Stylist Tells Us How To Style Food-Inspired Bags Without Looking Tacky
It’s not unheard of to combine fashion with edible iconography. After all, fabric prints and adorable accessories often feature cherries, strawberries, and citrus fruits in the summer and pumpkins, squash, and candy corn in the fall. But these classic motifs are just the beginning, as we’ve seen with the recent rise of foodcore, a concept that addresses the modern side of sweets.
Perhaps following in the wake of produce-inspired aesthetics, like the tomato girl aesthetic of 2023 or the Hailey Bieber-approved peach girl look of 2024, foodcore is increasingly incorporating food imagery into our wardrobes. One particularly notable trend has been the rise of food-inspired bags. This trend has it all: crossbody bags that mimic buttered toast, rhinestone-studded watermelon slice-shaped clutches, tiny corncob-shaped coin purses, bucket bags that look like Kikkoman soy sauce, and even a bag shaped like a giant Tums bottle.
But with any statement piece comes a recurring dilemma. How can you wear it without looking tacky or over-the-top? For guidance, we turned exclusively to renowned fashion stylist Catherine Bibeau. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Bibeau is widely respected for her excellent work in fashion design, styling, and marketing and has worked with brands like Buffalo Jeans, Ferragamo, her own fashion label, Nacre Voyage, and more. So when Bibeau offered her take on the food-inspired bag trend, we listened intently. Here’s what she had to say about the surprisingly meteoric rise of food bags and how to achieve the look in style.
Styling your favorite food-inspired bags
As with any statement piece, the first and most important tip is to carry your food-inspired bags rather than let them carry you. As Catherine Bibeau exclusively tells Glam, “My biggest tip is to style and carry these bags with confidence because that’s the key to making them look good.” After that, it’s all about giving the bag room to breathe. “To keep it casually chic, pair it with a white tee and jeans or use the bag as an accessory for a monochromatic look. Build your outfit around the colors of the bag and avoid loud prints or bold colors,” suggests Bibeau. “Opt for simple jewelry and let your bag be the moment!”
Keep in mind that “moment” may be the operative word. As fun as these pieces are, Bibeau cautions that most food-inspired bags aren’t timeless investments. “These bags may appeal more to a narrow, trend-focused demographic, who might move on to the next big thing relatively quickly,” the stylist warns. “Like many statement accessories, their popularity is likely to ebb and flow with seasonal trends rather than becoming a lasting staple.”
Fair enough, but unlike other bags that are already out of style for fall 2024, lunch bags aren’t out of style just yet. What better reason is there to make the most of your lunch bags now that the trend is still going strong? With Bibeau’s styling tips in mind, we can still get plenty of mileage out of our foodie accessories before the novelty wears off.
Foodie handbags make our mouths water with their perfect blend of uniqueness and familiarity
As fascinating as food-inspired bags can be, we admit that some of the designs are a little quirky. So what has made this trend so catchy and widespread? Catherine Bibeau points to the balanced juxtaposition of novelty and nostalgia. “[Food-inspired bags] stand out and make a statement while also letting your personality and humor shine through,” Bibeau exclusively tells Glam. “People also associate food with comfort, which creates positive feelings when looking at a fun, new accessory like this.”
Plus, food-inspired bags align with a lot of recent sensibilities like carefree maximalism and the general need for everyone to find their personal, hyper-niche style. Individuality is in, and bold bags are one way to show yours off. “This up-and-coming new whimsical aesthetic adds a fun, quirky element to any look. What better conversation starter than a ketchup-inspired bag?” Bibeau jokes. Note: She’s not making that example up. As shown in detail in an Instagram post, the ketchup packet-shaped crossbody bag is part of an actual collaboration between Heinz and Kate Spade.
In short, food-based bag designs have the perfect blend of fun, surprise, and relatability to appeal to fashion enthusiasts from all walks of life, and incorporating these sensational elements into your personal aesthetic without any dramatic clashes is an easier task than you might think.