Meet the East-West Bag, the Baguette’s Cooler Aunt

Has The Girl finally matured into The Woman? According to the style shifts of now, she might just be your eccentric yet demure aunt. Items that you’ll find in her wardrobe this season? Collarless jackets, ladylike skirts, delicate footwear, and modern brooches. In addition to those is the Goldilocks of handbags embodying this newfound mood. Bridging the gap between uptown and downtown, the east-west bag is just right—not too refined nor too fussy; it isn’t exclusive to evening wear, and adds a touch of elegance to daytime looks.

Vogue’s Favorite East-West Bags:

• The Street-Style Favorite: Alaia Le Teckel shoulder bag, $2,490
• The Ladylike Top-Handle: Savette Symmetry bag, $1,390
• The Best-Seller: Freja NYC Chrystie bag, $268
• The Classic Investment: Saint Laurent Suzanne shoulder bag, $1,950
• The Bold Addition: Jil Sander Cannolo shoulder bag, $1,500
• The High-Street Champion: Zara rigid shoulder bag, $50
• The Coquettish Contender: Magda Butrym Brigitte top handle bag, $2,350

Every season brings with it major style upheavals that are hard to ignore. Just think about the shift from skinny jeans to baggy, from going-out top to oversized blazer, or from chunky sneakers to ballerina flats. While bag trends tend to not be as divisive, they make their presence known. The east-west bag is a great example of that. Defined by its thin, long straps (positioned toward the bag’s middle) and stretched-out silhouette, this bag is hard to miss. Its quiet influence has enchanted the street style set for the past few seasons—a fact evident by Alaïa Le Teckel’s continued dominance. East-west bags prevailed on the 2025 runways, too, with iterations from Bally structured blue option to Prada’s green top-handle seen in the spring/summer collections.

Current season options break ties with the subtle, too. There’s Loewe’s with its pleating, Givenchy’s clad in black croc, Staud’s cast in suede, and Jil Sander’s with a pop of cherry red. Impact! Your guide to the east-west bag trend, ahead.