July in Britain means weddings, garden parties, prize-givings and family photo sessions, and the accessory doing all the quiet work is the little handbag. In this summer diary I share the four bag moods of 2026 (pearl, bow, chain strap and metallic mini), the colour-matching tricks that make a simple dress look properly styled, and the three real outfits I built around them. Plus the practical bits nobody blogs about: strap lengths, clasps and how to stop a tiny bag disappearing under a chair by three o'clock.