Cheryl Shops

 I've said it more than once and I'll say it a thousand times: leopard print is a classic. So it's perhaps a bit disingenuous on my part to call leopard print a trend, but what's trending about it for me at the moment is a particular accessory in a specific shape: a slouchy bucket bag. There are several really, really good ones out there right now, but before I get to them, I wanted to give a shoutout to my Clare V mini tote, which has been with me for years. She still makes the larger version of the bag in a slightly different print, and if you're ok with a handheld or crook-of-the-arm tote, it would make a fantastic work bag. But for the rest of these, the shape I'm after is a shoulder bag with a more elongated silhouette. Read on for my favorites of the season. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: old Banana Republic blazer | Agolde 90s jeans | Clare V simple tote (big version) | Birkenstock Buckley clogs

More leopard-print bags

1. I've already featured this bag in my Substack but here it is again because it's so good, especially for the price (it's under $300 and often goes on promo). The shape is very simple (it reminds me of The Row's Park tote) but what's really smart about it is that the haircalf is only on one side; the side that faces your body is regular leather, which is ideal because that way the texture won't rub off. Proof that J.Crew is back!

J.Crew Berkeley bucket bag

2. This bag is YSL and before you get mad at me, it's amazingly under $100, because it's cotton and probably on the more lightweight side. BUT the placement of the print is what really gets me—I love how it gets darker in the middle—and in spite of not being a truly slouchy shape, I think this is still a solid option. 

YSL leopard tote

3. This is the bag that most of the Internet and I are currently drooling over. It's by Toteme, which makes excellent everything and obviously knows it because their prices keep creeping up (or maybe that's just inflation and/or tariffs). Anyway, I love the shape, the buckle detail, the print, the fact that there's no blatant branding...10/10 no notes. 

Toteme belted tote

4. Wait, when did Reformation start making bags? I really like the asymmetrical shape of this one—it's just subtle enough to make a difference, and the overall wider profile of this one reminds me of one of the most underrated bags of all time, the Hermès Picotin. 

Reformation Silvana bag

5. I appreciate a brand that makes a well-crafted luxury bag but prices it somewhat more within reach; this one is definitely still a stretch, but from what I've heard about this brand, the quality is well worth it. I also like the more east-west flared shape, which reminds me of Phoebe Philo–era Celine. 

Demellier The Midi New York bag

6. I also featured this bag on my fall shopping list; as I've mentioned many times before, Isabel Marant is my favorite (and most-worn) designer so of course it makes sense that I love her interpretation of a leopard print. Ideally this bag is big enough to fit my laptop, I hope? 

Isabel Marant Oskan soft hobo bag