All Day I Dream About Purses
Sad, but true.
I’ve always been a bag gal, but it was until recently that I began defining myself as a bag lady. I love shoes, but I can rationalize not buying a pair of shoe. With purses though, if I like a bag every brain cell of mine goes numb, and I must have it. For the first time, in a long time, I didn’t buy a bag that I could have purchased. It was a mini red leather vintage Coach bag that I found at a thrift store and it was only $60. I carried it around the entire store while I roamed. Finally, I put it back and left before my brain went numb again. I’ve thought about it every day since. What do people think about when they aren’t lusting after a bag? Their loved ones? Their grocery list? I don’t know, and I never want to find out.
If you haven’t caught on yet, this whole newsletter is about purses — the entire newsletter. Every word written is about a bag. The Wishlist is structured a little differently than usual. Each Wishlist item will correlate to a price range, so under $25, $25-$50, $50-$100, $100-$250, and $250-$500. There aren’t going to be any designer bags on this Wishlist, but realistically who here is buying one? I doubt any of my readers are just randomly dropping 2K on a whim (but if you are, please help a friend out). I like to lust after things that I can reasonably budget out and purchase, which makes the lusting that much more painful.
If you haven’t yet, please subscribe below. If you’re already a sub (thank you, ILSYM), bully your friend into subscribing. It’s crucial to bully your friends into liking the same things that you like.
Wishlist
Under $25
Topshop Sienna Chain Faux Leather Shoulder Bag - Nordstrom
$23.98 (on sale)
Screenshot from Nordstrom
Snakeskin is having a moment this fall. Snakeskin is one of my favorite animal prints. I think it’s neutral and chic for the colder months. But if you’re hesitant to dip your toe into any animal print trend, buying accessories is the way to go. Luckily this faux snakeskin shoulder bag from Topshop is on sale at Nordstrom. It comes in brown and mustard, but I prefer brown. The metal chain isn’t my favorite. It’s not super tacky, but it isn’t adding anything to the bag. From the photo, it looks like you can tuck the chain inside, or if you’re handy, you can probably snap it off with some pliers. Otherwise, this bag is very chic and cheap, my two favorite things.
Honorable Mentions: If this bag isn’t your cup of tea, ASOS has a ton of micro 90s bags in snakeskin and croc that are on sale. The color options are endless, but these are my top three: ASOS DESIGN snake effect mini 90s shoulder bag, ASOS DESIGN micro 90s bag in snake, and ASOS DESIGN croc effect 90s shoulder bag.
$25-$50
Bethany Leather Bucket Bag - Nordstrom
$49.49
Screenshot from Nordstrom
This bag is a steal, which is why I’m writing about it. To buy a leather bag at this size for under $50 is unreal. It has a magnetic flap closure, a crossbody strap, and a flat bottom. It comes in black, brown, and ivory. I know it’s basic looking, but it’s a great everyday bag that will last your entire life, and it’s under $50.
Honorable Mentions: The Gia Boxy Faux Leather Bag from Topshop is a fun structured box bag that won’t break the bank. When everyone is wearing their teddy coats, you will be sporting the Faux Shearling Shoulder Bag from Topshop. It’s chic to be different. Lastly, the Jean Convertible Bag from Urban Outfitters comes in a bright sky blue, which will brighten any cold winter day.
$50-$100
Sarah Foldover Clutch - Anthropologie
$58.00
Screenshot from Anthropologie
Maybe I’m partial to this bag because its name is Sarah, or perhaps it’s just cute, who knows. Small shoulder bags are becoming a thing again, and if you don’t plan on thrifting a Fendi Baguette Bag, then this would be a great stand-in. It also comes in a light brown color that they describe as Mauve, but it’s not. I like the cobalt blue because it brings a little bit more life into the rather simplistic design.
Honorable Mentions: If the Sarah Foldover Clutch isn’t baguette-shaped enough for you, try the Embossed Baguette Clutch from Anthropologie. I was going to make the Alix Shadow Velvet Top Handle Handbag from Skinnydip the bag for this price range, but my namesake bag (lol) beat it because I’m a narcissist. The Celeste Convertible Tote Bag from Anthropologie is a great everyday bag. The color options are all fantastic, but I love the mossy green option.
$100-$250
Medium Shopping Bag - Telfar
$202.00
I am obsessed with Telfar bags, and I want one desperately. Telfar is named after its designer, Telfar Clemens, and it’s a unisex line. So everything is for everyone. It won the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award in 2017, and it’s been popular ever since. Essence dubbed it the “millennial Birkin.” It’s got a cult following and rightfully so! They’re chic and affordable. I love the medium size shopper the most and truly would take it in any color, but I love the Tan and Oxblood.
Honorable Mentions: Coach’s Sutton Crossbody with Meadow Prairie Print is so delicate and beautiful. The Maria Faux Pearl Tote from Loeffler Randall is just the most impractical bag, but I need it. Botkier’s Cobble Hill Crossbody Bag is giving me a Loewe Puzzle bag vibes. I love the Hunter Green colorway.
$250-$500
Enchanted Top Handle Bag - Parisa Wang
$355.00
I found out about Parisa Wang because it was featured on @shop. I immediately fell in love with their Enchanted Top Handle Bag. It’s a ladylike bag that feels refreshingly modern, but not trying too hard to be different. Some fashion bags have too much going on, but not this purse. My favorite colorway is Cream Brown, but they all look lovely.
Honorable Mentions: Medea’s Prima Short Leather Tote is so fun and chic. Prices vary depending on which color you choose, but I adore the lavender color. The Shirley Mini Leather Tote from STAUD is another great structured top handle bag. Okay, this next bag is $5 over the price range, but if you’re planning on throwing down $500 for a purse, what is another $5? It’s the Arp Mini Suede-Trimmer Leather Resin Tote from Naturae Sacra. This bag so cool and different I had to include it in the honorable mentions.
Recent Obsessions
New Yorker Tote
Free with subscription
I know this is dumb, but I’ve been using my New Yorker tote so much lately. It goes with everything, and the straps are long, unlike other tote’s I have. The New Yorker tote is a staple in New York City. It’s practically like a MetroCard, everyone has one. I live in Brooklyn, so it’s okay for me to an avid tote carrier. That is our thing. Yeah, you need a New Yorker subscription to receive a free tote, but it’s worth it. You can get a subscription for as low as $6.
Mini Brown Vintage Coach Bag
I have an array of vintage leather Coach bags that I’ve thrifted, scraped together babysitting money to buy, or have been gifted. I rarely use my small dark brown turnlock Leather Coach bag, but something inside me made me grab for it the other day. I forgot how cute it was. I bought this one with a wad full of babysitting money at a consignment shop in middle school. It was my first thrifted bag, and even though I don’t use it that much, it holds a place in my heart. They don’t have this exact shape on Coach’s site. The closest dupe I could find is their Dinky bag. Poshmark is a treasure trove of vintage Coach’s, so happy hunting.
Attention Whore
Sofia Hobo - Rebecca Minkoff
If you are a dedicate purse person, you know you have to go to sample sales. I love sample sales. I love the adrenaline rush of pushing through people to find the perfect item and the insanely low price. One time I spent $100 even at an Outdoor Voices sample sale and got leggings, a bra, a tank top, and a sweatshirt. I rode that high for weeks.
Rebecca Minkoff's sample sales happen pretty often in NYC. The most recent one was just a few weeks ago. I went because my sisters wanted some new bags and I love shopping with other people’s money. After I got my sisters’ purchases sorted, I headed to the back of the saleroom to the sample table were a one-off or damaged bags were stickered at a meager price. There I found three Sofia Hoho bags in random colors: an eggplant purple, a robin eggshell blue, and a hideous mustard color. They were priced at $75, and I grabbed the deep purple and light blue ones and bolted to a mirror. After deliberating, I bought the purple bag. I wore it out that night to Real Housewives of New York trivia and got showered in compliments. They have the same style on the site, but it’s unfortunately not $75.