Maybe it’s that spring feeling, maybe it’s the fact that we haven’t really used that many handbags over the last two years … but suddenly we’re craving a slinky little shoulder bag. Subliminally, watching Carrie Bradshaw twirl around Manhattan with a custom made Fendi baguette on her shoulder in HBO’s And Just Like That is likely responsible for this veritable dive into 1990s nostalgia, too.

We’re not alone in our hunch about spring’s best tote, either. According to a recent survey the 1990s shoulder bag is the most valuable vintage item you can own in your wardrobe right now, with resale prices averaging around €3,244. In fact, the 1990s are the most popular decade for clothing trends in 2022, with more than 1.79 billion views of videos using 90s related TikTok hashtags.

The look has been gaining traction for a while now, with brands such as By Far championing 1990s-inspired pochettes in fun colours and mock-croc finishes. However, since the explosion of Y2K dressing (read all about that here) it’s now leapt into the mainstream with fashion powerhouses like Prada reviving logo shoulder bags in novel new finishes (like the jacquard one, below). How to style the look? Anine Bing’s new Colette bag, below, is best styled with a boxy blazer, a straight cut jean and a mannish button-down shirt. Whether you go vintage or invest in a new style, shop our pick of the best shoulder bags below. 

Main image: @Lucywilliams02.

Animal print shoulder bag, €89.95 at Zara. 

Baguette handbag, Forever New, €31.90; www.zalando.ie. 

Colette leather bag, €499; www.aninebing.com.

Baguette bag, Fendi, €1,287; www.vestiairecollective.com. 

Jacquard knit shoulder bag, Prada, €1,800 at Brown Thomas.

Miranda glossed leather shoulder bag, By Far, €590; www.net-a-porter.com.

Quilted handbag, Loeffler Randall, €240; www.zalando.ie. 

Leather shoulder bag, Jacquemus, €675; www.mytheresa.com. 

Puzzle leather shoulder bag, Loewe, €1,850; www.matchesfashion.com.

Small leather shoulder bag, Tod’s, €1,200; www.mytheresa.com.