Zoë Kravitz's woven tote softens black trousers for warm weather

Zoë Kravitz keeps proving that the easiest summer fix for black trousers is not a brighter outfit, just a better bag. In London last week, she wore a black jacket over a crisp white button-down and white tank, then grounded it with black trousers, loafers, sunglasses, a colorful beanie, and a tan straw tote that immediately loosened the whole look.

Why the woven tote changes everything

The bag interrupts the severity of the black base. Kravitz’s woven tote added organic texture and honey-toned warmth, which is exactly what makes a monochrome outfit feel less like cold-weather leftovers and more like something meant for heat. The tailored clothes keep the outfit sharp, while the straw texture keeps it from reading precious or overstyled.

This is the part to steal if you live in black basics: do not fight the black. Just give it one warm, tactile object that catches the light. Raffia, straw, and woven textures are all over 2026 handbags as a major spring and summer accessory category rather than a beach-only afterthought.

The Row version is the cleanest place to start

The bag in Kravitz’s look is The Row’s Estelle Bag in raffia, listed in Wheat as a one-size style with the code W1655W756WTAS. It is a handwoven tote in natural raffia with shoulder straps and a rounded base, which is exactly why it sits so neatly beside trousers instead of fighting them. The Row's current listed price is $1,150.

That price lands firmly in luxury territory, but it is still lower than some of The Row’s larger raffia carryalls, including a Large Beau Raffia Tote priced at $2,400 on Moda Operandi. So the appeal here is not simple splurging; it is the proportion, the restraint, and the way the tote looks edited rather than oversized.

How to keep a woven tote polished on a petite frame

On a smaller frame, scale is everything. The sweet spot is a tote that stays close to the body, has some structure, and does not hang so low that it drags the eye downward. One reseller listing for the Estelle puts the bag around 11 inches by 11 inches by 8.5 inches with an 8.5-inch shoulder strap drop, which is the kind of reach that reads neat on the shoulder instead of swamping the hip line.

A much larger version of the same shape, listed at roughly 15.5 inches wide with a 20-inch strap drop, starts to feel more like an all-day carryall than a sharp styling piece. For petites, that longer drop can make the bag dominate the whole silhouette, especially when paired with straight black trousers and low-profile loafers. Keep the tote medium, the handle drop moderate, and the body of the bag rounded rather than boxy.

A few rules make the difference:

• Choose a tote with shoulder straps or a short-ish drop, so it sits high and tidy.

• Favor natural, wheat, tan, or honey-toned raffia, because lighter weave color is what lifts black clothing into warm-weather territory.

• Go for handwoven or artisanally crafted textures, not floppy, overfinished beach bags. The cleaner the weave, the more the look stays city-ready.

• Keep the rest of the outfit sharp. Black trousers and loafers give the raffia room to breathe; loud styling everywhere else kills the effect.

Why this bag trend is not going anywhere

Raffia is having a full-season moment, not a one-off cameo. In 2026, woven totes, basket bags, and raffia crossbodies are dominating shopping lists, and straw styles are a core warm-weather category.

Kravitz and Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello are co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala Host Committee.