Bow Bags: The Ribbon Trend That Moved From Hair to Handbags

In 2023 Harper's Bazaar called it "the year of the ribbon." Miu Miu, Simone Rocha and Sandy Liang each kept returning to the bow, and at Sandy Liang the bows were supersized into large bags, with drooping fabric falling at the shoulder. That is the moment bow bags stopped being a hair accessory's cousin and became a real category. I went deeper on a related idea in Liffner Handbags: Scandinavian Clutches, Totes and Shoulder Bags.

 

I like that the idea has a pedigree. Simone Rocha's Fall 2023 show had ribbons glued under the eyes and tied into long pearl earrings, and she keeps that same sweet-but-slightly-strange tone in her bags. A bow on a bag works because it is a little too pretty on purpose. It softens a black coat in October and makes a gray knit look dressed.

 

Start with the shoulder bags here. The Simone Rocha Bow Sateen Sling in black has a sculpted bow front and a strap lined with glossy faux pearls, so I would wear it over a plain black turtleneck and let the strap do the talking. Its sibling, the Classic Bow Embellished Crossbody, is covered in tied bow shapes and sits East-West. The Marc Jacobs Bow Leopard Nylon Sack is the loud one, an oversized knotted bow on the top handle, which I would carry with straight jeans and a camel coat.

 

For slouch, the Damson Madder Roo in black satin has a big bow-tied strap, and the Pretty Ballerinas Croissant in cream comes with a removable clip-on crossbody strap, handy when your hands need to be free. Picture her on a gray Saturday, cream croissant under one arm, tights and loafers below. Tip: pick the bow size you can live with, then check that the strap sits comfortably on your shoulder with a coat on.

Gabrielle Chanel knotted black ribbons around the plain hats she began her career with, and at her final show on 26 January 1971 every model wore a black ribbon bow at the nape. A bow, in other words, can be serious. These top-handle bags are the dressy end of the idea, small enough to hold in a hand and neat enough for dinner.

 

The Aquazzura Bow Tie minis do the trick with a handle that is itself tied into a bow. I would take the blue suede for a navy dress and the black tweed for a wool skirt suit in October. Olga Berg goes much bigger: the Drew has a giant crystal-studded bow with a gold chain top handle, and the Chiara is a structured black bag with a beaded crystal bow. Both belong with a plain black dress, so the bow is the only loud thing in the room.

 

Judith Leiber's Crystal Bow in silver is a tiny jewel with a bow clasp, while the Judith Leiber Couture satin version in navy is quieter, with the same crystal bow. The Moschino Tie Me in red leather wraps its straps into a knot, and the Valentino Garavani VLogo Mini Bow is a two-tone ivory and black oval with a chain-and-leather handle.

 

Fitting-room test: hold each bag by the top handle for a full minute, then see whether the hardware or crystals catch on your sleeve. What I would skip: a crystal bow bag with a sequin or beaded dress, since the two will compete.

Holiday party season is close, and a clutch is the easiest place to put a bow. Most of these are made for one job: carrying a phone, a lipstick and a card across a room.

 

Jimmy Choo's Soft Bow Mini in blue satin is an envelope clutch with a crystal bow, which I would pair with a black velvet dress. Whiting & Davis does metal mesh the old way, and the Gemma in gold and the Blake in champagne both have a bow and are lovely against a simple black slip. The Blake adds a chain strap, so it can go hands-free.

 

For structure, the Polo Ralph Lauren Bellport is a slim black leather long-flap clutch tied into a bow, the most understated of the group, and the Badgley Mischka Lexi is a black box minaudiere with a crystal bow. The Dune London Enchant is shaped like a bow itself and covered in clear crystals, and Loeffler Randall's Rayne is a small pleated frame clutch in pearl with a gold chain. The Nina Kenji in champagne keeps its bow small.

 

Test: open and close the clasp ten times, then check that your phone fits with the case on. A mesh or frame clutch that will not shut is just a bracelet in the wrong place. What I would skip: a hard-sided minaudiere for a long dinner when you need to hold a coat, because it has no give.

Not every bag needs a full bow to be in the conversation. In 2023 the balletcore trend on TikTok helped popularize bows, and Dazed noted that Chanel had sent big bows down its AW22 couture runway, a look it has touched on since the 90s. The knot is the quiet cousin, and it suits a daytime coat better.

 

The AllSaints Effie is the one I would start with, in olive suede with a knotted strap, and its micro version in brown leather is the same idea in a smaller bag. Loeffler Randall's Helga is a slouchy brown suede hobo with a knotted top handle, and the Mine Bilgi Solara in tan suede has a braided knotted strap plus a pouch charm. Bottega Veneta's Ciao Ciao is a small black leather top-handle bag with a gold knot closure, the most grown-up of the lot.

 

The Aquazzura Bow Tie minis in velvet, one burgundy and one blue, have knotted handles and look wonderful with a dark wool coat. Moschino's Medium Tie Me in tan has belt straps tied across the front.

 

Test the knot: tug it gently, then see whether it keeps its shape or slumps with your phone inside. Suede is lovely and does mark, so I would keep a brush at home. What I would skip: a knotted handle when you carry a laptop, since the knot will be your pressure point.

#coquetteaesthetic had racked up some 18 billion TikTok views by early 2024, according to the South China Morning Post, and the bow was its most reliable symbol. Satin and velvet are where that soft, girlish mood looks best, and they are very much a fall fabric.

 

The Polo Ralph Lauren Polo ID is a black velvet pouch shaped like a bow, with beaded detail and a top handle. Jimmy Choo's Soft Bow Mini returns in burgundy satin with a crystal bow, and Nina's Kenji in navy satin is a frame clutch with a tidy bow. Aquazzura does the velvet clutch twice, burgundy for the small Bow Tie and navy blue for the larger one. They suit a bottle-green dress in a way black never will.

 

Simone Rocha's Mini Bow Sateen Sling is the tiniest of the family, black with a sculpted bow front. Anya Hindmarch's Bow Fringe Satin Clutch is brown satin tied into a bow with fringed ends, and the Free People Belle is a dark green velvet bow bag on a drawstring strap, the easiest one to wear with jeans and a boxy blazer.

 

Test: rub the satin or velvet against your sleeve and look for pulls, then check how the bag looks after a hug, since velvet crushes. What I would skip: satin in the rain. Water leaves spots, so choose velvet for damp evenings.

I would pick one shape, then one color. A black sateen sling for most days, a satin clutch for the party, and a knotted suede bag when I want the idea without the frills.

 

Then check three things before you commit: the strap on your shoulder, the clasp under your fingertips and the bow with your winter coat on. If the strap digs in, the clasp fights you or the bow flattens under a sleeve, move on to the next one. There are plenty of them.

 

In my fashion dreams, Gabrielle Chanel is still knotting a ribbon on a hat somewhere, and everyone else is just catching up.