Stylist Tells Us How To Style Food-Inspired Bags Without Looking Tacky

It's not unheard of to mesh fashion with edible iconography. After all, fabric prints and cutesy accessories often feature cherries, strawberries, and citrus fruits in summer and pumpkins, gourds, and candy corn in fall. But these classic motifs are only the beginning, as we've seen with the recent rise of foodcore, a concept that deals in the fashionable side of tasty treats.

Perhaps following in the wake of produce-inspired aesthetics like 2023's tomato girl aesthetic or 2024's Hailey-Bieber-approved peach girl look, foodcore is bringing more and more gastronomic imagery into our wardrobes. One particularly notable fad has been the surge of food-inspired handbags. This trend has it all: crossbodies mimicking buttery toast, rhinestone-studded watermelon-slice clutches, petite corncob coin purses, bucket bags that look like Kikkoman soy sauce, and even a purse shaped like a giant Tums bottle.

But with any great statement piece comes a recurring dilemma. How can you wear it without looking tacky or extra? For guidance, we turned exclusively to renowned fashion stylist Catherine Bibeau. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Bibeau is widely respected for her outstanding work in fashion design, styling, and marketing and has worked with brands like Buffalo Jeans, Ferragamo, her own fashion label, Nacre Voyage, and more. So, when Bibeau offered up her take on the food-inspired bag trend, we listened closely. Here's what she had to say on the surprisingly meteoric rise of food purses and how to pull off the look in style.

As with any statement piece, the first and most crucial piece of style wisdom is to wear your foodie handbags rather than letting them wear you. As Catherine Bibeau exclusively tells Glam, "My biggest piece of advice is to style and wear these bags with confidence because that is the key to pulling them off." After that, it's all about giving the purse space to breathe. "To keep the look casual chic, pair [it] with a white tee and jeans or use the bag to accessorize a monochromatic look. Build your outfit around the colors of the bag and avoid loud patterns or bold colors," suggests Bibeau. "Opt for simple jewelry and let your bag be the moment!"

Bear in mind that "moment" may be the operative word. Fun as these pieces are, Bibeau warns that most food-inspired bags aren't timeless investments. "These bags may typically appeal more to a limited and trend-focused demographic, which could move on to the next big thing relatively quickly," the stylist cautions. "Like many statement accessories, their popularity is likely to ebb and flow with seasonal trends rather than becoming a long-lasting staple."

Fair enough — but unlike other bags that are already outdated for fall 2024, food purses aren't passé just yet. What better reason is there to get the most out of your food bags now while the trend is still hot? With Bibeau's styling suggestions in mind, we can still get plenty of mileage from our gourmand accessories before the novelty wears off.

As fascinating as food-inspired purses can be, we'll admit that some of the designs are a little outlandish. So, what's made this trend so gripping and widespread? Catherine Bibeau points to the balanced juxtaposition of novelty and nostalgia. "[Food-inspired bags] stand out and make a statement while letting your personality and humor shine through," Bibeau exclusively tells Glam. "People also associate food with comfort leading to positive feelings when looking at a funky new accessory like this."

What's more, food bags align with many recent sensibilities like carefree maximalism and the overarching urge for everyone to find their personal, hyper-niche fashion core. Individuality is in, and cheeky purses are a way to show off yours. "This new, up-and-coming whimsical aesthetic adds a fun and quirky element to any look. What's a better conversation starter than a ketchup-inspired bag?" quips Bibeau. Note: She's not fabricating that example. As thoroughly displayed in one Instagram post, the ketchup packet crossbody is part of a real collaboration between Heinz and Kate Spade.

In short, food-based purse designs have just the right mix of fun, surprise, and relatability to hook fashion enthusiasts from all walks of life, and working these showstoppers into your personal aesthetic without any dramatic clashing is an easier feat than you might think.