If you’re anything like me, picking out a new purse is sometimes quite a chore.
In fact, it’s so much of a chore for me that I’ve been carrying a bag I spontaneously purchased at Target for over a year. And it’s not even that cute of a purse!
So what’s a girl to do?
Step 0: Budget.
Because a new purse is great and all, but I refuse to eat Ramen noodles for dinner every night.
Step 1: Color
Because I am obviously going to use this bag for about a year I need something neutral – I’m really loving gray right now.
Step 2: Size
Does it need to hold a camera? Cell phone? A pack of baby wipes? A water bottle?
Step 3: Shape
Is a slouchy bag ok with you? Does it need to stand up on its own so you can put it on the floor without it toppling over?
Step 4: Shop, shop, shop.
This is the hardest part. Finding the perfect combo of all of the above is tough!
So in the interest of comparison shopping – what kinds of bags do YOU like??
I love B. Makowsky, Michael by Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein bags, while all of my friends carry bags from the Coach outlet store.
So what kind of bag are you carrying today?
About Jo-Lynne
I hear ya on the budget. About 6 months ago, I needed a new purse so I bought the Tignanello T-Time Signature Shopper which cost around $50. The neutral red and beige goes well with most outfits and it has plenty of space for my things without looking bulky. Also – and this is really important – the straps are comfy. I can’t stand purse straps that dig into my shoulders. That’s what I’m carrying today!
I carry Longchamp bags in the Le Pliage Shopping size… now if you need pockets, this is not the bag for you, but if you’re like me and just toss everything in, then they are great. They don’t look bulky at all, and they are so easy to clean. They’re a little pricey, but worth every penny in my opinion.
I get a little purse crazy every few months! My sister and I developed a couple rules for handbags though. 1) The strap MUST be long enough for us to pick up and put the purse on our shoulder with one hand. Sounds silly, but there are lots of purses that have short straps that get the purse stuck at the elbow! 2) There should only be one strap to the purse. We hate it when it has two straps and one keeps falling. Other than those rules, all purses are fair game!
Check TJ Maxx and Marshalls for great deals. I got the one I’m carrying (and LOVE) now at Marshalls for only $25! The only thing I don’t like about this bag is that it’s a Jessica Simpson design. I don’t really care for her, but I love the bag enough to not let it bother me! http://www.jessicasimpsoncollection.com/HANDBAGS/PREMIERE-CROSSBODY-BAG.html I have it in “saffron” and get compliments on it all the time!
While I am all about Frugal Fashion when it comes to clothes I am a complete bag snob. I buy 1-2 really nice bags a year (usually Louis Vuitton). Today I am carrying my LV Damier Ebene Speedy 35.
If you like B. Makowsky and are ever in Noblesville there is a place called Clothes Closet that buys a lot of overstock/close-outs from QVC. They have a bunch of his bags for $149 and under.
Almost all my bags are B Mak, and a couple from Coach and Dooney. I find great Bmak deals on Amazon.com. They always have tons in the $110 – $190 range.
My gripe with Makowsky is that they’re so heavy. Just not practical as much as I load up my purse. I have soooo many purses, many of which I haven’t used yet. I have a few from Coach that I love, and I got a great Nordstrom brand bag at their recent anniversary sale. I’m short, so my bags can’t be too awfully big, but I need them big enough to carry all my stuff. I find that about 14 inches across is the perfect size for me, give or take an inch.
I love this bag! I have it in a purply color. It is AMAZING and can fit whatever you need. I keep a smaller cosmetics tote inside to keep all of that stuff together. The bag is amazingly light, so even though it is big, it isn’t heavy. I have one in a purply color that I got at saks that I love and it matches EVERYTHING! Buena suerte!
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod67730003&ecid=NMCIGoogleBaseFeed&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=H3FG3
Girl. You’re speaking my language. I have lots of brands of purses. I like B. Makowsky, love Orla Kiely for some fun, I have a gorgeous leather bag from Boden, one from Lucky, and two from Hobo. Yep, I do love me some purses. I like slouchy bags for the look and the space, but I like a bag with some structure for standing up easily. I absolutely detest zippers, I love those hidden magnetic closures the best. 🙂