A Fun Handbag
Handbags are important. Very. Important. Once upon a time, a long long long time ago, I used to not believe that handbags were that important. Any old PVC creation from Target would do, I had decided. Who cared if it was leather or designer or whattheheck ever. I just needed something to haul my stuff around in, and who cared what it looked like?
Then I went to work one day and made a horrifying, startling discovery: I was carrying the exact same purse as my 68-year old co-worker.
Oh, holy sweet jesus. Sweet sweet sweet jesus mother of Bambi you just can't do that.
Now, I love my 68-year old co-worker dearly, don't get me wrong. She's actually the reason I began to date Husband. She's known my husband since he was a little boy and insisted that I give him a chance- he wasn't like the rest of the losers out there (and she was right!).
She's feisty and quite stylish for her age. She told me she has her eyebrows tattooed on and I believe her. She also told me that she went to etiquette school when she was younger, which is where she got her accessorizing knowledge and sense of style. I believe her there, too. The woman is always dressed to the nines in her ensembles. Watches, jewelery, bling, earrings, scarves, belts- she wears it all and she wears it well. She was tucking her pants into her boots long before that came into style; she also has been wearing a pyramid stud belt long before Carrie rocked it in the SATC movie. My little elderly co-worker could have easily been the fifth Golden Girl- she refers to stupid people as "yo-yo's", she told me that if I wanted to "whittle my middle" I should hula hoop (and then proceeded to gyrate around to demonstrate, lady can move), and one day she even told me (in a hushed whisper) that she doesn't like Angelina Jolie much, she thinks she's such a whore. All in all, my 68-year old co-worker is pretty awesome.
But she's 68. I should not be carrying the same handbag as a 68-year old. No one should be carrying the same handbag as a 68-year old except another 68-year old. Got it? Good.
A great handbag is the best way to spruce up any outfit. Even on the days I'm shlepping around in VS yoga pants and hoodies, I still feel polished if I'm carrying my best bag. My purse collection began slowly, first with a Botkier (the Cleo satchel, which I still love!) and then with my Chloe Saskia satchel (a very gracious gift from Hubby for my birthday). Along the way I've collected a few Rebecca Minkoffs, a few Koobas, a few from Andrea Brueckner (I really like her bags, although she isn't as well known), and a few from J. Crew and Banana Republic.
And now that I have these bags, you guys, I get it. There's a difference. I still look at my Chloe bag and purr. It's sitting in front of me right now. In fact it's in front of me at almost all times, since it has a special spot on my office desk, propped up high and proud on my pink filing box. It's a bold, cherry red hue doesn't go well with most of my summer outfits but that's okay- no way will I ever put it away in my closet into a dust bag. No sirree. Pretty bags do not belong put away into dust bags. Even if I'm not currently wearing my Chloe bag, I'm looking at it and obsessing over it and mashing my face into its supple lambskin leather randomly throughout the day like any good purse owner should do.
That being said, I still firmly believe that a fun, cute handbag can come in all price ranges. It doesn't need to be expensive to be stylish or add that extra "oomph" to your outfit. I still have several bags from Forever 21 and Target because they're darling in their own little way (and because they're also good to bring to basketball games where you don't care if someone dumps a beer all over your bag, it's not your $2,000 Chloe bag that's soaking in beer it's your $20 Target whatever and you might even join in the festivities and dump some beer on it yourself, that's how much you don't care if it gets ruined) and so without further ado, here are my picks for fun summer handbags:
Then I went to work one day and made a horrifying, startling discovery: I was carrying the exact same purse as my 68-year old co-worker.
Oh, holy sweet jesus. Sweet sweet sweet jesus mother of Bambi you just can't do that.
Now, I love my 68-year old co-worker dearly, don't get me wrong. She's actually the reason I began to date Husband. She's known my husband since he was a little boy and insisted that I give him a chance- he wasn't like the rest of the losers out there (and she was right!).
She's feisty and quite stylish for her age. She told me she has her eyebrows tattooed on and I believe her. She also told me that she went to etiquette school when she was younger, which is where she got her accessorizing knowledge and sense of style. I believe her there, too. The woman is always dressed to the nines in her ensembles. Watches, jewelery, bling, earrings, scarves, belts- she wears it all and she wears it well. She was tucking her pants into her boots long before that came into style; she also has been wearing a pyramid stud belt long before Carrie rocked it in the SATC movie. My little elderly co-worker could have easily been the fifth Golden Girl- she refers to stupid people as "yo-yo's", she told me that if I wanted to "whittle my middle" I should hula hoop (and then proceeded to gyrate around to demonstrate, lady can move), and one day she even told me (in a hushed whisper) that she doesn't like Angelina Jolie much, she thinks she's such a whore. All in all, my 68-year old co-worker is pretty awesome.
But she's 68. I should not be carrying the same handbag as a 68-year old. No one should be carrying the same handbag as a 68-year old except another 68-year old. Got it? Good.
A great handbag is the best way to spruce up any outfit. Even on the days I'm shlepping around in VS yoga pants and hoodies, I still feel polished if I'm carrying my best bag. My purse collection began slowly, first with a Botkier (the Cleo satchel, which I still love!) and then with my Chloe Saskia satchel (a very gracious gift from Hubby for my birthday). Along the way I've collected a few Rebecca Minkoffs, a few Koobas, a few from Andrea Brueckner (I really like her bags, although she isn't as well known), and a few from J. Crew and Banana Republic.
And now that I have these bags, you guys, I get it. There's a difference. I still look at my Chloe bag and purr. It's sitting in front of me right now. In fact it's in front of me at almost all times, since it has a special spot on my office desk, propped up high and proud on my pink filing box. It's a bold, cherry red hue doesn't go well with most of my summer outfits but that's okay- no way will I ever put it away in my closet into a dust bag. No sirree. Pretty bags do not belong put away into dust bags. Even if I'm not currently wearing my Chloe bag, I'm looking at it and obsessing over it and mashing my face into its supple lambskin leather randomly throughout the day like any good purse owner should do.
That being said, I still firmly believe that a fun, cute handbag can come in all price ranges. It doesn't need to be expensive to be stylish or add that extra "oomph" to your outfit. I still have several bags from Forever 21 and Target because they're darling in their own little way (and because they're also good to bring to basketball games where you don't care if someone dumps a beer all over your bag, it's not your $2,000 Chloe bag that's soaking in beer it's your $20 Target whatever and you might even join in the festivities and dump some beer on it yourself, that's how much you don't care if it gets ruined) and so without further ado, here are my picks for fun summer handbags:
1. The high-end:
Oh, I love this bag. I love, love, love this bag. I will always have a fondness for square satchels; there's something about the squareness that speaks to me. I can admire Balenciagas on others; same for Louis Vuitton Speedys and Chloe Padlocks. But I will always love a good, solid, classic looking handbag. Birkins, Chanel flap bags, Marc Jacob Stams, and now this Versace- they're all classic-looking and I love them all. Perhaps it says something about me- I like to play it safe; I look both ways before crossing the street and floss every night before bed and have never bought a lottery ticket in my life. Maybe that's what these handbags are announcing, perhaps this is what I'm advertising to the world with my handbag choices- that my name is Chloe and I'm about as square as it gets and that's why I pick handbags that are ridiculously expensive and still look like something a 68-year old would be hauling around. But that's okay. You should always wear what you love, and I freaking love this bag. I'd love it even more if it came in white, but I'm too lazy to go searching.
2. The middle:
So it isn't a satchel, it's a hobo; but I love it nonetheless. This might be the only non-satchel handbag that I love. Rebecca Minkoff takes luscious leather to a whole new level- the leather on her bags are like buttuh. They are all seriously so soft and squishy and supple. I don't understand why so many people would drop money on a Coach handbag (which is so ridiculously overproduced, ugh!) and not look at a Rebecca Minkoff handbag instead. I'd much rather have the RM. The Nikki comes in a variety of pretty shades for summer. My favorites for summer are the Peacock (pictured above and I own it!) and the cream color, but the Mint and Sunshine shades are lovely as well.
3. And the cheap:
Two words: BARBIE HANDBAG. That alone should sell this one. It looks like something the Barb-er-nator would wear, doesn't it? I seriously had to do a double-take when I saw this bag at Target a few weeks ago. My first thought was, "Huh, I thought Isaac Mizrahi stopped designing for Target..." and then it was, "OMG BARBIE" and then it was, "OMG I NEED I NEED I NEED I NEEEEEEEED." Yay, go Target!
5. And then there is me:
With the Rebecca Minkoff Nikki and the Target Merona handbag:
Please ignore the fact I'm in my gym clothes (tank + VS yoga pants) in the first picture and Streak is being a typical cat and hogging my good light. I also realize Streak doesn't get a lot of airtime on my blog, so there you go. There's Streak doing what she does best- annoying the living daylights out of me. She's 17 and she's going to live another 17 years just to spite me.
What bags are you coveting this summer? What's on your "must" list? Please share in the comments!
Chloe, Colorful Colorado. 5'8" (only) when teetering in her highest 6 inch Miu Miu platform heels. Likes fashion, broccoli, ice cream, clarifying that she does not eat ice cream with her broccoli as to not cause worldwide panic, hoarding beauty products & pretty shoes, tickle fights with her husband (he would like to clarify that he does not like them back, OKAY?), anything covered in sprinkles, any alcoholic beverage made with Tang, live music, clicking the camera, sarcasm fonts, vases stuffed full of pretty flowers, and laughing hard until her belly hurts. Wants an adventurous life, lots of puppies, to never obtusely wander around with her fly down, and to be an iconic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress with a bright, festive print when she grows up. This is where she bravely documents it all. (
girl, you've got the BEST rm bag! and that color wins, hands down. that is *the* summery bag if you ask me. did you get it off revolve?
ReplyDeletei am personally lusting over yours, and lots of the usual suspects- lamb, burberry, chloe...
unrelated to bags, but I like your gym pants! Are they very long? Long enough for someone who's just over 5'6"?
ReplyDeleteYou look very stylish carrying either bags, like your style~
ReplyDeleteI'm craving a Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini Mini. :)
ReplyDeleteCoach's Cricket Satchel in the pink/white combination is another Barbie bag I want.
ReplyDeletethis post is the cutest. I LOVE top handle bags, but that RM bag looks really cute. And you even rock the Target bag!!
ReplyDeleteI am really into the "mini purses" right now. You know the kind that can only hold like a card, lipstick, phone, and well that it! I think they are darling and I am covetting the ones that have the long strap that you can wear cross-body :) My favorite brand is D&B. I think they are affordable and well made :)
ReplyDeleteChloe, I think you've converted me on the peacock. It's great for summer and now I HAVE TO HAVE IT.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, and now I'll return the favour - did you know that the Saskia is going to be on the Outnet - why, I believe it's today? Just saying. ;)
Chloe, I'd love to see your complete bag collection. :) I want to sigh at Saskia & Nikki like you can everyday....
ReplyDeleteI want that Minkcoff! gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI just got the LV azur damier saleya MM I think? or is it the GM? which ever one is bigger. I am going shopping today, so of course that means target! I have to check out that Merona bag. A summer bag for me has to be very durable, so I will get a high end bag for certain occasions, plus I always get a few "disposable" beachy type bags from A.E. or Target. I can usually wash those in the washer and use them over and over. Great for beach days. Oh yay! Beach days! i AM SO excited! You have the best figure. I want the magic that you have, I want to look good in sweat pants! That Nikki KILLS me every time I see it. That color is so hard to find now too, you probably prompted a sell out of that style/color when you got it!
ReplyDeleteI have a RM Nikki bag (gray) and LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteFor summer, so I have the Hayden-Harnett Mercer Triple Zip Satchel in white, a brown Kooba Dylan tote and a green Banana Republic hobo bag.
I want the yellow Kooba Talia bag very badly.
I second a request for pictures of all Chloe's bags!! (My bank account objects!)
ReplyDeleteYou know I love your Peacock Nikki!
ReplyDeleteMy summer bags are RM Cobalt Nikki and RM Sideral Gray Devote tote Yum!
a great handbag can last an entire year ..and seasons to come if chosen correctly and cared for properly...they can be a great investment that pay for themselves with every use! fab post.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I love the RM....I have been looking into getting one of hers for a while now. I'm with you on the Coach bags, I live on a military base, and some of the trashiest people here carry them (generally with the C logo, because of course everyone and their mother needs to know you can afford an overpriced canvas bag). However, I did score a $550 Coach satchel for $330. Of course I should probably mention that we bought it as a carryon for now....but the real purpose? It's big enough to be a diaper bag sometime in the future. Because hell no, I am not carrying a nylon Disney character monstrosity!
ReplyDeleteYou are SO adorable and I don't mean that in the mindless Kelly Bensimon way. I'm completely in love with the RM bag, as well as your 68 yr old co-worker.
ReplyDelete