Black and Brown Bags Will Always Be Chic, But This Elegant Colour Is More 2025

As a fashion editor, people always assume you own a lot of clothes and accessories, but that isn’t necessarily the case. At Who What Wear, we implore you to really consider every purchase you make, so it would be remiss of us not to do the same. As a consequence, we’re each quite discerning when it comes to adding anything new to our wardrobes, and many of us don’t own nearly as much fashion as you might think. Me? My biggest oversight is my handbags, of which I have only a handful, nearly all of which are black, save for a straw tote and a beige top-handle from French brand, Polène.

@ingridedvinsen carries a cream top-handle bag whilst wearing a cream coat over a black outfit

I love black bags—they’re timeless, chic and go with almost everything I own (and anything they don’t, my Polène subs in for). However, sticking to this tightly honed palette means I have very little variation where my arm candy is concerned, and I worry that it makes all of my outfits, no matter how different the clothes may be, feel samey. So, I set out to find a hue just as classic but that will give my 2025 outfits a new lease of life. My first thought was a brown bag, a style which I’m yet to invest in. However, in the pursuit of branching out, I thought something lighter would fit the bill best. Plus, with the paler tones that dominated the spring/summer 2025 runways beginning to trickle in, I figure a lighter bag will work better with these delicate tones. Enter cream bags.

@thecarolinelin carries a cream top-handle bag whilst wearing a beige coat and cream trousers

While this is not a new trend per say, I am surprised at how many fashion people seem to have switched their trusty black handbags for cream iterations this past week. Perhaps inspired by the new year and the bright days ahead (not to mention fashion month now feels tantalisingly close), it seems many of us are looking for a collective style reset, and a fresh cream bag may just be the solution.

@thecarolinelin and a friend showcase their matching cream handbags, perching them on black cafe seats in front of two foamy coffees

Not to be confused with stark white bags, which I often find can look a little cheap (there’s just something about white leather that doesn’t look premium in my book), cream bags have a generally warmer tone, which I attribute to looking more expensive. While those currently carrying them are doing so whilst wearing neutral or even cream outfits, I know this colour will work beautifully with all the pale tones we’re seeing come through as top 2025 fashion trends—think pale pink, sky blue and butter yellow.

@clairerose carries a cream shoulder bag whilst wearing a grey trench coat, blue jeans and white trainers

As seen on the streets of Oslo, New York and Paris this week, scroll on to browse and shop my edit of the chicest cream bags to invest in this season, including options from COS, DeMellier, Mango and The Row.