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Shopping for Cloth Bags!

by Joyce Amerson

Carry your things without weighing down your shoulders. Cloth bags are a truly great way to go when you're heading out to picnics, lunches, or tea! A truly great accessory for casual outings and summer fun, patterns and colors abound in the cloth bag category. So, we're breaking down a few of the latest trends to show you what's hot and what's next.

One major trend with cloth bags is a solid colored, quilted pattern. Think of it as a print-less version of a Vera Bradley bag. Check out Paul Frank for a really playful take on this great niche in women's handbags. His Blue Cloth Bag features a large, quilt like blur fabric, with square-ish wooden handles, and a cute (though not overpowering) embroidered detail 'PF' in the lower right-hand corner in a complimentary, contrasting red. A small-to-medium size (at approximately twelve inches wide by nine inches high), it's a great cloth bag for tooling around town!

If you like the color scheme from Paul Frank's 'Blue Cloth Bag,' but are looking for a fun print, European designer, Antik Batik has the purse for you! Antik Batik's Geometric Blue Cloth Bag offers a great option for a larger purse with a great print. Featuring a simplistic, star-inspired design, this double handled, end zip pockets twelve-by-fifteen-inch bag offers fun and function as a long, lean take on a cloth bag. In this case, Antik Batik's bag showcases a movement towards colorful, geometric-inspired patterns in the cloth bag category. A slightly high-end version (aren't all exclusively European designers, though?), Antik Batik will generally run you about $120. But, you can always check out Target's Xhileration line, or Dakine for similar large-patterned cloth bags at an affordable price.

If you like the patterned idea, but are looking for a slightly different shaped cloth bag, you're in luck! Patterned Hobo Bags are in right now. Not to mention that they're in at a really great price, as well. For a truly great deal on a classically shaped, colorfully patterned hobo bag, check out Torrid's Pink Purple and Orange Bombay Print Bead Strap Purse! As its name indicates, its colors range in the pinks, oranges, and yellows, while its pattern alternates between a super summery mix of florals and paisleys. This Boho inspired cloth bag features a tie top closure, interior cell phone pocket, and large wood beaded straps. At just $26, this cloth bag is a true steal!

You may be wondering how we've been talking about cloth bags without mentioning Lilly Pulitzer'we've given Vera Bradley a shout-out, but Lilly takes the cake when it comes to chic weekender cloth bags. Lily Pulitzer's Five Star Weekender has certainly earned its name! This oversized shoulder cloth bag easily holds two changes of clothes, a pair of shoes, and your toiletries. Standing at twenty-one-inches wide, seven-inches deep, and eleven-inches high, you'll have plenty of room for everything you need. Its oversized hydrangea print in mellow yellow and pale pink is a wonderfully light and playful way to start off your weekend day! As we all know, Lilly can always run a bit high, with this particular cloth bag coming in at just under $200. But, you can always look to Lands End or LL Bean for similar shaped and sized bags, with occasional comparable prints!

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