Handbags for Women
The bag you carry most is almost never the biggest one you own. Something Pretty buys handbags the way the women who shop here actually carry them: small, light, and finished well enough to sit on a restaurant table. Zip bags, beaded purses, pouches and one good suede shoulder bag, picked in Europe in small runs. Order with tracked delivery across South Africa, or come and try them over your shoulder in one of our three Cape Town boutiques.
Last updated: 15 September 2026
Handbags for women in South Africa
Something Pretty Boutique, the luxury womenswear boutique founded by Tasneem Ismail in 2015, sells a carefully curated collection of European Fashion to women across South Africa, and stocks handbags online and at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Every bag is chosen by hand in Europe and arrives in small numbers, which is why the choice leans towards smaller shapes rather than luggage. A bag earns its place only if it finishes a dress and still looks right at the end of a long evening.
Which bag size do you actually need?
Most women buy a bag a size too big, then carry it half empty for a year. Work backwards from what actually has to go in it, not from what might one day. Something Pretty buys across four sizes and stocks each one in small numbers, so the table below is the honest guide to which shape earns its place in your week rather than a list of everything a bag could be.
| Bag | What fits | When it earns its place |
|---|---|---|
| Pouch or cosmetic bag | Lipstick, keys, cards, earphones | Inside a bigger bag, or on its own to dinner |
| Zip bag or purse | Phone, cards, lipstick, small sunglasses | Evenings, weddings, anywhere you will be standing |
| Small shoulder bag | All of the above plus a compact and keys | The everyday bag most women reach for |
| Tote | Laptop, water, a change of shoes | Work, travel and market days |
Small bags, purses and pouches
The small bag has quietly become the default, because phones got the wallet's job and nobody wants to carry both. Something Pretty leans into that: zip bags and beaded purses that hold what an evening needs and nothing more. The wider small handbags edit carries the full range, and a pouch doubles as the organiser inside a larger bag when you swap over. It is the same logic as packing the reversible jeans: one piece doing two jobs.
What bag is trending now?
Small, structured and worn high on the shoulder is where the market has moved, after several seasons of oversized slouch. Raffia and beading are the summer texture story in South Africa, and suede with a contrast trim is the one carrying into the cooler months. Metallic stays constant because it does the work of a second bag at night. Trend aside, the shape you already reach for is usually the right buy.
How do you tell a well made bag by hand?
Check three things in the shop. Open and close the zip five times, because a cheap zip catches on the third. Look inside at the seam allowance, which should be bound or turned rather than raw. Press the base corners, where a good bag holds shape and a poor one folds. Suede should feel dry and even rather than plasticky. None of this needs a brand name to judge.
How do you care for a suede or raffia bag?
Brush suede in one direction with a suede brush and keep it out of rain, since water marks it permanently. Raffia and straw want a dry cupboard and no weight on top, or the weave flattens. Store both stuffed with tissue rather than flat, and never in a sealed plastic bag, because trapped damp is what kills a natural fibre. The same care thinking runs through the silk edit.
Pair with the rest of the look
A bag is the last decision, not the first. Match it to the shoes in metal or texture rather than trying to match it to the dress, which almost never works. Beside a printed piece, keep the bag plain. Beside linen or jeans, let the bag carry the shine. Finish with necklaces in gold or a silk scarf knotted at the handle, which is the oldest trick for making a plain bag look like yours. New shapes land in new arrivals through the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy handbags in Cape Town?
Something Pretty sells handbags at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Trying a bag on the shoulder matters more than looking at it on a shelf, because strap drop decides whether you will actually carry it. Store addresses are on our stores.
What size handbag is best for everyday?
A small shoulder bag that holds a phone, cards, keys, lipstick and sunglasses covers most days without becoming heavy. Anything larger tends to fill with things you never use. Keep a tote for work and travel, and let the small bag do the rest.
What is the difference between a purse, a pouch and a clutch?
A purse holds cards and cash inside a bigger bag. A pouch is a soft unstructured bag used either inside another bag or on its own for an evening. A clutch has no strap and is carried in the hand. Something Pretty stocks purses and pouches, with straps on most shapes so your hands stay free.
How do you stop a bag strap slipping off your shoulder?
Choose a strap that sits flat rather than rolled, and check the drop length against the coat you wear most, not the top you are wearing in the shop. A slightly shorter drop keeps the bag high and stops it sliding. Wide flat straps stay put where thin rounded cords slip.
Do you deliver handbags across South Africa?
Yes. Something Pretty delivers handbags across South Africa with tracking on every order, and delivery is free on orders over R1,500. Bags come in very small numbers because the buy is small, so a shape showing today may be gone within the week.
Can I return a handbag if it is not right?
Yes, if you request it within 72 hours of delivery. The bag must be unused with tags and original packaging, and a R155 fee applies to returns and exchanges. Sale items cannot be returned or exchanged. Full terms are in the returns policy.
What bag should you take to a wedding?
A small zip bag or beaded purse in metallic or a colour drawn from your outfit works best, since you will be standing, holding a drink and being photographed. Leave the tote at home. Something Pretty stocks evening shapes alongside the occasion dresses they are bought to finish.