The JW PEI Joy shoulder bag: colours, finishes and how to wear it

The Joy is JW PEI’s nineties shoulder bag, a slim baguette with a short strap that sits under the arm, and it is the piece to buy if the shoulder-bag line of By Far and the early Fendi Baguette is what you are after at a contemporary price. Luxury Handbags carries 12 colourways from $250 to $310, in vegan leather, faux suede, croc-embossed, woven, sequin and embroidered finishes.

Key facts

• 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth), gold hardware, one slip pocket, by the brand’s figures on the Joy Shoulder Bag in Black.
• Luxury Handbags carries 12 Joy colourways from $250 to $310.
• Finishes: smooth vegan leather, faux suede, croc-embossed faux suede, faux bamboo weave, sequin and lily embroidery.
• The strap is fixed and adjustable on most editions, so it sits high under the arm and can drop to a longer shoulder length.
• Fits an iPhone 16 Pro Max on the standard version; it is an evening and dinner bag rather than a day bag.
• The FEI Joy is the same shape cut in the brand’s harder-edged FEI finish.

What the Joy is for

Dinner, drinks, a day with little to carry. The Joy Shoulder Bag in Black takes a large phone, a card holder and a lipstick, and it sits flat against the body under the arm, which is the point of the baguette shape. It is the JW PEI bag that reads most like a designer bag from a distance because the silhouette is so specific. Wear it with a slip dress and a heel, with jeans and a blazer, with tailoring in the same tone as the bag.

Finishes

The smooth vegan-leather Joy is the classic; the croc-embossed faux suede is the one that photographs richest; the woven and faux-bamboo versions are summer bags; the sequin and the lily-embroidered editions are evening pieces. Colours run from black and dark brown through burgundy to the pastels, and the brand rotates them each season.

The Joy colourways at Luxury Shoes

1. Joy Shoulder Bag in Black, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 12 Pro Max and any smaller phone

2. Joy Shoulder Bag in Acorn Brown, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 12 Pro Max and any smaller phone Imported

3. Joy Shoulder Bag in Brown, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 12 Pro Max and any smaller phone

4. Joy Shoulder Bag in Deep Claret, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 14 Pro Max and any smaller phone

5. Joy Shoulder Bag in Steel Blue, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 12 Pro Max and any smaller phone

6. Joy Shoulder Bag in White, $250

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits iPhone 12 Pro Max and any smaller phone

7. Joy Croc-Embossed Faux Suede Shoulder Bag in Beige, $270

Faux suede. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 16 Pro Max

8. Joy Faux Suede Shoulder Bag in Khaki Brown, $270

Faux suede. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 16 Pro Max

9. Joy Faux Bamboo Woven Shoulder Bag in Brown, $280

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 15 Pro Max and any smaller phone

10. Joy Sequin Shoulder Bag in Rose Pink, $310

Pet. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 17 Pro Max

11. Joy Shoulder Bag in Dark Blue Denim, $310

Denim. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 17 Pro Max

12. Joy Woven Shoulder Bag in Dark Red, $310

Vegan leather. 26.5 x 14.5 x 6 cm (width x height x depth). Fits an iPhone 16 Pro Max

Joy versus Gabbi

Both are small, both are carried at the shoulder, and the difference is shape: the Gabbi is a soft gathered hobo, the Joy a flat structured baguette. If you wear tailoring and slip dresses, the Joy; if you wear denim and knits, the Gabbi. Many customers own both. See the best JW PEI bags for how the whole range ranks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the JW PEI Joy bag?

A slim nineties-style shoulder bag, a baguette with a short adjustable strap, in vegan leather and faux suede, that sits under the arm. It fits a large phone, cards and a lipstick.

How much is the JW PEI Joy bag?

$250 to $310 at Luxury Handbags depending on the finish; the standard vegan-leather version is $250.

Does the JW PEI Joy fit an iPhone?

Yes, the brand lists the standard Joy as fitting an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Is the Joy bag leather?

No. It is vegan leather, faux suede and other animal-free finishes, like every JW PEI bag.

Should I buy the Joy and the Gabbi?

Buy the Joy for tailoring and dresses and the Gabbi for denim and knits. The Joy is the flatter, more structured shape; the Gabbi the softer, gathered one. Many customers own both.

Read next

The Gabbi bag. The best JW PEI bags. How to style JW PEI. Brands like JW PEI. Shop JW PEI at Luxury Shoes .