Bucket Bags: What They Are and How to Style One

By The Bag n Fable workshop·Updated October 29, 2026·9 min read

A bucket bag is a medium or small bag with a round or oval flat base, straight or slightly flared sides and a drawstring or open top, carried on a shoulder strap. To style one, treat it as a relaxed, everyday bag: wear it on the shoulder with jeans, knitwear and boots, crossbody on a long strap for weekends and travel, or in the hand with a dress for a more polished look. Its round shape softens structured outfits and suits casual ones, and it works in every season if you choose the material to match: suede or smooth leather in autumn and winter, woven or pale leather in spring and summer.

Below: what a bucket bag is, the main types, how it compares with a hobo and a tote, three ways to wear it, 12 outfit ideas, sizing for your frame, colours, what fits inside and how to care for one.

Disclosure: We make a leather bucket bag, and we name it where it fits, with real dimensions and prices (as listed in October 2026). The styling advice applies to any bucket bag.

What is a bucket bag?

A bucket bag is named for its shape: like a bucket, it has a flat round or oval base and sides that rise up to an opening, which is usually gathered with a drawstring. Most have a single shoulder strap, often with a second, longer crossbody strap.

The defining features:

• Round or oval flat base that lets the bag stand and keeps bottles upright.
• Cylindrical or slightly flared body.
• Drawstring closure threaded through eyelets or loops, sometimes with a magnetic tab or inner zip pouch; some are open-topped.
• Shoulder strap, often with a crossbody option.
• Small to medium size, typically 8 to 12 inches wide.

The style is usually traced to 1932, when Louis Vuitton designed a drawstring bag (the Noé) to carry bottles of champagne upright. It’s been in and out of fashion since, with big revivals in the 1970s, 1990s and 2010s, and it’s now a long-running everyday shape.

Types of bucket bags

Bucket bag vs hobo vs tote vs crossbody

If you need more room, see our best leather hobo bags guide or the different kinds of tote bags. For a small hands-free bag, see the best leather crossbody bags for women.

Pros and cons of a bucket bag

Pros

• Easy to get into: loosen the drawstring and everything is visible from above.
• Bottles, umbrellas and tall things stand upright.
• Light and relaxed; goes with most casual clothes.
• Stands on its own on a table or the floor.
• Works on the shoulder, crossbody or in the hand.

Cons

• A drawstring is less secure than a zip.
• Small things sink to the bottom unless there’s a pocket or pouch.
• The round shape wastes space with flat items like folders.
• Not for laptops.

How to wear a bucket bag: three ways

1. On the shoulder

The classic way. The bag sits under the arm or at the hip, depending on the drop. A shoulder drop around 10 to 12 inches suits most people and goes over a coat.

Best with: jeans and knitwear, shirt dresses, relaxed tailoring, trench coats.

2. Crossbody

With a long strap, a bucket bag becomes a hands-free bag for markets, travel, festivals and running around after children. Adjust the strap so the bag sits at the hip, not mid-thigh; a bucket bag hanging too low swings and knocks.

Best with: casual, weekend and travel outfits; mini bucket bags with dresses.

3. In the hand

Hold the strap short, or use a top handle if it has one. Carrying a bucket bag in the hand is the dressiest way to wear it.

Best with: dresses, skirts, tailored trousers, evening outfits.

How to style a bucket bag: 12 outfit ideas

Casual and weekend

The bucket bag’s natural home. Wear it crossbody or on the shoulder with denim, knits, sweatshirts and trainers. Earthy colours (cognac, tan, olive, tobacco) look relaxed; black looks sharper.

Work

A structured or smooth leather bucket bag in a dark colour works for creative and smart-casual offices, worn on the shoulder with tailoring or knitwear. It won’t carry a laptop, so pair it with a work tote on heavy days.

Evenings

Choose a mini or small bucket bag in black, oxblood or suede, carried in the hand or tight on the shoulder.

Travel

A medium bucket bag with a crossbody strap works for sightseeing: tall water bottle, guidebook, scarf. Keep valuables in an inside zip pocket, since the drawstring top isn’t fully secure. For more secure options, see best travel handbags.

Styling by season

Sizing a bucket bag to your frame

• Petite: a small bucket around 8–9.5 inches wide, worn crossbody at the hip or on a short shoulder drop.
• Average: 9–11 inches wide covers most uses.
• Tall: 10–12 inches wide, or a bucket tote; a mini can look small, so wear it crossbody.

What fits in a bucket bag

How to keep a bucket bag organised

• Use the inside zip pocket for keys and cards.
• Add a small pouch for bits that would otherwise sink to the bottom.
• Stand bottles and umbrellas upright against the side.
• Use a bag organiser insert if your bucket bag has no pockets.

Choosing a colour

More ideas in our guide to what colour purse goes with what.

What to look for in a leather bucket bag

• A flat, firm base. Without one, the bag collapses and bottles tip over.
• Eyelets that are set and reinforced. Solid brass eyelets with a leather backing don’t tear out.
• A leather (not cord) drawstring with stitched or knotted ends, long enough to open the bag fully.
• An inside zip pocket, since the top isn’t fully closed.
• A second closure such as a magnetic tab, which keeps the top neat.
• Two straps, or one adjustable strap, for shoulder and crossbody wear.
• Light weight. A leather bucket bag around 1 lb is easy to wear all day.

Caring for a bucket bag

• Smooth leather: wipe weekly and condition two or three times a year. See how to clean a leather bag.
• Suede: brush after wearing and keep out of heavy rain.
• Drawstring: loosen it before storing, so the leather doesn’t crease permanently.
• Shape: store stuffed with tissue, standing on its base, in a dust bag.
• Base: wipe the bottom after setting it on floors.

Our bucket bag: the Kendal

The Kendal is our bucket bag, made in full-grain leather, cow suede (with leather trim) and hair-on cowhide (with leather trim).

• Size: 9.75 × 9 × 4.75 in, on an oval flat base, so a bottle stands up.
• Straps: 11 in shoulder drop, plus a removable crossbody strap.
• Closure: leather drawstring through solid brass eyelets, plus a magnetic tab.
• Inside: a zip pocket; stitched-in cotton twill lining.
• Weight: about 0.9 lb in leather.
• Fits: phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses, a small bottle, a scarf; not a laptop.
• Price: $175 in leather (oat, oxblood, tan, chocolate, cognac, black); $185 in suede (oxblood, moss, taupe, tobacco, chocolate, black); $189 in hair-on cowhide (salt and pepper, palomino, brown and white, black and white, brindle, black).

Popular choices: cognac leather for everyday, black leather for town and evenings, and taupe suede for autumn.

It’s made to order and ships in 3 to 5 working days, with 30-day returns. Stitching is covered for life and hardware for five years. Initials can be pressed on the leather or the leather trim in gold, silver or blind.

If you want something different

• More room: the Hollis hobo, 15.75 in wide with a zip top, $185.
• More secure: the Ripley saddle bag, with a curved flap and brass turn-lock, $165. See what is a saddle bag purse?.
• Smaller: the Tilly mini, with a top handle and detachable strap, $145.

Browse the full range of leather bucket bags, suede bags and leather handbags.

Browse more guides in the Leather Guide.

Frequently asked questions