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1 handbag, 2 handbags, red handbag, blue handbag?
Now, obviously how many handbags you want to bring depends on your own personal style and your destination. However, we do recommend bringing at least three: one for the airport, one for your day-to-day and one for your night out!
Airport
Having the perfect airport handbag is crucial to starting your vacation off right. If you like to pack light and have minimal baggage on your person, you might want to opt for a tiny handbag with only your essentials in it, accompanied by a carry-on you can stow in the overhead bins. However, some of us (*us included*), are over-packers by nature and like to have everything on hand (under the seat, of course). If you relate, you will want to have a bigger tote with you to keep all of your bigger necessities that might not fit in a crossbody like your laptop, water bottle, and hoodie (the plane gets quite chilly). Our favorite airplane tote is the LAX Intl, designed as the perfect carry on for the fashionable jet-setter. If you’re looking for a similar design and function to the LAX Intl but smaller, we love the Otis Weekender or Addie Lrg!
Day-to-Day
The perfect day-to-day handbag for your vacation will depend on your style. If your capsule wardrobe is composed of a particular color palette such as monochromatic, you might want to opt for a more colorful or eccentric handbag for some contrast. On the other hand, if you like to rock more colorful, patterned outfits, you might want to stick with a simple handbag to match with your outfits across the duration of the trip!
For a beautiful pop of color, we are obsessing over the new Coastal Alliance Collection handbags made in collaboration with Michele Mozzone, available as a wallet, crossbody and tote. If you’re a minimalist when it comes to what you want on you everyday, you can opt for a smaller handbag or even just a wallet. And if you like to carry a lot more with you, such as a water bottle to fight off the humidity and heat of European summers, you’ll probably be the most comfortable with a tote!
For a more muted, but equally as beautiful handbag that is sure to match anyone’s wardrobe, we love the new Dandelion Gingham print for the summer! Available in 5 different styles ranging from wallet, clutch and shoulder purse, you’re sure to find your perfect fit in this pattern.
If you're envisioning an Emily in Paris moment, you might even want to bring a couple day-to-day handbags! If you, like myself, find that you generally have a specific color palette but there are some iconic pieces which deviate from that capsule wardrobe, you might want to bring a handbag with you that more-so matches that energy.
In that same vein, the golden rule is that a cohesive outfit will be one in which your shoes match your handbag! If you’re big on your shoe collection and have multiple you want to take with you on vacation, consider bringing a complementary handbag with them!
Moreover, maybe your vacation won’t place you in one location for the entirety of the trip. For example, if you’re taking a week-long vacation to France, you might spend a few days in the City of Lights and then set off to the south – Nice or Monaco perhaps? In that case, the style of Paris and the south of France are not the same. While you might want to opt for a sleeker and more classic handbag in Paris, you will probably want a beachier, more laid back look for the south. For the latter location, a raffia-style handbag or woven tote might be better suited! Therefore, it is important to plan ahead prior to any vacation to decide what style of handbag you want, and moreover, how many.
Night out
Again, the pattern and style of your night-time handbag will depend on your own personal style. Are you a clutch fan? A shoulder purse fan? Or maybe you’re just a wallet fan! We have an option for everyone! When planning on what nighttime purse you want to bring with you on vacation, first decide what your going-out fits want to be. If you’re into a full black monochromatic outfit, consider bringing a unique purse out with you, like the Dillon Sml in Zinfandel Red, or Toluca Blue. But, you can also never go wrong with a sleek black shoulder purse like the Morgan, or a luxurious gray clutch like the Ryan.
Our Favorite Summer Vacation Handbags
We all know how important a handbag is for the entire vacation experience, from the airport to the airbnb, from the airbnb to the museums, and from the museums to the nightclub. Don’t settle for less when you can always find the perfect handbag – combining luxury, versatility and comfort – on Hammitt! We’ve created our very own style edit featuring employee favorites to give you your own “Emily in Paris” moment; Yes, you are the main character!
