I’m going to make a confession.
As much as I care about other aspects of fashion, I don’t really care about purses. Now before you start in on me for talking crazy talk, let me explain.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good purse because I do.
In fact, the Christmas I was fifteen will go down in history as one of my favorite Christmases ever because it was the year I got my very first Dooney and Burke purse. In hunter green.
Oh 1986. You were so funny with your hunter green and navy accessories.
Since that time I have carried all manner of handbags, ranging from expensive designer bags to inexpensive knock-offs.
Here’s the truth, I can’t really tell the difference.
I had this beautiful Fendi bag when I was in college and it began to fall apart after a fairly short amount of time. So I marched myself and my cool bag into the Fendi store and explained my dilemma only to be told that “the Fendi purse isn’t for everyday use”.
Well sure.
Why would I expect a fine Italian leather handbag to hold up better than the $50.00 Liz Claiborne purse I carried throughout most of junior high?
After my Fendi experience, any real love I had for a specific purse kind of died. Oh sure, I went through a period in the mid-90′s where I had to have the Kate Spade black microfiber purse shaped like a box, but I’ve never been a girl who cares all that much about a new handbag purchase.
Then, last fall, I saw this gorgeous purse by Kate Spade. It was this gorgeous chocolate brown suede with hot pink lining.
When I saw it, I felt like a girl of fifteen again.
However, it was slightly above what I’m willing to pay for a purse that will inevitably become filled with a mixture of animal cracker crumbs, grape juice and hand sanitizer.
And really, I don’t know why I’m telling y’all all this other than to lead into today’s question.
1. Christine asks: “I need fashion help. I need a new purse. I’m very particular about my purse, probably because it’s the one thing I wear every single day. I’m willing to spend about $100. Like a good pair of shoes, I’ll keep a handbag for awhile. But I find myself going back to this year’s version of the same boring black leather bag over and over again. My habit, generally, is to buy a nice bag and carry it thru all seasons as opposed to cheap bags that I rotate out as they fall apart and/or are out of season. Any suggestions?
Well now that you know my purse history, you may decide that I’m not the best person to be doling out advice on purses.
And you’d probably be right.
However, I did find a couple of things that are in your price range that I think are really cute.
I love this braided-leather strap hobo bag and it’s on sale.
I also like the giraffe-print hobo.
Here is a brown woven bag and a fun ethnic print hobo bag.
Honestly, it’s not easy to find purses online. Most of the things I found were either $20.00 or $400.00 with not a lot of in between. Your best bet may be to head to TJ Maxx and look around. I’ve seen some really great purses there for about half the price.
What about y’all? Have you seen any cute bags lately? Do you switch out your purse according to the season or just carry the same one all year round?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Or at least I would like to know.
Y’all have a great Friday!
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I like to buy a new Kathy Van Zeeland every year and mix them up every month or so….these purses last for years, are reasonably priced (especially when Macys is having a sale) and are dressy and casual at the same time. And I love all the bling that they come with. You can also remove the bling if you’d like.
I usually buy the newest Vera Bradley for the spring and summer and then for the fall and winter I go brown or black leather. The thing is…I am using the same brown and black purses that I carried 2 years ago. For some reason I only get new for the spring and summer. I love what you found on the internet!
I LOVE purses! I change purses all the time. I do have my daily purse that is seasonal but if it doesn’t go with what I’m wearing I’ll change it. I currently have 12 purses on the shelf in the closet and these are just my spring & summer purses!:) I do have fewer fall & winter purses because I have this cool tapestry purse with wooden handles that matches quite a bit of my wardrobe. When I shop, purses are always one of the first things I look at.
I love purses but my love for them has now been overshadowed by my need for practicality. However, I “used” to change purses several times in a week. Not so much now and now I’m all about a purse as small as I can handle because carrying anything much of a purse and a diaper bag and/or medela breastpump is just too much these days. So, a girl’s gotta draw the line somewhere and the line was inevitably drawn at the purse. I have a cute, small faux buckle looking purse in a light summery creamy / yellow color that I’m carrying right now. It also came in pistachio green, red and black. All for the low price of around 10.00 so I’m tempted to go back to my Wally World and buy all the colors to do me for the rest of the year or at least thru the seasons of carrying around a breastpump and diaper bag!!!
I change my purse in the fall and in the spring.
I generally get whatever is on sale at the local Stuffmart.
Used to be a purse addicted…that changed when I had kids…have always stuck with Kate Spade though…anyway, another good resource to try online is ebags.com…
My purses change as the seasons change, and I have a few for each season. Then, I also have my purses that match certain shoes so that if I am dressed up (thus, wearing the certain shoes) the purse must be changed accordingly.
This is a new quirk I recieved when I turned 30 a few years ago.
My dislike for purses is only overshadowed by my ambivalence towards shoes. I was overjoyed to have to carry a diaper bag for the last 4 years as it took the stress out of needing to get a new purse.
However, as my baby is practically training himself, the diaper bag era is at an end and today my kids are at their grandpa’s and buy a purse was one of the things on my to-do list.
I nearly cart-wheeled when I say the subject of the post. Thanks for the help!!! This may not be so bad after all.
I tend to go cheaper with purses, because then I feel free to trade them in when I want. Who wants to be married to a purse? Target remains my go-to place for purse shopping.
Get “The Closer Tote Bag”
Everyone knows you need
Brenda Leigh Johnson handbag.
If you don’t watch The Closer comes on mon. nights at 9
I was raised with the rule – the purse and shoes must match or atleast coordinate along with the no white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. I am not so strict about this as my momma is. Whenever she comes to visit and we go out, she always inspects my shoes and purse to make sure they match.
Here’s my purse confession: I often carry extra purses around in my car so I can change purses at a moments notice. Don’t know why I feel compelled to do this sometimes – I just do.
I usually buy my purses when we visit my sister-in-law in St. Louis. There is this great little accessory store run by a family of Koreans and they have some of the cutest one – of – a – kind purses around. No one can speak English until you get to the check out and then they’re all like “you want wallet to match?”
Well, of course I want the matching wallet(s)!
I have a friend who makes amazing bags and clutches (as well as things for baby like burpies, taggies, bibs and blankets). Her fabrics are beautiful and her prices are good. She has an etsy shop, but here is the link to her blog where you can puruse different bag styles and fabrics!
http://www.peascarrotsjleman.blogspot.com/
Ya’ll are going to hate me for this, but my husband LOVES purses/bags and buys me gorgeous bags all the time. “You need this new white Dooney bag for summer, babe. It’s what’s hot!”
Um, okay.
Maxx makes great bags (I have a patent leather red bag for winter) for not too, too much. You can find them at Nordstrom–among a gazillion other wonderful bags!
I switch out according to the seasons.
Although Vera Bradley goes with any season! Haha
I am so picky about purses. I have to have it just the right size, not one of those Mongo-purses that are so popular now. I love the giraffe print, but I wouldn’t feel like I could carry that more than one season.
The best purse I have ever had is this red Liz Claiborne purse that I get compliments on all the time. It is 3 years old, and it was $20. at TJ Maxx. That place rocks, but you have to hunt.
I love purse hunting because you do not have to try them on and lament that it’s too tight and you need to be on P’s wonder diet.
I’m sharing a little secret of women in the Dallas area- Sam Moon’s. Every season I go in and plop down about $25 bucks for an adorable handbag. No kidding. I’m currently carrying a beautiful blue bag and am constantly getting compliments on it.
here’s the website http://www.sammoon.com/web3/
If you are ever in the area, you have to stop in. It’s almost more than the mind can comprehend.
I LOVE purses. I covet a really neat Tano bag or a big Gucci hobo or a coach bag – but I can’t bring myself to pay $200-$400 for a purse that I will dump all sorts of junk into. So I just get really cute, big, trendy ones at Target or Forver 21 and that way I can pretty much have a new bag every season or so. I used to switch out my purse to match my outfit but after taking an extra suitcase on a business trip mainly for the purpose of taking all my different purposes – they humiliated me so much about it – I just stick to one bag now. That and I’m lazy.
I believe the word I was looking for was “purses” not “purposes”.
Wow. I’m apparently even more boring than I thought I was. Brown or black bag 90% of the time, and I rarely change (my husband begs to differ, but to him, changing once a year is too much). Of course, most of my shoes are also brown or black, and my favorite pair are Birkenstocks. Not terribly girly much, am I?
I’m a fan of all things Target, and most of my purses are from there.
However, I think Fossil has those “middle-ground” bags and they’re cute! Even cuter when they’re on sale, too.
I agree with Ann. Sam Moon rocks! I always get compliments on my purses and I never pay more than $45. It does not dissapoint.
oh dear. you do NOT me to answer this. trust me.
I like bags (hate calling them purses for some reason)…but I am cheap when it comes to buying a new one. I find one I really like and carry it through all seasons. Then a year or so later, I’ll find a new love to carry around. But it has to be practical, big enough to carry everything…that means anything pertaining to a 3 year old as well as my stuff. Yup, no designer bags for, Roots is about is fancy as I get
Kohls has some REALLY cute purses by Vera Wang. Reasonably priced. I love her line there.
I am a total purse destroyer. I refuse to change out purses daily, and I can even destroy Dooney and Burke if given enough time (granted, it takes a long time to destroy one of theirs).
So, as snotty as it sounds, I was forced to make my own. Mine are the only ones I can’t destroy. And I get compliments on them everywhere I go (they’re crocheted with Fun Fur, so they’re colorful and furry – definitely one of a kind). The problem is that I don’t much enjoy making them anymore, and occasionally someone wants one. I make about two a year: one to auction off at our women’s retreat, and one for me. I’m trying to talk myself into finishing a black and white one for myself right now, but my heart’s just not in it.
Right now I’m carrying a great, colorful bag handmade by a friend, but I know it’s only a matter of time until I destroy it too… gotta finish mine before I make myself cry over this other bag.
Because my bag is a quilted Vera Bradley bag, you probably don’t want me to answer this.
Even though it is cute. : )
Brace yourselves…I am a 30 year old woman with 4 kids and have never, repeat, NEVER carried a purse. I carry my keys in my hand or coat pocket if it is winter, and my payment method (some type of plastic) and ID in the pocket of my jeans. I like purses, but do not get all the hype surrounding a bag that holds stuff. Maybe it comes from years of watching my mom lug around a purse that felt like it contained every item we had ever owned in it! Or maybe it is just that I like to keep things minimal. I keep extras, like tissues, anti-bacterial hand soap, etc. in my car.
You always take me back! I too had a Liz Claiborne, a Dooney and Burke (tan), a Fendi, and a Kate Spade (striped). I’m also pretty sure in that exact order.
Now, I find great purses at TJ Max! And you just described the inside of my purse as well! Hilarious.
I use one for spring and summer, one for fall and winter. I hate having to change around. I love any purse with lots of pockets inside for the hand sanitizer, lipstick, cell phone.
SteinMart is another great place to find something interesting and on sale.
Purse? What’s a purse? My “purse” is usually a diaper bag/backpack.
I’m not a fan of purses. They never seem to stay on my shoulders. I do have a brown Liz Claiborne purse with handles instead of a strap. I love that one and I have had it for awhile.
I’ll buy a basic black Coach and carry it year ’round – when it wears out (like four or five years) I replace it!
I am a total cheap-o when it comes to fashion. In the past, my purse has come from the upscale line at Target.
But, not this time. I am now the proud owner of a Seatbelt Purse and I may never go back to Target purses again. http://www.seatbeltbags.com/
A few years ago I was in an elevator with a woman who had a Seatbelt Purse and I thought it was so cute and stylish – until I investigated a bit and found that they cost over $100. So, I stuck with my Target purses for a few more years.
Then earlier this Spring my husband was on a flight with some women who could not stop talking about how much they love their seatbelt purses. So when he got home, he marched into a Nordstroms and ordered a black one for me.
Again, it’s a little pricey for a purse in my opinion, but so far I love it! (I’m justifying the cost in my mind because these purses are supposed to be exceedingly durable.)
Oooops! Forgot to share that I don’t EVER change out my purse. I use one purse until it falls apart. So, hopefully with a Seatbelt Purse that will be a while. If not, then Target here I come!
I’m a Brighton girl myself. And am limited to the one medium sized bag that has a pocket big enough for an iPhone. I guess being the manufacturer of classic style handbags makes you a wee bit behind on the technology side of things. My main gripe – their non-iPhone line which I’m nagging them to start.
I’ve never, NEVER worn out a Brighton bag – which is a problem because I know have a shelf and a half of “vintage” Brighton purses that are still pristine but don’t fit my current handbag needs. And frankly, whether you like purses or not, they GOTTA fit. They’re like bras – if they don’t fit, they are irritating!
My apologies in advance for shamelessly stealing your Fashion Friday idea for today to showcase my granddaughter’s new Cinderella swimsuit. In my defense, I DID give you credit. But as stated in my post, I am not trying to steal your thunder.
Let me know if you start showcasing trends for the under 4′s and I’ll back off. I don’t want to find my tires slashed or anything…
I’ve noticed animal cracker crumbs in my purse as well….intermixed with some fruit snacks that fell out of the package, chewed gum halfway covered in the wrapper and thrown into my purse–because all mothers are garbage holders….
I love purses. I love to change my purse out in the different seasons. I used to carry smaller purses, but being a mom, now have graduated to the larger purse. I bought a great brown suede large purse last year that I like to call my “satchel”.
It can hold all kinds of stuff. Searching for a purse takes time–find one that you like the look and feel of and one that meets your realistic needs. Some purse makers don’t take into account that women will be getting into their purses to take out wallets, phones, etc and need ample space to do so. SOme of the openings are just not wide enough. Other purses put too many compartments on the outside and others not enough….. TJ Maxx has a nice selection of purses and JC Penney as well.
Target also has nice ‘knock off’ designer looking purses for not much $.
I’ve had cheap and real designer. I buy a new purse in the Spring and a new purse in the Fall too. They ususally have more of a pattern to them. My Spring purse this year happened to be a real Coach purse because it was a BDay gift, and I have to admit I love it.
For Fall though, I’m getting a Giraffe Print w/red trim….Love them! (It’ll be a knock off. ) I’ve also seen some cool Zebra prints…I think the animal prints are definitely in this season.
I’ve found you can have a print purse as long as you have a solid purse to switch to if your outfit absolutely clashes. Usually I have a solid black leather purse in my closet…last year I had a solid red leather purse that I got so many compliments on…guess where it was from??? WalMart! Shhh…don’t tell anyone.
I have a couple purses that I switch around between seasons or whenever I feel the urge to. I usually only buy a purse once every couple years.
Two words…Sam Moon (Or sammoon.com)
Its purse heaven.
I was a third generation Coach wearer until a couple of years ago when their stuff got too trendy and much more expensive. So. I recently found a beautiful, mid-size hobo on sale from Cole Hahn and I really enjoy it. It was half price (about $150) and has proven to be of good quality. My mom has switched to Brighton and has enjoyed hers. You can still get a nice, classic Coach on line or for half price at the factory outlet.
I love the Genna De Rossi purses you can find in major department stores. They run about $60 but I got mine on sale for $40. They hold up really well and I like the bling they all have on them!
My questions is about diaper bags. I’m a new mom and I can’t find one I like (I’m also in Canada so it has to be from a store here or a store that will ship to here). I find that all the good looking ones are really small and all the practical ones are UGLY!
Also, when you became a mom did you replace your purse with the diaper bag?
Any help is greatly appreciated because if I can’t figure this out I may give up completely and start wearing “mom jeans” as well!
I love purses. I love purses that make a statement. I am addicted to vintage purses right now. I have this bright blue patent purse that I adore. Everywhere I go people tell me “I love your purse!” I used to be all, basic black in the fall/winter and basic tan in the spring/summer. But I have a black coat. Boring! A bright blue bag, adds a little fun to boring winter coats. I mix it up in the spring/summer, depending on activity.
A couple of weeks ago I was in Stein Mart and saw some really good looking purses that were very reasonably priced. Good luck in the search!
I am a totally purse fanatic. I love purses. I usually for go for quality over quantity. I usually just change with the seasons. I have a red suede Kate Spade for winter that I still love after two years. And I have an off white Michael Kors for spring. This summer I did go in for the clutch trend and found a really cute hot pink patent Nine West at Marshalls for $22.00. I was sure about it but the first day I carried it I got about ten compliments. I also just found a really large black patent bag by DKNY at Ross for $50.00 that is perfect for moms it has plenty of room. I rarely pay retail so I check out TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross. They get new merchandise every week so you have to check a lot.
By the way, I had the navy dooney, wallet and key chain. But I had to buy my own purse, put it on lawaway at Rothschilds.
I actually have the giraffe print hobo with the red accents and I just wanna say that I get the most complements about it. Not to mention that I see them everywhere these days.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of purse snob. I used to have a purse that matched every outfit. It was a bit of a chore, but I was positive the right purse completed my look.
Then I became married and my husband insists that I carry his keys, sunglasses and possibly some beverage. I had to upgrade to the “wife purse” overnight. You can’t find one that matches every outfit. I stuck with a black Coach purse.
Now, as a mother, that black, Coach purse has served me well. I know I’m a total fashion issue because I never change it out, even if I’m wearing brown.
All of my purses are Coach, but I buy them at the Coach outlet. They’re totally last season, but I can never tell. They’ve each held up for several years, despite my being hard on them.
Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I wanna play! I’m not much of a purse person either–I tend to just get one and stick with it for a while. Now that my baby is two and I’m tired of carrying a diaper bag and purse, I decided to get a slightly larger bag so I could throw a diaper and wipes in it. Look at this cute bag I got at Target last week–I’ve gotten so many compliments on it! It’s out of my “comfort zone” of purses–but I really really love it!
http://www.target.com/Mossimo-Corduroy-Tote-Bag-Brown/dp/B00182A798/sr=1-12/qid=1217000761/ref=sr_1_12/602-2494426-3773448?ie=UTF8&pricerange=&index=target&field-browse=1038576&rh=k%3Apurse%2Ctgt%5F2%3ABrown&page=8
My vote would be for TJ Maxx or Marshall’s. All about a deal!
I do love me a Coach purse, but Aldo has some really, really fun ones for much less. http://www.aldoshoes.com
I have a fierce addiction to handbags. I bought 3 within a weeks time a few weeks back. I think there should be a 12 step program for people like me.
I usually trade my purse out twice a year, but if its a special occasion, more often.
i normally don’t comment, but had to write somethign today.
i am 28 and have never really carried a handbag until recently. i couldn’t stand always carrying odds and ends in my pockets and hands anymore. so i bought this bag http://www.lugtravel.com/product/MOPED/Moped_Day_Pack_Bag.html for my birthday and have been very happy. i was in sticker-shock (as was my husband) but some female relatives who shop frequently assured us this bag was on the cheaper end.
its sporty but cute, holds a lot (including a full size magazine and water bottle) and still isn’t too bulky.
I LOVE purses and different kinds of bags. I generally buy a new one each spring and fall and carry it most of the season. But I also will buy one that strikes my fancy and is reasonable (less than $50) especially from the outlets! I always like to find them on sale. Just makes me feel like I’ve been a prudent shopper. When in reality it would be more prudent to leave it on the shelf! LOL
Finally – a Fashion Friday this Fat Female can Find Functional! (you know it’s time to stop the alliteration when you have to find an online thesaurus!)
Anyway – one can NEVER have enough purses. I honestly believe that a good 1/5 of the 145 boxes we moved to Dallas from Los Angeles were filled with my purses…and it only gets worse. Garage and Estate Sales are my favorite place to find a good bag – you’d be amazed at what you can find out there – once found a vintage alligator Chanel for $1.
We once had a garage sale and I culled through the purses and lined them up on the fence for the sale. My 9 year old nephew decided to count them. Sixty FIVE of them – and it didn’t put a dent in my purse closet.
JC Penney has a great purse selection – for not too much cash. But for famous name brands, TJ Maxx and Ross are great for bargains.
I think Leigh at Speaking Thru Me (http://leighhargisgray.blogspot.com/search/label/purses) has a lot of cute purse choices for a reasonable price. And the proceeds go to minstry!
of course4 I meant min-i-stry. Yikes, who is going to create a comment spell checker for me?
and the 4? was supposed to be a comma–somebody help me!
Why is it called a hobo bag?
The Outlet at Bag, Borrow or Steal.
http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/
I actually got tired of having the same old bag that everyone was carrying, so I started making my own bags. It has turned into a small business for me and I love it! There is just nothing like a custom handbag!
http://www.kimberleefaith.com
Outlet stores are the way to go if you have a brand that you love–I love Fossil purses but wait until they make it to the outlet stores…much cheaper and you can get a great, durable purse/bag. Your blog is hilarious by the way!
http://www.juststuffitgifts.com/purses.htm
The circle bags are very popular in SC right now. They are just FUN and very reasonably priced!
I had to comment on purses…
I confess. I have recently become a Kate Spade girl (thanks, mom – you caused this!). I got a Kate Spade zebra print bag for half price and it was about $150. Worth it, because I LOVE that bag.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! This is awesome!! I haven’t had a chance to read every comment, but I most certainly will!! Love the giraffe print bag and that ethnic bag is darling…the question is do I have the guts to try and pull it off! I think I just might! Can’t wait to check out the comments and see what else is out there! My problem with internet bag shopping has been just what you said – the $20 or $400 options with little in between, but I’d never heard of the sites you linked to so I’m anxious to dig deeper at them. Thanks again!
I am the worst person in the world when it comes to purses. In fact, I’m surprised that I haven’t just given up and started carrying around a plastic grocery bag.
Yikes.
I am a COACH girl…I’m not that into purses and wanted something cute and classic and fell in love with a classic short strap black leather one that I use in the winter and the same style tan/brown COACH logo canvas and leather bag that I use in the spring and summer. With three small kids and a diaper bag I love having something small, but when I go out with the girls or on a date with the hubby I feel cute and trendy. I get compliments all the time and it feels good to get noticed for something besides the three monkeys hanging all over me
I love purses. I tend to change them out when a) I get a new one; or b) I need a different size. My mom bought me a Coach purse (which, by the way, is my favorite brand) and I’ve been using it daily, despite the fact that it’s a tad small for my taste. It’s really too cute to not use. I went on vacation and needed a real bag, something that could hold CDs, a couple books, my wallet, and a myriad of other things. So I switched to my blue $20 Target bag.
The Coach outlet store has great deals. Also, Lucky Brand Jeans has some cute purses, albeit a little expensive. Fossil has good purses, and there are Fossil outlet stores. Macys is a great place to check out purses to find inexpensive to very expensive.
I do love purses, but I very rarely change them according to what I’m wearing. I either buy a neutral colored bag (which will match anything. Both brown and black are neutral, according to Stacy and Clinton, so no worries about the brown/black matching) or a brightly colored bag, like my blue metallic, which may not match what i’m wearing but it’s cute so i don’t care.
It seems I’ve almost written a book on my purse habits.
Lilian Vernon…..colorful for spring and summer…..plain back for winter….overtheshoulder….big enough to hold a book/magazine/ and the usual “stuff” I must have. A little pocket on the outside for my keys and cell phone.
Left to my own devices, I will buy a $25 purse and use it until it falls apart, no matter how many seasons it lasts thru.
However, last summer I received a blue Tano bag as a gift. I L.O.V.E. it. It’s huge – and I can fit enough “stuff” in it for Chickster that if we’re on a short trip I don’t even have to take a diaper bag.
So yeah, I’ll use IT until it falls apart, too. Then I’ll be back to the $25 purse.
I LOVE purses and bags of all descriptions. Right now I go back and forth between a huge Vera Bradley tote
(gift from my parents) and a more reasonably sized Stein Mart(s) steal of a deal from a couple of years ago ~ a Stone Mountain with a floral pattern on top and basket weave on the bottom.
I’m also a Coach girl ~ I have collected over the years small British tan, mahogany and Navy ones that I carried pre-children, and a black one that is big enough for my current 2 preschooler lifestyle. The others only get to go out occasionally on a date night! If I could afford it I would probably buy a new Coach every season, rather than one every 5 years.
The outlet stores do have deals though, as someone mentioned above.
I change my purse at least once a month and, with a few exceptions that were gifts, all of them are hand-made. A few are outfit-specific but most are neutral and go with just about anything.
I always have to pause when Americans talk about purses. We call them handbags (or just bags) here. What you keep your money in is called a purse, and men carry wallets.
That said, I refuse to pay for a bag or a purse more than I would ever carry in cash at once in it.
I have a bunch of bags. The one I carry around most often is a large patterned tote from Borders, because it is laminated and therefore I don’t worry when it gets wet.
However, nearly all of my other bags are Siren handbags. They’re not even remotely inexpensive, but they’re beautiful, they seem to hold up pretty well, and there really is nothing else like them.
http://www.sirenhandbags.com/Home/Default.aspx
I have a closet full of purses in all shapes, sizes and colors. I am a big fan of Vera Bradley. She has her basic cotton purses in all different patterns and then she also has the microfiber which is great if you want something a little classier for fall and winter. The cotton is machine washable which I love and it’s all very durable! Each bag comes in all different styles and most of the larger bags have great pockets and zipper storage! Check it out and if you order on line they send it to you in a custom Vera Bradley box! Who doesn’t love a pretty package!
http://www.verabradley.com
~Meredith
I love purses! Always have. About 99% of the time my purses come from TJ Maxx… love that place. They have a great assortment of purses at really good prices.
I used to change purses by the season, but now I will more often to match what I’m wearing or something.
Didn’t take the time to read all the comments, so this might have already been said. I have that exact giraffe print hobo, but I got it at Sam Moon and spent way less than $50. I’m not a big purse carrier. Probably because I’ve had a diaper bag with me for the past 5 years and I can’t bring myself to carry a big diaper bag plus a purse. I would pretty much only buy a purse at Sam Moon or Target or TJ Maxx/Ross. At least until I pass this diaper bag phase : )
I swear by Coach. I have 10 or so that I alternate depending on mood (and time). My sweet husband and favorite uncle both indulge my habit
Anyway, for the money, you can’t do any better for durability. I don’t carry the fabric ones, so I can’t testify to their durability, but you can’t kill the leather ones. Well, I guess they’ve been killed once…but you can’t kill them again…
Girls: If your husband is a golfer, how much do you suppose he spends on golf balls a year?? So in comparison to that:
is buying a new Vera once or twice a year any big deal? (since we carry our purses every DAY and do not hit them/lose them in the woods or in the water). THEN, your little girl (or even better: little
granddaughter) discovers the Katie bag or,
sigh, the discontinued Bitty Betsy and your joy is doubled.
End of story. (i.e., justification for
continuing new-purse-purchases)
Oooooooooooooooooooo!!! Big Mama, I’ve had my eye on that brown Lucky bag for, like, EVER!! And now it’s on sale!!! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
Sam Moon is my favorite place to go for purses or bags. If you are lucky enough to have one by you, go there! I buy cheap purses and switch out often.
I cannot even fathom the whole sppending lots of money on a purse thing. I bought myself a small, reasonably attractive, very user friendly purse at Salvation Army for $2. I love it. LOVE. IT. It is my only purse…for everything.
I love purses! and I can’t believe the person that I turn to every Friday morning for my fashion news is telling me “I’ve never been a girl who cares all that much about a new handbag purchase”, you can’t tell the difference? Have you ever smelled leather? Have you ever touched a Coach purse? I’m a little disappointed;)and I hope I’ll be able to get over it. Thanks for the comment on my birthday, I’m sorry my mother stalked you into it. That’s how she rolls.
I guess I’m just cheap. I have probably 15 handbags or as my mom always called them, “Pocket Books”. None of them cost more than $50, and that’s a stretch. Anyway, I’m one who changes them often. Heck, I have 5 diaper bags that stay full of essentials and I just change out my wallet, keys, and cell phone.
I love purses! But I really love cheap ones. I usually get a new purse every summer in celebration. This year I got a bright yellow Isaac Mizrahi purse on clearance at Target. I get comments on it all the time!
I like medium size purses because I need to be able to carry a sippy and a bag of animal crackers, but I also need to be able to find my cellphone.
And I almost never pay more $25 for a purse. But then, I like to change them all the time. There’s a specialty boutique near me that has amazing purses and they’re all under $40. It’s like a Claire’s for grownups. I suggest finding a place like that.
Thanks for posting this. Maybe your commenters can help me too. I’m a bit lost on the purse thing. I don’t want to spend a lot and maybe that’s the problem, but I end up cramming everything from my purse into my backpack during school anyway. I HATE purses and simply cannot live without one so I need help!
PURSES!!!!! Ohhhhhh…..How lucky I feel to have two daughters that are purse gals too.
When my girls were babes they teethed on my favorite Dooney & Bourke’s strap. This should have been some sort of indicator of their future. Both love D & B ….Vera Bradley….whatever is big and gorgeous right now. We can switch around and share the love….and it’s soooooo awesome!
We do the same with our shoes…..oh what a blessing! We are all around the same size so we can share most everything…and they have excellent taste!
Here is a great post about handbags from my friend who IS a handbag expert. I’m more like the $9.99 Target-trendy-switch-every-season girl. But check this out:
http://auntspicy.blogspot.com/2008/06/baggage-of-handbag-kind.html
Loved reading this post, do you also have some sort of newsletter?
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