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When Y2K style came back with a vengeance last year, a number of 2000s pieces were revived with it—including pleated mini skirts, trucker hats, chain belts, and low-rise jeans. The flashy (and, at times, gaudy) side of the aughts made a grand return. But largely ignored were the more subdued and polished wares of the decade. Not everything was Paris Hilton-coded; The era did have some sleek and sophisticated offerings. Particularly, there’s a signature bag silhouette from the era that we feel is worthy of a 2024 comeback: The bowling bag.
No, not a bag you would actually bring bowling—though the spacious top-handle style does draw inspiration from the kind you’d cart around the heavy balls in. The bowler bag first had a major runway moment when Prada debuted a luxe versions on the spring 2000 catwalk. The eye-catching bags featured a curved shape and elongated top-handle straps, with perforated detailing and star designs. Soon after, labels like Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton sent out versions of the silhouette as well, swiftly propelling them to It bag status.
Compared to the flashy sequin Fendi Baguettes or the monogrammed Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami bags of the time period, the bowler bag felt like a cool new offering; they were retro in the right way. Today, there’s something about the 2000s bowler that still feels fresh. After all, the hottest bags of the moment are not dissimilar to the shape of a bowling bag; The Row’s Margaux bag, for instance—which is becoming just as covetable as an Hermès Birkin—features a similar, roomy silhouette. Miu Miu also showed understated leather bowling styles in its recent fall 2024 collection.
In many ways, the bowling bag ticks all the right boxes for a hot bag now. In a sleek leather colorway, the distinctive shape adds visual interest to a look without being too much of a distraction. (We’re still the wake of the stealth wealth aesthetic, and a bowler feels right for the moment—luxurious and modern, without making too much of a statement.) Plus, we all have to schlep around more things than ever—chargers! Laptops! Headphones! A bowling bag is quite literally built to transport heavy things, making it a perfect commuter bag. Me, personally? I just went back to the source, and scored an authentic 2000s Prada style on eBay. (There is a gold mine of options there, FYI.) It’s officially my new fall go-to. Can you say strike?
