I have been on 20 year quest for the perfect handbag. I always thought I was quite the shoe whore, but lately it is all about finding the perfect handbag. My opinion about size changes with the wind. I vacillate between small grab and go and large totes that hold everything, but overall I tend towards the big totes that hold a lot, ideally with a smaller wallet size purse that I can pull out and use if necessary. More often than not, I have hurt myself overloading those big bags. And I have also been know to carry 3 of them at once–pocketbook, work tote and knitting bag. I don’t like spending more than $50 for a handbag, and my best handbag fu happens at TJ Maxx and Rugged Warehouse.
Oh then Namasté bags became a blip on my radar. I remember the first time I had seen a Namasté bag in my LYS. No way could this awesome bag be made specifically with knitters in mind. So hip, so colorful, soft vegan leather (soft as butter) and tons of knitter specific pockets. The price was not horrendous, but just out of what I consider a good price for a handbag. But let me tell you, I have spent 3 times that price trying to find a worthy substitute. Before I launch into the quest for the perfect handbag saga, Let me tell you my criteria:
Must be under $50: Yeah, I am a cheap bitch. Sue me. And I can actually breech the $50 mark IF I find a truly exceptional bag. Like love at first sight, too painful to part with because it met ALL of my criteria PLUS that one thing I never imagined possible kind of love.
It needs to have some serious organization pockets: Like keep my shit so organized, it practically hands me my keys/cell phone/tampon on command. And the pockets need to work for me. What works for the handbag designer does not always work for me. And let me just say that most designers must wear a bluetooth device. That tiny little pocket inside the purse meant for you phone? Not so good for me because a) half the time it never makes it into said pocket, b) that little pocket is sometimes hard to find when you carry as much crap as I do.
I gotta love the way they look: I can totally make a lime green bag work with my entire wardrobe. I am not afraid of color. I am not afraid of mixing color. I am also not afraid of bad vinyl. Give me unapologetically vinyl anyday (see unapologetically orange vinyl bag below). I am, however, afraid of bad vinyl posing as leather. Metal studs, rings, and buckles? So rock star. Love them all. I even have a secret lust for funky lamé. But as a rule I stay away from large lamé bags for fear of looking too post menapausal. I won’t buy it if I am waffling the tiniest bit. And I know what I like when I see it.
So here are some of the bags that I bought because I would not get the bag I really wanted:
The red tote of awesomeness. This is my favorite bag. It is seriously red, has excellent pockets, divided center, good leather-like fabric. I bought this bag to sooth my heartbreak over the nonpurchase of the Namasté bag of my dreams. My chiropractor hates this bag.
The adequate orange tote. I got this bag when I decided I needed something as wonderful as the red tote of awesomeness. Not as good pocket wise with the exception of the roomy side phone/keys pockets. it has this weird tie closure design thing that is in the way. And the leather like is becoming more sticky and naugahyde like with wear.
The grey noisy bag of mediocrity: I thought this bag was way hipper than it actually is. The metal and cut outs are so rock and roll. But man is it noisy. No good pockets and a dark cavernous interior that sucks my keys into its vast black hole at the most in inconvenient moments. I have been known to completely dump it’s contents onto the pavement looking for my keys, swearing I heard them jingle (or wait was that the noisy metal rings?) I have also decided the color reminded me of Buick interior. It is starting to feel like a bags you might see at Boca Bingo night. Might slip this baby into the good will box.
The shiny pink bag of cuteness. Oh if only this bag were a bigger version of itself so I could haul the knitting in it. Then again, as I mentioned, i am a little afraid of wearing large amounts of lamé, now that I am over 40. I fear large lamé bag is a slippery slop to MawMaw wear–rhinestones, lamé, AND animal prints. {{{shudder}}} Pink cutie bag is barely big enough to hold wallet, keys and phone. It is my go-to bag when I have hurt myself carrying my larger totes.
The unapologetically orange vinyl bag. I love the style of this bag. I got it for $7 at Rugged Warehouse and it looks like it was worth every penny. The pockets suck, and the trapazoid shape makes it next to impossible to find my phone or keys. So if you have been calling me and it appears that I have been screening my calls, it is really because I am carrying the orange vinyl bag and need more than 5 rings to find my phone.
So basically I spent $157 to avoid spending the $70 on the Namasté bag that I really wanted. The other week I was working at the LYS when the Namasté bag order came in. It was like Christmas, opening that box and pricing the beautiful bags. I decided right then to stop this handbag madness and get what I really want. Oh which bag to choose?
Then again, I decided to go one step further. Yeah I might get 2 bags…But even better, I placed an order. Not for 2 bags, but for a small line to carry in the shop for the holidays!
The first box came this week…Oh. My. God. It is hard to decide. I am leaning towards the Hermosa or the Malibu. But I got 5 styles, which will hit the shop on this week(probably Thursday, I’ll post an anounce here when they go live). Take it from me, avoid the quest, get the bag you really want.
