SUSTAINABLE-FASHION TREND: GET READY FOR THE BEACH WITH THESE GORGEOUS BASKET BAGS.

Ah, the sunny shores. Sand, waves, and unbelievably cute beach outfits, what's not to love? Spending a day by the sea is priceless, and having the right accessories is an additional pleasure. After all, it's easy to underestimate just how many essentials are needed for a sandy excursion. You have towels, sunscreen, snacks and books (the list goes on...) that all have to come along for the ride. And while you could just toss everything in a random tote you usually use to carry groceries, we suggest treating yourself to some of the best beach bags, either from luxury brands or from less known fair-trade labels.

Snagging one of those gorgeous totes and purses perfect for the beach or pool, but also for dinner and shopping will easily level up our Spring and Summer accessories game. There are options that'll fit everything we could possibly need, along with some picks that have just enough room for your wallet and phone. And what's most important, they're all made with natural materials and represent perfectly the sustainable fashion trend.

No matter where we're going or how much we want to pack there's something luxe for us, and these are the top picks for 4 of the best designer's straw beach bags in 2022:

1) Jacquemus Le Panier Soleil: its classic straw hue keeps it neutral enough to wear with anything, and the yellow/orange/pink leather details spice things up a bit. This one even has a shoulder strap for carrying.

Jacquemus Le Panier Soleil

2) Loewe small leather trimmed woven raffia tote: a very chic timeless piece which is perfectly sized to hold all daily essentials. This piece is trimmed with tan leather and embossed with the label's iconic motif, as a nod to this season's logo obsession.

Loewe small leather trimmed woven raffia tote

3) Christian Dior woven bag: a classic 30's French style basket with monogram cotton interior and external cotton labelling.

Christian Dior basket bag

4)Valentino straw & leather basket: a classic model in straw with leather details and golden V logo.

Straw and leather basket by Valentino

And for those like me who like craftsmanship accessories which are from less conventional labels, a selection of 4 models of less known brand products.

5) Personalised French-market basket bag: a lovely and versatile version of a French classic accessory, with the owner's first name initial, to be found at craft street markets.

Personalised French-market basket bag

6) Colombian Iraca palm straw bags by Apaya, Nannacay or Equal Hands: these brands are founded on the principals of sustainable fashion made with natural materials with no artificial chemicals involved and traditional handcrafted by local artisans. So these bags are luxury and beautifully unique pieces to be used and collected at the same time.

Iraca-palm straw bag by Apaya

Straw bag with pompons by Nannacay

Iraca-palm straw bag by Equal Hands

GLAM DETAILS FOR POST-LOCKDOWN BUSINESS ATTIRE: 
THE CÉLINE MICRO BELT BAG.

Looking forward to going back to office, after this long period of remote work and social distancing, I'm finally here with my review on the Céline Micro Belt Bag in Caramel colour, whose style I've always loved as a go-to office bag. I had been eyeing it up for around 3 years or so, since I was sure about the most suitable size to choose, but not so much about the colour, which I wanted in a light, refreshing and versatile shade to be worn mainly during both transitional seasons and in Summer. 

1) The design and details: What has always attracted me to the Belt Bag style in the first place is purely the design and how classy, sleek, minimal this model looks, while still remaining beautiful and stylish. It's been part of the Céline collection for many years and will remain a classic as much as their Luggage bag. As you can see, it has a top handle and a large, cool flap closure with a hidden circular metal component which slots into the runner to secure it shut. Moreover, a zipped closure under the flap keeps everything secure inside. It also features an outer zipped pocket on the back of the bag, an inner flat, a slip pocket. Actually, the flap can be quite fiddly to open in a rush, but a lot of people tend to leave it just hanging over the strap, which is really cool too! The great, stylish touch remains the belt that is knotted across the front, purely for aesthetic design purposes. Also the branding is minimal, as it is with all Céline products, so it only has a little gold stamp on the front bottom location of the bag matching with the hardware metal.

2) The sizing: There are 3 different sizes in total, starting at the largest which is actually called the Mini, to the middle size of the Micro and the smallest size of the Nano, so if you love the design of this bag but think it's too small or too big, you can opt for another size instead. This micro version is  9" in length, 8" in height, and 5" in depth, so it's quite a decent size and holds enough office essentials, such as my LV Agenda Personal size and my IPad mini, besides the usual stuff one puts in a bag. Luckily, this can be worn also cross-body style, since it comes with a removable, adjustable strap with a 21" drop. For me the micro is ideal, as it's small enough to be worn on my body without being overwhelming, but it's big enough for me to carry a lot of extra items that I can't usually fit into smaller cross-body bags.

3) The leather: The Belt Bag is made of grained calfskin so it has that drummed, matte effect to it. It's a really sturdy leather and it's strong, but it can easily get scratched. I've noticed that it's quite delicate, even though it doesn't seem treated or as smooth as my Céline Luggage bag. It features a calfskin leather as well, as you can see, and that's more of a suède type inside, or the underside of the leather, if you will. Céline bags are crafted in the most luxurious skins. These leathers are natural and unique, of extremely high quality, but it's necessary to protect your purchase from both humidity and overexposure to direct lighting or sources of heat and avoid contact with liquid, grease, perfumes and cosmetics as well as keep it stored in the dust bag when it's not being used. I'm really delicate with my bags anyway, but since this doesn't have any metal feet on the bottom, I'm very careful where I place it too, so as to avoid scratching the bottom. Since it's a classic, it's always an investment piece as it can be sold for almost the same price you paid. If you know Céline and adore the quality as much as I do, you will appreciate this one. The craftsmanship is outstanding!

4) The colour: there are several perfect neutral colours available for this model, but the Caramel shade I chose is incredibly versatile and suited to literally everything I want to wear, whether it's warm or cool toned outfits! 

5) Ways to wear the bag: this bag is also versatile in how you wear it, that it works for any occasion, thanks to the detachable strap: 
Cross-body, so it sits securely on your front, or back, however you choose to make it sit. 
Draped off one shoulder, which is my favourite, being really easy and stylish. 
On the crook of your arm, which is also very easy and chic with both dresses and jeans.
Hand-carry, so you can easily hold it down by the side, in your hand by the top handle, like either a true office bag or a perfect travel bag.

With that being said, I wanted to make sure I did it justice, shared the right photos with you, and wrote as much as possible about it to help any of you who might be wanting to make the purchase. It's worth it, if you love designer bags, and one you'll reach for regularly! 
Anyway, if you have any questions about it, please, just leave me a comment below and I'll answer.