Category: Bags

The high street's love affair with eighties influence is still going strong, and moving into explorations of the decade's style far beyond neon and leggings. This Cream Frame Vintage Clutch from Miss Selfridge is instantly recognisable in eighties influence, without looking like something from the dressing up box.

Made from faux leather, this off-white cream shade combines perfectly with the turquoise blue for a mainstream eighties look. The classic clutch shape keeps this bag from looking over the top, giving it the opportunity to turn into a lasting wardrobe item.

It's new at Miss Selfridge now for just £25.

Find out more from the website

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery apparently so we hope Orla Kiely doesn’t object to the products made my Etsy seller, majkatree. Her Sixties Swim Happenstance Bag is closely inspired by the designer’s signature stem print.

It has been handmade in cotton with felt appliqué in bright colours to give it a 1960s feel. On the inside, it has four useful pockets. It costs $60 (plus $5 shipping inside the USA, $6 everywhere else).  There are purses and cometic bags in similar styles also available.

Visit majkatree’s Etsy store to buy.

Deadworry is a small independent print shop in Florida who describe their designs as a mixture of cute and creepy, but don’t that description put you off as a lot of their designs have a retro influence. They have a wide selection of bags, of which this Bicycle Field Bag is my favourite.

The old-fashion bicycle (a penny farthing?) is hand screen printed on 100% cotton canvas in a putty colour. The bag itself looks to be a decent size for carrying around your daily things.

It costs just $20 from the Deadworry website.

More dreaming of summer days with this heart and spot beach bag. The straw material combined with the red polka dot and candy coloured hearts decoration and the semi-circle shape makes for a fifties tinged look that will work just as well on the streets as the beach. It's fully lined and its substantial size (50cm by 33cm) means that rather than just looking pretty, it does have its practical uses too. Excellent value for £17.75.

However, bearing in mind the typical British summer, it's worth noting that this bag isn't suitable for use in the rain!

Buy it from the ASOS website

All that comes from the 80s may not be favourable for many retro lovers, but the decade's ability to put its own twist on previous eras produced some memorably style points.

This Wham Baam bag and matching wallet from Loop are a great demonstration of an eighties take on fifties and sixties pulp fiction and pop art. The almost gaudy, kitsch design looks great on these statement accessories, making the bright colour palette easy to wear. Perfect for those who don't want to go all out on neon, these retro pieces will have people talking.

Get them online from ASOS, £30 for the bag and £15 for the wallet.

Find out more from the website