I have always been an admirer of Cameron Diaz ever since she came out in Mask (yes, that was her with Jim Carrey). I especially like the way she manages to look good effortlessly. Apart from the fact that she is blessed with a tall and slim figure, she always makes the right style choices. I’m not just talking about red carpet fashion; I’m talking about her everyday style. This is why she is a favorite among fashion critics and photographers.

I was looking through some of her pictures and came across these shots of her while she was touring in Peru.

Cameron Diaz looking tourista-chic with her Infamous Mao Bag

Doesn’t she just look fabulous? Tourista chic is how I’d like to put it. The bag obviously completes the whole get-up. This bag however, more popularly known as the Mao Bag, got her into trouble in Peru. Apparently, the red star, and the slogan printed in Chinese reminded the people of Peru of a Maoist insurgency that happened in the 80s and left thousands of people dead.

Of course, Ms. Diaz apologized since she clearly had no idea wearing that chic messenger bag was politically offensive.

If you want to get this tourista chic look, put on your well-worn cargo pants, some long sleeve pullover or sweater, top it with a hat and shawl, and complete the get up with the Brighton Peace Straw Convertible Strap Tote.

The Brighton Peace Straw Convertible Strap Tote

Don’t worry this bag will never offend anybody. In fact, it will do the opposite. Thanks to the heart-shaped embellished peace sign on the bag, you can spread the message of peace, love, and happiness as you travel!

A blend of light woven straw and dark leather trimmings

A blend of light woven straw material and dark leather trimmings, the Brighton Peace Straw Convertible Strap Tote is your perfect touring companion. It is easy to wear and roomy enough to accommodate your travel essentials. You can also wear it as a tote by using the top handles.

Roomy interior of the Brighton Peace Straw Convertible Strap Tote

Purchase the Brighton Peace Straw Convertible Strap Tote at Zappos.com to enjoy discounts and free shipping to anywhere in the US both ways.

Though not exactly a woven item, the crochet or hand knitted bag uses a concept similar to that of woven bags – slightly different in technique (interlocking vs. interweaving), but almost the same as both are hand-crafted.

So basically, if you are into woven bags, crochet handbags might interest you as well.

One of the most well celebrated crochet bags is the Gerard Darel Syracuse “24 Hour” Hand Knitted Bag. A lot of celebrities have been seen toting this bag and I am not surprised as to why.

The detailing on the bag is quite unique and possibly laborious to do. I can only imagine the artisan hand-crafting this bag, it must have taken her a lot of time and a definite love of the art to come up with such a piece. To give you an idea of who’s wearing the bag, see below:

Angeline Jolie with her Gerard Darel Syracuse

Cameron Diaz with a Gerard Darel Syracuse

Halle Berry with her Gerard Darel Syracuse

It is quite unfortunate that Gerard Darel bags are not available online for you to buy. Perhaps if you do a deeper search, you might find one or two sites selling the bag, maybe in new or pre-owned condition. To give you an idea, a brand new Gerard Darel Syracuse “24 Hour” Hand Knitted Bag will cost you about US$549.

If you don’t want to spend too much for a crochet bag, you can always opt to shop the look by purchasing The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote at Zappos.com.

The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote in Cayenne

Though not as detailed as the Gerard Darel Syracuse “24 Hour” Bag, The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote is more versatile to use. With less embellishments, it looks classic, allowing you more opportunities to use the bag with different outfits. As it is quite large, you can also use this bag as an overnighter.

Inside the The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote

The The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote comes in 4 covetable colors – Azure, Black, Cayenne, and Gingersnap. So that’s more choices for you!

You may purchase the The Sak Indio Crochet Large Tote at Zappos.com. Enjoy their free shipping service to anywhere in the US (both ways).

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So what is it about woven handbags that make it such a great fashion accessory? Personally, I think it’s the pattern created by the meticulous weaving technique that makes the bag distinct and unique.

To give you a quick history, the weaving brilliance came from Bottega Veneta. It was the genius of the brand that started this “weave wave” among bags. In fact, the woven handbag has now become synonymous to the brand and vise versa.

Judging by the number of celebrities walking around with it, iconic is probably an understatement. To name a few celebs wearing the popular brand, here are a couple of pictures:

Miley Cyrus with her Bottega Intrecciato in hobo style

Cameron Diaz with her Bottega Montaigne Intrecciato