This Accessory Is The Most Fun Way To Pretend You’re In Europe

I don’t know about you, but after watching everyone (and I mean everyone) spend summer in Europe, I’m having a serious case of FOMO.

While I spent the colder months scrolling through sun-drenched Instagram feeds from beneath several layers, there was one accessory I kept spotting over and over again: the beaded bag.

The ELLE Edit Of The Best Beaded Bags

BEST OVERALL

STAUD Tommy Beaded Bag, $454

BEST LUXURY

SAINT LAURENT Le 5 À 7 Large Beaded Wood Shoulder Bag, $4,550

BEST AFFORDABLE

8 OTHER REASONS Wood Bead Tote, $137.79

Tiny pouches, oversized totes, intricately embellished shoulder bags — suddenly, everything was covered in tiny beads. And, more than once, I found myself staring longingly at the Brie Leon Capri Slouch Mini Bag, wondering why it wasn’t already sitting in my wardrobe.

The beauty of the beaded bag trend is that there isn’t really one way to do it. Some styles are subtly embellished, with delicate beading scattered across an otherwise pared-back design. Others go all in, with intricate patterns, playful motifs and enough detail to make the bag feel like a tiny work of art — see Staud’s particularly covetable iterations.

Either way, they’re the kind of accessory that does a lot of the heavy lifting. Pair one with a simple white dress and suddenly you’re giving Euro summer, even if you’re actually just walking to the nearest café. Throw one over a blazer and jeans and, somehow, the whole outfit feels a little more considered.

And yes, there is something particularly satisfying about carrying a bag that looks like it could have been picked up on a very chic holiday.

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So, as we edge out of winter and start looking towards spring (hello, lime green), consider this your sign to get ahead of the next big accessory obsession.

Perhaps yours will be destined for the beach. Perhaps it will accompany you to your next dinner reservation. Or perhaps, like me, you’ll simply enjoy having something in your wardrobe that makes every outfit feel a little more fun. Either way, these are the best beaded bags to shop right now.

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