Picture it: 2003. Beyoncé is telling us to “get up offa that couch,” Lost fans are wondering what the shark smells like, and I’m a hormonal teenage girl browsing the mall in what can only be described as a tragically cute ensemble. Mini denim skirt over leggings?
Check. Two tank tops with different-colored bra straps poking out? Check.
And, of course, this — a zip-up hoodie made of velour with rhinestones across the butt. That’s right kids, this was the height of fashion when I was growing up.
The cherry on top of my wannabe-Barbie nightmare uniform was a tiny shoulder bag that could barely fit my Motorola Razr and a tube of Lancôme Juicy Tube.
The thing was about palm-sized and covered in some atrocious logo pattern. And you better believe that strap was baby hairsprayed down to about three inches so that the purse would sit comfortably in my armpit like a purse-shaped growth tumor. I know what you’re thinking because I’d say the same thing to myself.
It was a baguette bag. Ok, we didn’t know that back in 2003. Baguettes weren’t really a thing yet.
We just knew them as purses and were too busy blissfully shopping the trend du jour to realize that in just a few short years we would all collectively say NEVER AGAIN I WILL NEVER EVER OWN ANOTHER BAGUETTE BAG EVER. Those dang millennials. Now fast-forward two decades because today I sit here wringing my hands as a professional fashion editor watching every single person with insider access embrace a bag shape I proudly stuffed my dirty lingerie into shopping bags of Y2K clothing I hope to forget I own.
The comeback is real, ladies and gentlemen. The nonsensical baguette purse craze has reentered our lives and it’s time we talked about it. Whaaaaaat?
Like, you guys. THE BAGUETTE. That small shoulder bag that can fit about nothing is officially a trending silhouette with THE MOST INSIDE fashion insiders.
And we are not talking “haHA we remember when these were popular let’s take ironic pictures with them” trendy. We’re talking “Bella Hadid would not carry another bag if her entire closet was filled with them” trendy. How did we get here?! ?
Ok, let’s dive into a little history so everyone’s on the same page about what we’re talking about. First of all, small shoulder bags were obviously a thing before the popular style known as a “baguette” came to fruition, but news flash: neither were super popular in the early 2000s. Credit for bringing this look into the spotlight goes to Silvia Venturini Fendi, niece of brand founder Karl Lagerfeld.
In 1997 she debuted a small rectangular bag that wasn’t meant to slouch on your shoulder but be casually carried under your arm. Ventureini Fendi named the bag after…the French bread of the same name. The intention was to move away from utilitarian oversized bags that women were carrying through the 90s and lean into something smaller and more feminine.
But throw some SATC reruns into the mix and that little Fendi bag skyrocketed to fame when Carrie Bradshaw said she was “not buying another bag until this — this Fendi baguette” in Season 2 Episode 10 in 2000. Overnight every wannabe fashionista with a credit card or a fake from Canal Street had one tucked under her arm. Like any trendy thing that saturates the market it died.
Thank goodness. Died down to cheaper versions found at Target and Limited Too that every suburban teenager and middle-aged mom fought over at Thanksgiving. By 2007, the oversized bags were back in style and we were none the wiser.
You know what other huge 2000s trends have made comebacks as of late? Doc Martens, low-rise jeans, Big Hair? They are all problematic for very specific reasons and yet here we are celebrating their return like nothing went down.
One can only hope we all learned our lesson when it comes to low-rise jeans… Flash forward to present day and your favorite fashion bloggers and influencers are snapping pics of tiny bags clutched under their arms. Fingerless gloves and tattoos on elbows optional but highly encouraged. AKA, exactly how we wore them circa early-2000s before we realized what a stupid shape they actually were. “I love that they’re coming back but with a modern twist!” exclaimed absolutely no one back in 2003. “They’re so…practical and versatile.” Another thing you won’t hear anyone say about the OG baguettes we spent our teens and early 20s attempting to forget about.
Remember when those existed? How did this once-hated bag shape earn itself street cred? Well, my friends, I have surprisingly exciting news for you.
Everyone (myself included) was wrong about the baguette. Baguettes are actually back for reasons. Photo: Getty Images Unlike every other garishly bright pair of velour pants itching to make a comeback, there is legitimate reasoning as to why we are seeing such a resurgence of the baguette.
Allow me to explain. See, remember how I told you baguettes weren’t really a “thing” until the early 2000s? Well, Fendi decided to re-release the OG bag in celebration of its 25-year anniversary back in 2019 and everyone ate it up…initially as a cheeky nostalgia trip. “Look at me I have my tiny purse just like I did in the early 200s but ALSO I’m wearing Jordans and sheer tights so don’t judge me.” Except, as with all ironic trends these days, people started pretending they were truly down with the small purse lifestyle and buying them in record numbers.
Vintage Fendi baguettes are selling for upwards of $6k on resale. Every designer has their own take on the micro bag (Dior, Chloé, Jacquemus, Celine, you name it). Gap, Target, and everyone’s favorite normcore fashion brand, Porter, also have their version that are quickly selling out online.
And yes, even your darling neighbors are buying them. “I think it’s simply because it’s been 20 years since they’ve popped up on the mainstream market,” confirms Monica Chen, accessories director at ONE37pm. “Twenty years is the perfect amount of time that gives millennials a familiarity with the shape but doesn’t carry the same early-2000s silliness that Gen Z will forever be mocked for by millennials.” Which all makes sense if you’re 25 or under and getting your first taste of a brand-new baguette. But what about us boomers who suffered through the last era? What’s got us rushing back into the arms of the smallest purses the fashion industry has to offer? “There’s a certain nostalgia that comes with carrying a smaller bag,” says Tyler Kim, creative director and stylist whose clients are currently rocking retro baguettes on the reg. “Remember how we used to buy these giant purses to fit all our junk we thought we needed back then?” We do and it was embarrassing.
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Kim continues: “Fast forward to now and we realize we never actually used half the stuff we thought we needed to throw in our bags. I love that these tiny bags force you to only carry the essentials.” Kim isn’t the only fashion expert weighing in on our sudden love of a shape we shunned for over a decade. Jade Williams, stylist known for her work with Bella Hadid, Whitney Port, and more also notes that times have changed when it comes to styling tiny bags like the baguette. “When designers first introduced the ultra-small bags they were styled completely matched with the shoes and belt,” Williams says. “Now people are playing around with proportions in a way that doesn’t exist back then.
You’ll see someone wear an oversized blazer with giant pants and this tiny bag out of proportion and it looks so cool.” Insert any of Bella Hadid’s recent street style looks. My favorite theory though comes from none other than fashion psychologist Dr. Carolyn Mair, who posits that maybe we’re embracing baguettes as a direct backlash against our always-connected lives. “The bags we’ve been carrying for the past decade require us to have our hands free,” explains Dr.
Mair. “They enable a way of living that doesn’t require us to think about where our bag is or how we’re carrying it. Baguettes are different. They force you to hold them in your hand or keep them securely tucked under your arm.” Sounds very Kristen Stewart meets Gala Georgieva in Gucci to me.
And it’s not just baguettes, this resurgence of micro bags extends to tiny wristlets and even clip-on bags that attach to your clothing. It’s all about bringing back that mindfulness and intention to how and where you carry your bag. Prabal Gurung even introduced a pocket inside each of his Spring 2022 designs specifically for people to “pause and put away their phones.” Pause.
To put away their phones. One of the most fun parts about researching this story is realizing how full circle the fashion world can be. You’d think that after over a decade of loudly proclaiming our hatred for a certain silhouette that we’d never give in and dress exactly how we did when those styles were popular the first time.
But alas, we are humans with feelings and vibes. Give us some credit. I spent an entire afternoon scrolling through the archives of my clothing storage boxes (read: trash bags full of Y2K fashion nightmares) looking for the oldest piece of clothing I could find to still fit into.
What did I unearth? You guessed it. An old Fendi baguette I bought in college (much more mature outfits accompanying it,thank goodness).
Now before you ask, I did NOT buy a new baguette to photoshoot with my vintage one. I told you this was for research purposes only. Also I CAN’T AFFORD ONE BUT OBSESSED WITH THEM ANYWAY.
It’s safe to say I have mixed feelings about the comeback of the early aughts trend that will forever remind me of my questionable fashion decisions as a teenager. But who knows, with enough velour jeggings and slap-on sunglasses, I might be able to trick you into thinking these were trendy in 2022 and not 2002. Here’s what you SHOULD do if you want to give the tiny bag trend a go and not look like you’re wearing a wannabe Carrie Bradshaw cosplay: keep scrolling.
Psst! This velvet baguette is currently on sale at REVOLVE. Psst!
This tiny bag from Sustainable Basics also comes in black and white! Psst! Everlane’s small bag sells out every time it’s restocked.
White one shown here. Psst! They basically named this bag after me.
Photo: Vintage and vintage-inspired options from Goop Baguettes were never really that expensive when they initially graced shelves in the early 2000s but brands still took advantage of our love for the shape, releasing everything from super affordable versions at Walmart to ultra luxe designer bags that rivaled Carrie Bradshaw’s weekly budgets. Thankfully for our bank accounts, authentic vintage baguettes are being sold at reasonable prices considering their resale value can go well into the thousands. And there are TONS of designer options at every price point hitting shelves now that are sure to satisfy your inner Carrie.
Below is a breakdown of what to expect when baguette shopping this season. Cheap: Under $50 The Michael Kors baguette was basically a celebrity sighting back in the early 2000s and luckily they haven’t forgotten about their tried-and-true micro bag either. Enter the Lindsey Wixon-approved nylon number that sells for just $38.
In true Wedgwood fashion, their baguette is surprisingly affordable at only $49 and comes in multiple colors. And Bella Hadid was recently spotted with one in green! A legit Fendi bag costs way more than $50 but you can get your vintage fix via Poshmark or eBay where thrifted versions regularly sell for less than you’d expect.
Pro tip: check out the Fendi bag tag guide to ensure you’re not getting duped by a smart counterfeit merchant. High end: $500 – $1,000 Remember how I said the ’03 bags weren’t that pricey? Yeah, well those were THE ’03s.
Today’s micro bags lean heavily on luxury materials and designer over-sheen so expect to pay at least $500 for your average It-bag shaped baguette.
Tory Burch’s on-trend tiny number comes in at a cool $738 but you better believe it’ll sell out ASAP. Fendi’s new recycled nylon baguette will set you back $895 but think of how cute it’ll look with your matching coated denim jacket.
Need we say more? Okay fine. This bag also comes in red and baby blue.
Photo: Affordable vintage options from Vestiaire Collective High-high end: $1,000+ Every fashion publication and blogger is lusting after Prada’s brand new nylon bag shown here in Prada’s signature yellow. And at $1,450 it’s worth every penny according to Vogue. If you’re feeling extra fancy there are several mini Gucci bags that qualify as “baguettes” but we’ll let Kristen Stewart’s latest suitcase splurge speak for itself.
Expect to pay nearly $4k for the Fendi bag shown here but sssh sometimes I pretend this is mine…. Despite our previous vows to never EVER touch a baguette bag again, we are clearly suckers for punishment. Or rather, really cute bags shaped vaguely like bread.
Because, at the end of the day, isn’t that what’s truly important?
