The Must-Have Summer Bags All Feature These Eye-Catching Details

2 min read

For summer 2026’s best trends, it seems the more eclectic and whimsical, the better. Outfits are getting fringier, jewelry is getting chunkier, and bags are becoming increasingly embellished with intricate beadwork and silky tassels.

“Early 2025 felt like the moment when the tassel and beaded handbag trend fully ‘arrived,’” explains Ryan Kleman, vice president of non-apparel at Moda Operandi. “At Moda, we like to call these ‘silly little bags.’ Customers are gravitating to these animated pieces because they elicit an emotional response.”

Couple that with a broader vintage revival and the way these objets d’art can elevate even the simplest of outfits into a whole new stratosphere, and you’ve got yourself the recipe for a silhouette of the summer. “They embody this season’s collected approach to dressing,” adds Jocelyn Gailliot, founder and CEO of Tuckernuck. “Paired with vintage-inspired jewelry, jewel tones, and rich textures, they make an outfit feel layered, personal, and timeless instead of perfectly matched.”

There are tons of different iterations this trend can take. We rounded up a few of our favorites.

Beaded Shoulder Bags

In 2019, Staud launched its hand-beaded Tommy bag, defining the embellished shoulder bag silhouette as we know it today—and demand for the zebra-printed confection skyrocketed in early 2020 after it was spotted on Kendall Jenner. New prints frequently sold out in the years that followed, and, to no one’s surprise, the bag’s popularity prompted numerous brands to create their own iterations.

Tasseled Handbags

The beaded and tassel bag trend is inherently bold—but the simple tasseled handbag presents the ideal happy medium between distinct yet understated. The adornment is oftentimes used to elevate a simple silhouette, adding an easy flair and contrast that doesn’t feel overwhelming to style.

Mini Bags

Between the rising popularity of bucket bags and the Internet’s fixation on knot bags thanks to Mélisse, mini handbags are all the rage. They’re also the perfect canvas for added ornamentation, lending an extra bit of textural movement to dangle from your wrist.

Embroidered and Beaded Top Handle Bags​

As demand for beaded shoulder bags continues to rise, it makes sense that the next phase of that trend would take the shape of bead-embroidered top handles. Consider a top-handle bag, the modern take on a classic clutch. It’s more delicate than a full shoulder bag, while the slight handle frees up your hands in a way you don’t get with a clutch. These pieces meet somewhere in the middle of boho-chic and something you’d find in the antique store or that your grandma passed on to you—they kind of look like they belong in the same room as a chintz-printed couch, but are sophisticated and timeless in a way that demonstrates a skillful eye for style.

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