I'm Not Saying Black Bags Are Over, But Chic People Prefer This "Rich" Color Instead

For many investing in a handbag, especially a designer handbag, the move is probably to play it safe with a style, brand, and color you know you'll get endless use out of. Nine times out of 10, that means choosing a black bag, but sometimes the unexpected choice can actually prove to be much more stylish (and universal) than you'd expect. Case in point? White handbags have become surprising sidekicks to so many chic fashion people.

Bright-white handbags, like shoes, had a reputation for being tacky and cheap-looking for a long time. However, if you look at the bags from Alaïa, The Row, and Chanel, you'll find that many of the most elegant styles are actually in an ivory or crisp white hue. White handbags might seem like a summer-only accessory, but they look just as good with leather jackets and sumptuous knits as they do with sundresses and tanks.

To prove that point, we're providing our ultimate edit of the very best white bags as well as a few ways the fashion set are styling theirs. Take one look and I guarantee you'll be setting your black bags aside (for now, at least).

Shop the Best White Handbags

Style Notes: A white handbag just makes the most sense with an all-white outfit. Don't be afraid to go full-on monochrome, especially in the warmer months when a white bag can be paired with airy cotton and poplin separates like Elsa Hosk's bubble miniskirt.

Style Notes: There are times when a black bag just looks too severe, and wearing soft pastels like mint green or lemon yellow is one of those moments. Instead, use a white handbag as a way to soften the look without taking any attention away from the color scheme.

Style Notes: While monochrome will always look put-together, fashion people are styling outfits that blend varying shades of the same hue, like combining buttery yellow, beige, and ivory separates to create a chic effect that's more lived-in, and a white handbag looks especially elegant when paired with these types of tones.

Style Notes: This is the perfect example of where a black bag would have also looked great, but there's something about the choice in ivory instead that makes the simple tank-and-jeans ensemble look so much more intentional.

Style Notes: Wearing a white dress in the summer is the equivalent of putting on a pair of jeans in the fall—it's basically the default—and carrying a white or off-white bag makes any dress look that much better.

Style Notes: A white bag adds something light and refreshing to neutral staples like a trench and flat sandals.

Style Notes: The best white bags, in my opinion, come down to the hardware. Chanel, Jacquemus, and Staud are several brands whose white bags feature sculptural and elevated gold and silver hardware that makes the white versions of their popular bags the most sought-after color.

Style Notes: Yes, white bags can still work surprisingly well in the fall and winter. Carrying one is a perfect way to add a romantic touch to a tough leather jacket.

Style Notes: Make your favorite trench coat feel brand-new by pairing it with a uniquely shaped white bag.

Style Notes: Since white bags are the hardest to keep looking blemish-free, boldly carrying one automatically gives off a "rich mom" energy that simply can't be underestimated.