Plain and simple: nothing beats a great, fun summer bag. Like Meredith Wendell’s cream raffia tote with black-tinged green python trim and yellow patent-leather handles! A simplistic bag like this could be benign, but it’s anything but. I love the pop of color against the raffia – just a smidge is all it takes to take ordinary to enviable. Serious skins – plus a bright turquoise plaque – bring a splash of exotic-luxe whimsy to raw earthiness. With a detachable cotton rope shoulder strap (if you can let go of those fabulous handles!), inside zip pocket, and red twill lining – another, and even more giggle-inducing, pop of color – this roomy tote is ideal for carrying around all of our summer necessities. When devil-may-care meets unquestionably simple, you get playful, practical, and classy: a perfect daytime tote! On Net-a-Porter
Pair with: Never try to match baby-touches of intense color, unless it happens by divine wardrobe intervention! Let your tote’s bright bits speak for themselves with Pierre Hardy’s timeless cutout sandals: simple, stacked, and so neutral you can go buck-wild with your pedicure, guilt-free. At Barneys New York for $940.