The Beaded Bag Trend Officially Reaches Blake Lively's Technicolor Closet
It's so on-brand for her.


When sourcing her next handbag, Blake Lively adheres to a very specific checklist. Where Jennifer Lawrence prioritizes form and function, the Gossip Girl alum embraces novelty. She likely has a separate closet just for her one-of-a-kind purses from Chanel, Judith Leiber, and Thom Browne. She promoted Another Simple Favor with a martini-shaped bag; fashion enthusiasts still aren't over her $51,840 Chanel clutch from June 9, which mimicked an Egyptian beetle. Just days later, she debuted another exuberant style. This one, however, managed to overlap with a beaded bag trend anyone can carry.
During a stroll in New York on June 11, Lively was all smiles in the most colorful co-ord, starting with a rainbow tweed skirt set. The purple, yellow, blue, and green cropped jacket and thigh-length pencil skirt hailed from ASHISH Spring/Summer 2023. Acting once again as her own stylist, Lively layered a white tank top underneath. She accessorized with statement necklaces, plus bright blue heels from Christian Louboutin—her favorite footwear label.
Blake Lively pulls off a rainbow tweed skirt set in NYC.
And now, a moment for her purse. Instead of continuing her Chanel streak with one of her many flap bags, Lively carried a tote from Susan Alexandra. The bright blue bag was constructed completely out of beads—the New York brand's signature motif—from the square compartment to the strawberries and lemons growing from its side. The summer-y style is sold-out (as most Lively-approved pieces are), but if you're lucky, it sometimes pops up on various resale sites.
Blake Lively sports a Susan Alexandra beaded bag in NYC.
Lively clearly heard beaded bags are trending, because her version reminded us Susan Alexandra was ahead of the curve. The designer launched her first beaded bag in 2017, and now, similar styles from Staud, Allsaints, and Sandro are dominating the style scene. On May 28, one of Lively's celebrity friends, Gigi Hadid endorsed the TikTok-approved trend with a $350 Staud style. So, perhaps we have the supermodel to thank for Lively's look.
Gigi Hadid taps into the beaded bag trend with a Staud shoulder style.
Now that beaded bags received Lively and Hadid's approval, it's only a matter of time before they reach their close friend Taylor Swift's closet. Swifties, do you think she'll go the sardine route, or Y2K-coded like Lively?
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Meguire Hennes is the fashion staff writer at Marie Claire, where she breaks down the celebrity looks living rent-free in her head (and yours). Whether a star is walking the red carpet or posing on Instagram, Meguire will tell you who they're wearing and why. When she's not gushing about A-listers from J.Law to Rihanna, Meguire also covers breaking industry news.
Previously, Meguire was the fashion news writer at The Zoe Report. She received a bachelor's degree in fashion studies at Montclair State University, and has freelanced at Bustle, Women's Health, Well+Good, and more. You can find her words across the fashion, beauty, health, and wellness verticals, because her Libra moon wouldn't let her settle on one beat. Follow her on Instagram for BTS moments from her Marie Claire era.