always rears its head when holiday-makers get trigger happy at balmy bohemian markets. Summer is for excess and saying yes. If you can’t strap an unabashedly twee knick-knack to your carryall then, when can you? Just make sure your handbag channels a distinct back-to-school vibe come September. No one wants to be the last at the party.