You Don’t Have To Be Ladylike To Own Lady Bag Style

To be a lady, at least according to the 1960s film My Fair Lady and its bounty of Oscars, was to be gentle and refined. When she wasn't attending Embassy Balls, a lady was reciting diction exercises before bed and affixing Jacquemus-level oversized hats to her immaculately coiffed head. Fortunately, we've moved away from this narrow idea of femininity thanks to the pantsuit-wearing, flute-mastering, and boundary-breaking badasses that prove there is no single way to dress like a woman. But there's still one piece of classic lady-hood we (quite literally) can't let go of: perfect little structured ladylike purses.

We're calling them "lady bags." The impractically small, enormously chic accessories currently taking over NYFW street style in a big way. No, they can't fit your planner (and probably not even your iPhone), but they do look damn fine when paired with pretty much anything in your closet... the cherry on top of your ice cream of an outfit, if you will. This is a delicate but mighty item that packs some serious fashion punch, elevating even the most basic ensemble to something worth writing about. It's no surprise that an eclectic and diverse bunch of fashion week attendees were quick to adopt the nostalgic piece, integrating the lady bag into their wardrobe arsenals with all kinds of contemporary twists. We've spotted micro-sizes, quilted leathers, and a range of feathered, embellished, and metallic takes on the trend. Beloved by sneaker-heads and dolled-up show-goers alike, this dainty purse is completely redefining the term "lady-like" and we couldn't be more here fot it.

Ahead, find out what kind of lady bag suits your aesthetic as we breakdown the trend into eight categories inspired by the Fashion Month scene so far.