Hold Me
I am utterly mindboggled every time it comes to buying a new handbag. For one thing, the sheer number of choices is staggering. For another, I have never actually understood why a two foot section of black leather and some buckles should cost anywhere from about as much as my lunch to about as much as my house. I just don’t understand. I clearly lack the bag gene. I know it exists. I am fully aware there are women out there who feel about bags the way I feel about shoes, but personally I have never once been even tempted to keep my purse on during sex (and even if I was, I am positive it wouldn’t have the same effect). Still, eventually the day comes when I look down at whatever bedraggled bit of baggery I am carrying about and think to myself “There’s a hole in that.” And so begins yet another search for something to hold all of my stuff. Preferably something with the ability to fold space/time around my belongings and allow me to carry a jacket, an extra pair of shoes, and a basic zombie go-bag without being larger than, say, a Labrador retriever.
Luna Chain Handbag, $42 (non-leather) † Slot-Through Satchel, $109.91 † Ibiza Hobo, $68 (non-leather)
Leather Stud Base Holdall, $170 † Chain Strap Handbag, $27.99 † Front Pocket Lady Satchel, $48 (non-leather)
Washed Panel Slouch Bag, $59.18 † MAM, $21.98 † Zippy Sling Bag, $89
Tags: leather bag
May 23rd, 2010 at 8:24 AM
took me an entire year to find th ‘ perfect ‘ specimen. it was $45
May 23rd, 2010 at 8:45 AM
I’m having the same problem/dilemma. My current bag is falling apart, I bought it years ago for £15, and now I can’t find a suitable replacement. I’m even ready to spend a reasonable amount! The hunt continues…
May 23rd, 2010 at 8:52 AM
It’s even worse when you’re (very) short and most bags with long shoulder straps end up below your knees.
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:05 AM
My current bag is Lip Service, and I adore it.
May 23rd, 2010 at 10:29 AM
I end up buying a new “possible” purse about once or twice a year when I hit the outlet malls and sticking them in the back of my closet until my current one gets too beat up. Then I pick my favorite from all the possiblities and sell the rest on eBay.
May 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 AM
I’ve been tempted to invest in a bag by English Retreads (http://www.englishretreads.com) for a long time now. They’re made from recycled inner truck tire inner tubes, they’re vegan and they’re pretty brutal-looking. My personal favorites are the Bentley and Beatle: I’m just waiting for them to make a nice mid-range size. Anyway, yea, check that out.
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:28 PM
I quite like the Ibiza Hobo or the Chain Strap Handbag – which is a good deal.
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:47 PM
I just know if I bought a bag with a chain strap that bitch would be snapped off the first day.
I wanna invest in one of those English Retreads that Hannah mentioned, I am really hard on my bags & I think those can take whatever I dish out.
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:57 PM
I had the perfect bag once. It was 99 cents from Salvation Army. It held everything I needed.
And now it is gone.
And anything close to it in awesome and perfection is upwards of a hundred dollars.
May 23rd, 2010 at 4:42 PM
chinese knicknack shops are the answer. I found the bag that I’ve been dreaming of for two years the other day for €10. It’s red PVC snakeskin, by the way, and large enough to hold a filofax, notebooks, phone, wallet, sweater, and various makeup, but small enough to go under my arm in crowded/dodgy situations.
I’m not much of a bag person either…I’m aware that some bags are divine but I rarely find them. Most appear to me either too trashy, too middle-aged, or too boring. I’d rather buy shoes.
May 23rd, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Being as I only ever buy actual bags (wristdanglers can fuck right off) and aim for pure practicality I tend to stick to the men’s accessory sections – it usually turns up some nice clean lines and a winning lack of glitter.
May 23rd, 2010 at 6:23 PM
Might I suggest one of the bags from http://www.englishretreads.com rather than leather?
They seem nearly indestructible, plus virtually waterproof, and the unlined styles actually stretch a bit so you can overstuff them without rips. Go recycled tires.
My first purchase from them (a discontinued messanger/backpack style) is at least 10 years old. I also have the larger bently (which holds my 17″ macbook pro plus stuff no problems, a coupe, and 3 or 4 of the accessory/cell pouches, and a couple of belts.
The prices are incredibly reasonable as well IMHO, especially since they don’t seem to wear out.
May 24th, 2010 at 5:44 PM
Just bought a new bag online on Beyond The Rack from a brand called A&G. Been trying forever to find a bag that’s big enough to accommodate my laptop plus a few other items, and feeling optimistic about this one:
http://www.ebags.com/product/aandg-rock/drew/148775?rlid=detail&rcode=res10052417203044473288135
In black, of course, and much cheaper than that price. I also love the “daisy” model along the side. The skull is puking fringe /rocknroll!
May 25th, 2010 at 12:40 AM
Thanks for labeling the nonleather options. It’s very considerate and not too common on a lot of the blogs I read.