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It’s funny. As far as handbags go, I don’t own many black ones. I have quite a few camel bags, the perfect raffia option for summe—and even a chartreuse suede evening bag. But a classic black bag that works for daytime, is seasonless, and I can wear it in the evening? That sole honor belongs to the Strathberry East/West shoulder bag.
I first became acquainted with the style thanks to none other than the Duchess of Sussex during one of her first engagements as a working royal. I remember it vividly: she wore hers—a rich forest green mini—crossbody with a black watch tartan coat. I remember thinking that the bag had lovely polish to it, without being overly frilly. We have since seen her bring the trusty East/West bag, a signature from Strathberry, many, many times.
Her sister-in-law, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has carried a similar style—in the clutch format, with the metal bar hardware—as well as few other handbags from them too. The whole family has, really. After owning mine for going on two years now, I can tell you why this style—and Strathberry—is a go-to.
First, there’s something really sleek and simple about the details. With a flap closure and a simple bar to secure it, you get elevation, but it’s not overly ornamental, so it dresses the piece up without rendering it too-anything for day or night wear. I would also note that the sophisticated gold finish hardware has neither tarnished, nor turned any sort of funky color with wear; and I’m hard on my bags that get regular use.
The calf-leather is supple, but it doesn’t show marks or really scuff at all. With consistent use, I’d say mine doesn’t really show creasing.
And it’s easy access! No fiddling with a clasp here. All of my essentials, whether lip balm, or my keys are secure and easily reachable inside the structured shoulder bag. Oh, and you can wear the chain double-wrapped or cross body. Always helpful when you want to be able to grab your bag and go. It’s the kind of piece that you don’t have to fuss about and just kind of know it works with your outfit—all without screaming a label or being too identifiably branded—and it continues to look chic and understated year after year. Is there a better reason to buy a bag? No. But I’ll tell you the reasonable $775 price tag doesn’t hurt either.
Roxanne Adamiyatt is the Deputy Digital Lifestyle Director at Town & Country, spearheading style coverage for the web, with a focus on everything from fashion & accessories, jewelry, beauty & wellness, home & design, and even sometimes travel. In her role, Roxanne regularly contributes pieces for the print magazine, often on the intersection of social media and luxury. For example: the new class of watch influencers shifting the markets, and why some blondes are style mavens from beyond the grave. Previously, she held the role of senior digital editor from 2018-2022. Prior to her time at T&C, Roxanne was the beauty & fashion editor at Us Weekly, and before that, she was a beauty editor at InStyle.com/mimi. A life-long New Yorker, Roxanne received her ungraduated degree from Barnard College and her MS from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. When she’s not attending market appointments and writing about trends, you can find her scouring the internet (and thrift shops) for the very best vintage fashion designer to squeeze into her Manhattan closet and vintage furniture for her seemingly endless apartment decoration project, or researching the very best new age wellness treatments to try next. You can find Roxanne on Instagram and TikTok at the handle @roxanne_adamiyatt.
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