This Is the It Bag of the Summer, According to an NYC Fashion Editor

Before I moved to New York City, I’d fantasize about eating bagels in the park, racing through the crosswalk of a busy street, and hailing cabs like a true New Yorker. To my delight, all of that has become my reality. The stylish city dwellers on my old mood boards are now influencing me in real time, and I even get to work alongside them at the office. My fellow New York–based editor, Eliza Huber, encapsulates the NYC vibe that people moon over, and I get to see the behind-the-scenes of it all on the daily.

Eliza’s style is minimalistic and versatile, but all of her looks have that cool-girl, street style component that she’s far too humble to brag about. So I figured I’d do the honors. Lately, I’ve been particularly impressed with her accessories game, and her gorgeous handbags from Miu Miu’s latest collection are taking up all of my attention. (Prepare to see them all over the city starting immediately.) I’ve spent enough time swooning over these matelassé leather bags with Eliza, so I’m bringing the conversation online and giving you a glimpse at her stylish life and how’s she’s wearing them this spring and summer.

I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that Eliza is one of the busiest people I know. She’s always jetting off to brand previews, shooting street style looks for her stories, and working during her coffee breaks like the pro multitasker she is. "There’s always a lot going on, but that’s what keeps life and work exciting. I’m always meeting new people and seeing new items on the market,” Eliza says.

Regardless of how different her days can be, she always starts them with the same thing: a cappuccino. "Now that the weather is finally nice again in New York, I want to—have to—take advantage, so I put on this khaki-colored shirtdress from Miu Miu with all-white accessories and proceeded to take all of my meetings at outdoor cafes around SoHo,” she says. I couldn’t be less surprised to hear that this chic ensemble garnered attention from endless passersby (myself included!), and her Bauletto Bag received of most of the fanfare. "Though the handbag is technically a top-handle style, it also comes with a long strap that’s perfect for wearing crossbody when you’re toting around a second to-go cappuccino, a half-eaten croissant, and a dozen or so other oddities like I usually do,” she says.

Eliza can’t stop gushing about this next look, and I don’t blame her. "This outfit is me to an absolute T,” she says. "Come summer, I wear a miniskirt like most people wear cut-off denim shorts or cotton sundresses. This one is especially chic when styled with an oversize, menswear-inspired blazer because it balances out the length of the skirt and bare-all nature of the bra and panties.”

Unafraid to take fashion risks, Eliza styled this look with two different Miu Miu Wander bags and heeled shoes for a genius contrast. This bag accompanied her to NYFW earlier this spring, and she confirmed that the mini size fits more than you’d think. But the medium size is perfect for those of us who can’t avoid bringing a million things when we’re leaving home. (In my defense, you never know what you’ll need while out and about in NYC.)

I particularly love Eliza’s approach to everyday dressing, so much so that she’s inspired me to consistently experiment with my own personal style. "I never want to go the easy route sartorially, even if I’m only going out to grab groceries or flowers,” she says. I can rarely predict what Eliza will show up wearing, but I always know that it’ll seamlessly fit into her cool-girl aesthetic. This pink, silk maxi-dress ensemble is no exception.

Eliza insists that her style doesn’t err on the romantic, pretty side of the fashion spectrum, but she’s still gushing over this look. "I couldn’t pass up the chance to wear this absolutely gorgeous, baby-pink dress, especially in an environment I’m very comfortable in rather than somewhere super formal.” Keeping it light yet glamorous for errands in SoHo, she wore a pair of black Miu Miu sunglasses with gold hardware that matched one of the brand’s newest and most anticipated handbags, the Bauletto Bag. "It’s the perfect shape and size for a New Yorker like me who needs to carry around a lot of stuff but hates having to lug around a bulky tote,” she explains.

Every time Eliza leaves her apartment, she seizes the opportunity to try a different trend or statement look, and this look is the perfect example of that. Eliza is giving the business-casual trend a modern twist in the form of this polished yet very cool ensemble. "I love the juxtaposition of a knee-length, ‘professional’ skirt and matching cropped jacket paired with a cotton balconette bra (sans top). Sure, you can’t actually wear it to work, but it feels so stylish and unexpected,” she explains.

To make this look a little bit more suitable for the office, she could have zipped the bomber jacket up, but instead, she "saved it for a day of running around the city and popping into various appointments.” According to Eliza, "An outfit this cool deserves airtime. It shouldn’t be stuck inside at a desk.” I couldn’t agree more. Of course, she had a Miu Miu bag in tow, this time another mini style. I don’t like to play favorites when it comes to accessories, but this one just might be mine.