Bryn Leather Tote Bag in Mustard

Shoulder bags come in all shapes and sizes, and are a popular choice amongst sophisticated women looking for a practical daytime bag that also complements their outfit. Shoulder bags are also a staple of eveningwear elegance, providing a stylish place for essentials on a night out. Here at Jasper Conran London, our vast collection of designer bags go hand-in-hand with our dresses, with each design perfectly suited to a particular style of dress.

Shoulder bags are not just a functional accessory that complements your day-to-day activities, they can also be a stunning counterpart to an already chic and classic outfit. From our larger Bryn tote bags to our more compact leather scoop bags, you can ensure that your entire ensemble makes a statement.

Beatrix Leather Scoop Bag in Black
The inside of the Brielle three section shoulder bag in Mustard

Predominantly, shoulder bags are known for their easy access when retrieving items such as a purse or keys, with various compartments for safekeeping. All of our designer shoulder bags at Jasper Conran London are designed with a contemporary, stylish woman in mind who doesn’t want to compromise style for practicality. Our shoulder bags are designed to, not only serve a functional purpose, but can match impeccably well with our collection of elegant, effortless dresses ready for summer.

In this guide, we will explore how you can wear and style your new designer shoulder bag, how to choose the best size and style for practicality, and the various colours and occasions that each of our designer shoulder bags would suit. We will also determine how you can choose between a cross body bag and a shoulder bag, and how our durable, stylish shoulder bags can complement your wardrobe.

The History of the Shoulder Bag

Bryn Leather Tote Bag in Mustard

For centuries, handbags have evolved to become a fashionable statement piece in their own right. Traditionally used as a practical asset and nothing more, handbags are chosen by people not just for their purpose, but for the way they look too. Handbags, and in particular shoulder bags, now come in a range of different styles, sizes and materials suited to each buyer’s personal preferences and needs.

Initially styled after the military satchels carried by men on the war front, shoulder bags are now a common sight in most women’s wardrobes, with a variety of designer options to choose from to truly make a statement. At Jasper Conran London, we’ve adopted the shoulder bag concept and have designed a range of different sizes and styles suited to the modern, sophisticated women in society.

Brielle three section shoulder bag in Mustard
Brielle Hobo Underarm bag in Black

Our shoulder bags include the Bryn leather tote bag and the Brielle, both of which are perfectly sized to carry all kinds of essentials, such as your purse and laptop. These designer shoulder bags also come with various compartments for extra storage. If you’re looking for a more compact yet elegant bag, our Brielle hobo underarm bags and Bee leather scoop shoulder bags are a perfect choice for complementing your evening outfits.

You can view our full collection of stylish shoulder bags here.

How to Wear and Style Your Designer Shoulder Bag

The function and practicality of a bag comes before any other elements during the design process at Jasper Conran London. Once its fundamental use has been established, all of our shoulder bags are designed to look chic and stylish when paired with the perfect outfit.

All our bags are designed each season alongside our dresses. The design teams work very closely together to create pieces that complement each other. For more casual, day looks consider a larger shoulder bag to help store your essential items whilst standing out with a beautiful Jasper Conran London dress and bag. No matter whether you are working in the office or taking a summer’s day trip to the beach, a large shoulder bag such as a tote will provide a stylist counterpart.

Bryn Leather Tote Bag in Green
Yellow/White Bylthe Striped Full Skirt Shirt Dress

For more formal evening looks, consider a smaller, underarm shoulder bag as a discreet yet elegant style choice. Our smaller designer shoulder bags are perfectly sized for your purse, phone and keys, ensuring you are fully set for the night ahead.

For the summer months, consider our eye-catching Bryn leather tote bag in mustard. This particular bag pairs perfectly with our Blythe striped shirt dresses in mustard, creating a flawlessly colour-coordinated look for summer days out. Our blue Blythe striped shirt dress is another classic choice if your wardrobe loves stripes; this dress looks simply elegant with our navy Alexis crosshatch tote, or you can choose the Bee leather tote bag in blue for a refined, contemporary look. You can read more about our love for all things striped in our previous style guide here.

Blue and White Blythe striped full skirt shirt dress paired with a Cobalt Bee Leather Tote
Black Brielle Hobo Underarm bag

For a more chic and sophisticated feel, and to enhance your evening wardrobe, consider pairing one of our black dresses, such as the Bonne A-Line swing dress or the Connie full skirt wrap dress, with our Brielle hobo underarm bag for a cultivated look perfect for date nights and formal evening events. All of our Bonne A-line swing dresses look perfect with our bags, with their bold colours pairing exquisitely with our Bee tote bags, available in camel and cobalt colour options. Our lilac Blythe striped shirt dress also looks great with our camel bee tote.

Our personal favourite dress and bag pairing is the blue Delilah linen shirt dress with the stunning Beatrix scoop bag in tan. The contrast of the blue and the tan work wonderfully together and make a great outfit choice for summer days and nights.

This dress is now part of our Summer 2024 sale, which you can browse here.

Bee Leather Tote in Camel
A Tan Beatrix Scoop bag

To choose your next designer bag to complete your favourite outfit, you can browse our collection of designer bags on our website.

Shoulder Bag Practicality: Choosing the Best Size and Style

In order to ensure you choose the best bag size, you first need to consider where you’re going and what you will need.

For casual summer trips such as picnics and beach walks, a designer tote bag such as our Bryn collection will not only look the part, but will store everything you need for a perfect day. These particular bags are designed to keep a woman’s essential daily items safe, such as her purse, make-up bag, laptop, tablet, umbrella and notebook.

Green Bryn Leather Tote Bag paired with a lilac Blythe Striped full skirt shirt dress
Green Bryn Tote Bag

The Bryn tote bags are easy to access, with a large interior for you to grab what you need quickly. It has three interior compartments with zip fastenings for extra security. This bag also looks stunning when paired with the Blythe full skirt shirt dress in pink. You can find out more about our designer tote bags in our previous style guide.

Another stylish shoulder bag option perfect for the office and even casual brunch dates is the Agatha hobo bag, available in a range of colours to help you match with any summer outfit. The mustard Agatha hobo bag in particular matches perfectly with our mustard Blythe striped full skirt shirt dress and comes complete with bespoke hardware to stand out from the crowd.

Yellow and White Striped Full Skirt Shirt Dress with our Mustard Agatha Hobo Bag
Agatha Saddle Bag in Tan Croc

If you’re attending a formal evening meal, or enjoying a few day drinks in the afternoon sun, you may only need a smaller bag for the basic essentials, such as your phone, keys and a small purse. The Agatha saddle bag is a timeless choice. Small yet striking, this shoulder bag is the perfect counterpart for any outfit. We recommend choosing the tan or green options of the Agatha saddle bag, so this style can accompany you on holiday as you take evening walks on the beach.

All of our definitive designer bags complement our dresses to complete both daytime and evening looks. You can browse our designer dress collection here.

Colours and Occasions

Summer presents a perfect opportunity enjoy brighter colours and warmer tones, swapping darker hues for pastels and tan alternatives. Our designer shoulder bags come in a range of colours, perfect for those unmissable summer events.

Tan Beatrix Leather Scoop Hobo Bag
Baylee Double Pocket Tote in Orange

We have a vast collection of tan shoulder bags that will make great additions to your summer dresses for day trips or night-time events. Our bags at Jasper Conran London are incredibly durable and a stylish addition for all seasons, especially our Beatrix scoop Hobo bag. The tan variant pairs exceptionally with our Daria broderie A-Line dress in white, with the bag standing out impeccably against a pure white outfit.

If you want to add a bright pop of colour to your summer outfits, we recommend the orange Baylee pocket tote to make a standout statement on those summer weekend trips away. This designer shoulder bag not only presents a cheery feel and look, it also has plenty of interior and exterior compartments to store smaller items such as jewellery and lipstick. It’s also incredibly spacious, making it a great bag for full days out. Our brand new Dahlia hobo bag in mustard is a great choice for adding a pop of colour to your summer wardrobe.

Mustard Dahlia Hobo Bag
Green Bee leather tote bag

Summer marks the start of several events and occasions that call for a brand-new designer handbag. Weddings, festivals and world-famous events such as Wimbledon are the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new shoulder bag that will accompany your outfits. For weddings, we recommend choosing a brightly coloured yet elegant dress with light material, and matching it with a pop of colour, such as the Bee tote. Pairing the Pink Celia silk full skirt shirt dress with the camel Bee tote will combine bright, summery tones with a softer, more pastel accessory to complement each other perfectly.

If you’re attending events such as Wimbledon or Ascot this year, our Daria broderie A line dress looks stunning with tan shoulder bags such as the Beatrix hobo, presenting a look that not only keeps you cool in the summer sun, but makes a gorgeous statement too. Our green Blythe striped shirt dress with our green Bee tote would also match perfectly for a trip to Wimbledon.

A Closeup of the Bee Leather Tote bag in Camel

How to Choose Between a Cross Body Bag and a Shoulder Bag

Black Colette Cross body bag

Here at Jasper Conran London, we have a range of cross body bags that serve as a great alternative to shoulder bags. The beauty of cross body bags is that they can also present themselves as shoulder bags if you’d prefer to wear them a particular way. For instance, our stunning Colette cross body bag can be worn over the shoulder to present a chic, professional look for both work and leisure.

Cross body bags have versatility, meaning they can be worn in multiple different ways, presenting a different look each time. However, shoulder bags are seen as the more practical, easy-to-access option, and are the most appropriate choice if you want a larger designer handbag for more storage. Our Alexis collection is available in both shoulder bag and cross body bag options, allowing you to choose the best option for your outfit and event.

Mustard Alexis Crosshatch leather grab tote bag
Tan Dahlia Scoop Bag

Just in time for summer, our new Dahlia collection is perfect if you’re struggling to choose between a shoulder bag and a cross-body bag. Our gorgeous Dahlia scoop bag in tan can become a shoulder bag with adjustable straps, perfectly suited to your size and preferences. If you’re looking for a smaller, more compact shoulder bag, the Dahlia camera bag in green is the ideal bag for evenings out, perfectly sized for everything you may need. Our entire Dahlia collection can be preordered on our website.

Our larger Alexis grab tote bags come in either a simple, classic design or a contemporary faux croc skin to add a little edge to your summer outfits. This mustard Alexis tote in particular is perfect for those warm summer evenings, and would perfectly complement darker toned dresses.

Ultimately, the bag you choose depends on your personal preferences and needs. Sizing, style, colours and outfit choices can all influence your decision, but either choice from Jasper Conran London can help you complete any outfit.

Green Dahlia Camera Bag

Choosing a Designer Shoulder Bag with Jasper Conran London

The Inside of the Bryn Leather Tote Bag in Mustard

All of our designer shoulder bags at Jasper Conran London are designed with contemporary, fashionable women in mind. Each bag serves an important purpose, created to ensure versatility, functionality and style all go hand-in-hand.

Whether you’re looking for a new bag for the office, or if you’re aiming to make a statement with a small yet stunning shoulder bag, our classic designs and refined materials can help ensure your bag is a friend for your wardrobe all year long. Our timeless bags can be matched with both summer and winter colours, and don’t need to hide away in the back of your wardrobe until summer comes around again.

You can choose your next shoulder bag on our website, or you can browse our complete collection of designer bags and dresses for your next day trip or special occasion.

Black Dahlia Three Section Cross Body Bag

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Green Bee Leather Tote Bag