I Just Got Back From Miami and Saw People Wearing the Same Under-$400 Bag as Me

There's nothing more validating than when you see someone incredibly stylish wearing something that you just purchased. That happened to me while walking down the streets of the Design District in Miami. There's a new bag brand on the scene called Aupen, and it's still in its IYKYK era, meaning I only spot fashion insiders wearing it. After Taylor Swift picked up its Nirvana bag while styling a wedding guest ensemble, it's been everywhere. I picked it out in red for my trip, and I clearly wasn't the only person in the stylish city wearing it.

I love investing in a designer bag, but with the prices rising season after season, I simply don't care to keep up anymore. It feels like you have to be willing to shell out multiple months of New York City rent to be the owner of an It bag these days, with the prices being upwards of $5000. Since this cool-girl brand comes in at under $400 and has already been worn by all of my favorite celebrities—like Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Olivia Rodrigo, and so on—my heart skips a beat. Let's discuss the bags by Aupen that are currently on my radar.

My most worn Aupen bag happens to be the Fearless. It fits everything I need for a Saturday in New York City. 

The bag I mentioned seeing around Miami happens to be this exact one. When Swift wore it on a date with Travis Kelce, it sold out fast. It's back, so I'd act now.

While I usually prefer champagne on ice, a bag on ice is quite nice too. This sparkly number made its way onto Gomez's arm for a wedding guest ensemble and her trip to Paris.

The best way to dress up a minidress is with a bit of fringe. The Purpose bag was one of the first in my collection, so I love the classic black rendition as well.

One of the latest additions to Aupen's roster of bags is called Joy. I'm a longtime lover of slouchy bags, and this is most definitely the Gen Z version.