In the era of 4.0, where fashion knows no boundaries, “It Bags” are now not only endorsed by famous “It Girls” but also gaining popularity through the support of fashionable “It Boys.”
“Some women will leave a lasting impression in the memory of men as they walk down the street,” Rudyard Kipling wrote in his short story “Mrs. Bathurst” (1904). This is one of the earliest references to what would define an “It Girl.” This unique concept later became popularized through silent films, adapted from Elinor Glyn’s novel “It” (1927). “With an elusive charm only known as ‘It,’ you will conquer all men if you are a woman and all women if you are a man. It can be a quality of the mind as well as physical attractiveness,” Elinor Glyn shared in her novel. Later, the “It Girl” became a widespread phenomenon in popular culture. We know who the It Girl is: she’s Edie Sedgwick, Alexa Chung, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Chlöe Sevigny, Paris Hilton, or Julia Fox, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Zendaya, Jennie Kim, and several others. Recently, The Cut identified 150 influential women in New York alone, how they shape art and culture worthy of this title.
The “It Girl” has been defined, shaped over decades with the rapid evolution of women’s roles in each era. The “It Girl” is not necessarily a cultural authority, but someone who has used their own perspective to create cultural relevance, earning respect and the desire to emulate from society. They are the women who help us understand the society, community, and culture of particular eras. For example, how would we understand the 1950s without Marilyn Monroe? Who would reflect the most authentic countercultural trends of youth culture in the 1990s like Chloë Sevigny? Whether it’s Naomi Campbell, Paris Hilton, or Edie Sedgwick, an “It Girl” truly serves as a “mirror” for the place she inhabits. These girls both reflect the culture around them and change it themselves.
“It Girls” have existed alongside us through every era or milestone in popular culture without fear of being overshadowed. Their sphere of influence covers all fields, everywhere they appear, from lifestyle, beauty, health to fashion. If you’re a true fashion enthusiast, you’ll recognize that the popularity of a fashion trend or any item on the trend carousel is deeply associated with a certain “It Girl.” Bella Hadid brings back bayonetta glasses, Hailey Bieber creates makeup styles named after fruits, Kendall Jenner revives the “pantless” trend, … and much more. The bags considered iconic works of the fashion world also owe part of their success to these “It Girls.” From the iconic Hermès Birkin bag associated with Jane Birkin to Kendall Jenner’s Gucci Horsebit chain clutch, the world of It-girls and It-bags is closely intertwined. With their special allure and profound influence on the community, these famous women help the bags of renowned brands become sought after by girls everywhere.
Until now, handbags have been seen as “beloved” accessories exclusively for women. Until fashion became accessible freely and without boundaries as it is today, handbags were understood in their literal sense – as fashion accessories that complete an overall look, enthusiastically endorsed by every enthusiast regardless of gender or age. The emergence of “It Boys” in the new era has proven that.
G-Dragon has been the face of women’s handbags
Similarly to the “It Girl,” the “It Boy” also has a similar allure and influence. The New York Times once referred to designer Eli Russell Linnetz as the “reluctant It Boy of fashion.” Others recently bestowed with this title by the media include both obvious and unconventional choices: Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, V and Jimin of the BTS idol group, Choi Yeunjen of TXT, Hyunjin of Stray Kids, Timothée Chalamet, Luka Sabbat, and Pedro Pascal, … are all men dubbed with this title by the media. The Instagram and Twitter account @itboytrends has been documenting the styles of those they deem as It Boys since 2017, such as Troye Sivan, Penn Badgeley, Jacob Elordi, Bad Bunny, Manu Rios, etc. Alongside are images of stylishly dressed men at fashion weeks or the most stylish men at music festivals. Tauan Gomes, the founder of this account, shares: “Today, an It Boy is someone with influence and more, he is not afraid to change himself, experiment with different versions. They are people you look at, and must admire. They are the credible source for the fashion style and lives of many young people.”
There’s no doubt that many men associated with the title of It Boy possess a special style, an irresistible charm and attraction that makes everyone turn their heads whenever they hit the streets. According to this explanation, today’s It Boys must be men like actor Alton Mason – a dancer turned model, or skateboarders; or male model Evan Mock – the Gossip Girl star, a favorite figure in street fashion runways during fashion week. They must be Fai Khadra, rumored ex-boyfriend of Kendall Jenner. Or “Model of the Year” 2015 Jordan Barrett, who last year was honored by Vogue as one of the “faces of the LGBTQ+ revolution.” Or the soccer player turned TikTok star, the charming guy of Generation Z – Noah Beck. Or Paul Hameline – an artist, a “fashion poet,” and once a film star in Lux Æterna (2019) by Gaspár Noe.
The “It Boy” today is free to express their inner selves and boldly show the world who they truly are. As fashion becomes more open, their stories are not confined by any rules. They break unwritten rules, rigid masculine stereotypes in the fashion world, to experiment with new things or just to prove who they are. Not just dresses or high heels, there was a time when carrying a crossbody or clutch bag could be controversial for a man. But today, the situation has changed, and “It Bags” are also enthusiastically endorsed by a host of male celebrities.
From Jacob Elordi’s Chanel crossbody bag to Kit Connor’s JW Anderson Bumper Bag, they have elevated outfits with coveted fashion bags. Jacob Elordi is currently enjoying a flourishing career in film. In the fashion world, the actor has made headlines with gender-fluid outfits, especially scoring points with various luxurious small bags usually reserved for women, like the Burberry crossbody bag, Andiamo bag, and Bottega Veneta Cassette bag. More recently, he caused a stir in the fashion world by carrying a small fluffy Chanel crossbody bag during the press tour for the movie “Priscilla” in Venice, as well as a yellow Louis Vuitton Millionaire Speedy bag from Pharrell Williams’ spring 2024 debut collection. In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Elordi shared that his affinity for handbags comes from his upbringing in Australia: “Where I grew up, we have a culture of shoulder bags, waist bags. When leaving home, I need to bring certain things with me
