When it came to the fashion on display during show season, towards the end of last year, many designers opted to continue pushing the memo 'you do you.'
That being said, a few threads did begin to emerge. So if you're keen understand which fashion trends are likely to stay big in 2019, we've got a whole feature on it.
Giant, oversized bags are no longer the preserve of Jacquemus and his enormous raffia totes, as we saw big bags clutched in the nook of models' arms at Etro, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, Givenchy and more.
Teeny bags with interesting handles are also sticking around though. So we can almost guarantee that within these bag trends for 2019, there will be something that suits your personal style down to the ground.
1) The New Clutch
As we've mentioned, enormous tote bags are here to make carrying your entire make-up bag and several changes of clothes super easy in 2019. The most popular oversize-clutch to come out of the season? Clearly Bottega Veneta's 'The Pouch.'
Designed not to be held between your claws, but rather, clutched in the crook of your arm.
On the SS20 runways, we saw other major designers following suit. Issey Miyake, for example. So giant, clutchable bags are clearly going nowhere fast.
Oversized Clutchable Bags
Bottega Veneta blue The Pouch large leather clutch bag
2) Modern Art Shapes
Forget clutch, bucket and tote, bags of this year have expanded their shapely remit to incorporate many more interesting, modern-art-inpired designs.
Elongated, oval, twisted, boxy, full of holes - the mandate for the latter part of this year seems to be 'anything but expected' when it comes to bag shapes.
From Off-White's giant swiss cheese to Lanvin's luxury tupperware box, the SS20 season showcased all manner of bag-shape manipulations.
Modern Art Shape Bags
Staud brown Moon Snake Print Leather Shoulder Bag
Yuzefi brown and white dolores herringbone striped leather tote bag
Bottega Veneta white quilted leather round clutch bag
3) Belt Bag Gets A Make-Over
Bum bags had their moment recently, with Gucci leading the charge and the belt bag isn't really going anywhere this year.
As demonstrated above by Ferragamo, this year's belt bag isn't casual our slouchy like the bum bags of last year. It's useful, sleek, occasionally super teeny, but definitely more up-market and chic.
Updated Belt Bags
Burberry Belted Monogram Print Leather TB Bag
Stella McCartney black logo vegan leather belt bag
4) *That* Dior Saddle Bag
Not so much a new trend, as much as a renaissance of what was once an absolute classic.
With the general resurgence of the monogram bag, designers are feeling more broadly nostalgic for archive pieces that might enjoy their time back in the spotlight.
And the Queen Bee of all of these classics, at least for this year, is the Dior saddle bag, with Dior themselves bringing it back to their SS19 runways.
Dior Saddle Bags
5) Feathered Friends
Why get a cat when your bag can act as a surrogate pet? Jokes aside though, the new fluffy appendage comes in the form of feathered bags, as seen below at Valentino SS19.
And now Loewe's SS20 show has proven that fluffy accessories are going to continue through to next year, in the form of Jonathan Anderson's half-moon clutches
From tiny little feathered clutch bags, right through to giant feather totes, the bag size is irrelevant, it's the embellishment that matters for this trend.
Feathered Friends
6) Decorative Ring Handle Bags
The ring handle bag has been around for a little while, with all manner of summer straw bags now coming with a wooden circular appendage.
However, this season, we're seeing them get even more pretty and decorative. It's your going out-out look that now requires a ring handle, as seen above at Peter Pilotto.
Decorative Ring Pulls
