Allow me to present the baggage I carry around. Traditionally I carry one purse every day. My (former) requirements are the Big Three of Purses: big enough to carry the essentials, small enough to fit in a bigger tote, (alongside my lunch and the other things I lug on my daily commute) plus it had to include a crossbody strap so no muggers could rip my purse off my shoulder and steal a liner or some old gum. Maybe a $20 bill...if they’re lucky.
Okay so maybe the reasoning on the last part isn’t necessarily true. Afterall like a lot of you, I’ve been stuck in the suburbs for 20 something years. I used to like a crossbody to provide hands-free shopping and max movement on the dancefloor. These “requirements” for a purse purchase are as pre-2020 as no masks in public. Since there are no rules, I took this moment to experiment with carrying different bags with different outfits and I mean literally carry - not just strap to my chest.
What’s trending in the handbag industry can be simplified into two words: Bottega Veneta. But the long version includes: slouchy shapeless totes that are as chill as you, fit-for-a-queen top handle bags, remember-when shoulder bags, and come the holidays, baby bags are back too. Not Baby Bash. I think his career is about done.
Donna: A true top handle bag is what I always loved to hold when playing dress-up because it is a symbol of elegance. This little leather number was made in St. Louis, likely in the 1970s. When you unclasp the top (I love an actual clasp) it has a faint old lady smell and for that reason, I am naming her Donna. If you haven’t heard already, brown is going to be talked about a ton this fall. I love how brown pairs with gold and pale pink, my go-to gals. However, being a fashion writer isn’t about getting a purse in the color everyone else is wearing. I have found brown’s more colorful alter ego, olive more alluring. To the point where I pick up an olive green anything everywhere I go! (Note on my trendsetting ways you might find comical: I knew I liked going against the grain since 7th grade when I was the first to buy the Uggs with one button, not zero or three buttons like everyone else. They cost over $100 and I had to travel 50 miles to get them but I liked it, I bought it, and they still fit.)
Amanda: Patent leather all black croc, shoulder bag? Yes, please! I typically feel the gravitational pull on showroom sales floors between me and a wild colored vintage purse. Anything no one else has the guts to pull off is exactly what I want to incorporate into my daily look. A psychedelic orange paisley purse worn with denim and snakeskin booties, sounds like the perfect print pairing to me. However, sometimes a solid bag in fashion’s most trusted color (black, obviously) cannot be dethroned. I love the super subtle texture and shine this purse will add to any and all outfits. I can get my print mixing in other ways. I am naming this gal Amanda because she looks like she was born in the late 80s. Liz Claiborne’s 30-year-old purse design turns present, with two secret pouches that surround the main compartment’s zipper. I use to keep my masks clean and secure. The idea of anything that has touched my keys going on my face makes me wanna vom so with Liz’s help I keep my mask in solitude.
Jennifer: September equals three months until Christmas! That’s how a Jennifer thinks, and that’s why I am naming this next bag in her honor. As a Jennifer is more likely to spend their spare time decorating the house and baking cookies, a purse is not top of mind. That is why a tiny festive box with a tinier bow is perfect. A box-shaped bag with ridged edges is the best way to flaunt geometry. DIY with any of your spare decorative boxes by hot-gluing a fabric or leather strap to the box. You’ve likely already tried the mini bag trend because they are oh so cute! Unlike in 2019, these hamster-sized pockets (No room for a book!) are not to be strapped on and instead are made to fit on your fingers. It literally looks like you are carrying a present everywhere you go. All I have to say is maybe the elves are onto something? One note on size: must fit mini hand sanitizer.
Luna: When you look at something navy our innate wisdom tells us it is important. A black low hanging bag with a chunky metal chain is something we’ve seen before – and plenty of times at that. I love taking a classic and updating it in terms of color and size. Navy leather with two thin chains is a chameleon piece to make even tattered flannels look high class. For more edge prop a dark grape purple purse on your shoulder. Luna is a girl of today.
With so many cute new ways to cart around my crap, I am not even one bit bitter that women’s clothing rarely has big enough pockets.
Love your vintage bags. They each have traveled many miles and have happy endings!!