Happy Monday, ladies! How was your weekend? I’m currently in recovery mode from a week of eating complete crap – too much salt, too much sugar, and not enough water. I’m pretty sure this is what a bear feels like as he gets ready to hibernate. Anyway, I meal prepped and am drinking as much water as I can get in so hopefully I’ll be a little less… hibernate-y… by the end of the week. In today’s post I’m sharing a few gorgeous basket bags you can shop for under $100. Plus my tips for styling these bags, and how to make sure your stuff and things don’t fall out!

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FRENCH CONNECTION DRESS (SIMILAR) // WHITE HOUSE BLACK MARKET TEE (SIMILAR) // REALTO SHOES (SIMILAR) // VINTAGE BAG (SIMILAR, LAST SEEN) // DOGEARED AIRPLANE NECKLACE (SIMILAR) // STEVE MADDEN CHOKER NECKLACE (SIMILAR) // ALEX AND ANI BRACELETS // SIMILAR SUNGLASSES

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GORGEOUS BASKET BAGS UNDER $100

There’s so many styles of “basket bags” it’s hard to label them as such. You can find woven bags, wooden bags, literal baskets, and all sorts of colors!

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DEALING WITH THE HOLES

I tend to prefer the styles that are nice and secure, but some basket bags (especially a lot of the popular ones you’re seeing bloggers wear) have a lot of slats or holes in them. And you see basically all of their Instagram photos featuring an empty bag. So, what are you, average human being not taking an IG photo supposed to do? Solution: make up pouches. If you subscribe to Ipsy, I’m sure you have TONS of small bags. But if not, they’re easy to find. Those will work great assuming your phone and wallet can’t fall through as well. Pretty much everything else can be put into one of those small make up bags or exist without going everywhere.

BUT if you’re worried about larger items or just want something more aesthetically pleasing, head down to Ulta and look for something like this guy here or this one on Amazon. Pick something with an either neutral to not draw attention, or gorgeous complementary pattern so it can add to your outfit even more.

Bring your bag shopping or take measurements if you’re shopping online so you can find one the right size. Something with a little bit of structure, especially on the sides, is ideal so it stays upright and you don’t have to reach deep into the bag to unzip, then get what you need. Depending on which basket bag you decide to purchase, you want to look for a pouch that is either pinched at the top with a wide bottom, or wide all around. But definitely don’t go with something that doesn’t have a bottom piece of fabric that prevents the pouch from expanding. That will just annoy you!

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HOW TO STYLE BASKET BAGS

Styling basket bags can seem really challenging at first, but once you learn how to think about your bags it starts to get a lot easier. The vintage bag I’m wearing in this post, for example, is not as neutral as it seems at first glance. It also rides the line between casual and formal, falling slightly more the the casual side, but not completely. It’s also a statement piece, no matter what I wear, it will catch attention. The metal is has a good patina on it so I don’t have to be careful with jewelry.

So taking what I know about my bag, I know I can style it with:

1. Colors that match well with yellow, because of it’s yellow undertone.
2. Outfits that are between Smart Casual (can you wear an open-toe wedge?) to summer business casual.
3. Outfits without a lot of bold print or other statement garments.
4. Gold or silver jewelry. (Though I prefer anything with a patina or matte finish because it highlights the vintage details on the bag)

Some basket bags have neutral tones, classic shapes, and a cross body style that makes them wearable with literally any outfit, like this one. On bags like these, don’t think, just wear. It’s basically the same as wearing a bag with a particularly textural leather or neutral, classic print. It will make your look more a bit more summery, but that’s about all.

For more statement bags, like this one, your look will definitely scream summer, with very little wiggle room. Beyond that, each can give off a little bit of a different vibe. Check out Pinterest or Instagram via the brand’s pages to get inspiration about your particular bag. Also, set your bag alone, in a neutral place, and just look at it. What does it make you think and feel? Now start piling objects or fabrics next to it, and notice your instinctual reaction to the combination. When you go to pick out your look, pick out pieces that give you the same (good) feelings. Think about those combos that your instinct said “Noooope” to and stray away from any pieces that are similar or the same as those “Nopes” from your experiments.

But also don’t be afraid to try things on in different combos! Not just any blue and white stripe would look good with my bag, but the way I styled the look and the particulars of the stripe itself worked. I’m positive not every way I could style this dress would work with this bag. So if you have an idea, test it out. If it’s not perfect on the first go, make small changes (swapping striped dresses, trying the top tied or untied, for my example), before giving up on your idea.

Happy Styling!

What do you think of basket bags? Are you here for them, or sick of seeing them?

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