The "Boring" Handbag That You'll Never Regret Buying

Ever since I can remember, I've been a bag lady. Family members can recount how I'd often carry my mini bag around as a toddler. It was an early indication of a lifelong passion for scouring resale sites, sales, and digital racks in search of the perfect purse. Of course, like all bag lovers, I'll admit to maybe owning too many, but I won't ever succumb to the belief that this accessory is trivial. For collectors, we know that a bag can make or break an outfit. So even if we all delight in following new trends or donning a rhinestone-adorned version, we know, at the end of the day, we must have at least one basic bag that can go with everything.
What that staple handbag looks like depends on our personal preferences, but it's safe to say there is one color that's agreed upon as a must-have: black. After all, this is the fashion color. It's a must-have for every other accessory, so why wouldn't it be for bags too? It's a piece that can pull together any look and be worn anytime or anywhere. But to say that all black bags are created equal would be a lie. As a picky shopper, I know there can be bland black bags, and there can be stylish ones. You just have to do some digging.
In that vein, I've scoured the internet to find the 42 best black handbags at every price point. From special hardware and materials to shapes and sizes, the details of each bag prove that this staple is far from boring.
Under $350
Under $650
Worth Investing In
Next: 4 Handbag Trends That Will Be Everywhere This Fall
This post was previously published and has since been updated.

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. What began as a pastime (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a lifelong passion for unveiling the connection between fashion and culture on the internet and in real life. Over the last decade, she's melded her extensive edit and social background to various on-staff positions at Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and Byrdie. More recently, she’s become a freelance contributor to other publications including Vogue, Editorialist, and The Cut. Off the clock, you can find her clutching her cell phone as she's constantly scrolling through TikTok and The RealReal, in search of the next cool thing.
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