The Under-$100 Straw Bag to End All Straw Bags

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I, as you, have been thirsting after a straw bag for what feels like forever. Girls on Instagram have worn them for months on end now, pairing them with jeans in February and skirts in April, skewing the carefully curated look of my shopping pinboard in the process. Fivestory, the only store I think I’ve been in in New York that’s above 34th Street, even has a “straw bags” category listed under “handbags” on its site, a testament to our collective longing.

The thing is, a straw tote could be the worst best purchase you’ve ever made. It looks like a prop from some better version of life on Earth. From Cult Gaia’s ubiquitous Ark totes (the brand’s site declares “you’ll never need another carry-all again,” so long as, I’m assuming, you never really needed to carry anything in the first place) to the painfully cute Sensi Studio tote Alexa Chung carried in InStyle, straw totes are literally so hot right now that I can’t even.

And, you guys, I found the perfect one. And it’s under $100.

Photo: Jamini Design

It’s from Jamini Design, a Parisian home brand. I was vaguely familiar with its textiles, but didn’t really have a sense of what the brand were all about until it briefly came to New York and installed itself on Elizabeth Street for a pop-up shop. Turns out, what Jamini Design is about is really fucking cute straw bags.

My first thought was to spring for the now-sold-out rectangular version, as it is a limited edition specially manufactured for Japan — music to my ears. But, in the end, I opted for the more traditionally tote-shaped version, bringing to mind as it does the style of Soeur’s covetable striped option for a good chunk of change less.

Maybe the best thing about a straw tote is that it looks equally amazing decorating your room as it does adorning your arm. I’m currently stashing magazines in mine, and I kind of don’t want to pick it up for fear of ruining the effect. Some better version of life on Earth, indeed.

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