The Bag Bible

A bag roundup for everyone. Amen.

I often imagine women as soldiers on a field, holding up their bags as armor. If you’ve entered a room carrying a bag you love, you know the feeling it gives you. I get a lot of questions about bags, especially as the prices of designer bags have escalated, and the turnover between seasons so fast. Nobody can (or even should) keep up. So I hit the literal and virtual streets and am proud to present the BAG BIBLE. Let’s get into it!

In the streets with my vintage Gucci Blondie

Designer Bags: vintage always wins

A vintage bag is always the move. This isn’t the Wall Street Journal so I won’t get into the why of luxury pricing, but the cost of making bags hasn’t increased with the market price. It’s more of a “push it and they still pay it” strategy. Not cool. I only have a few bags that I’ve bought in a store at retail price. The rest I’ve found online or at vintage markets (LA friends I’ll be at Pickwick this Saturday!)

Gucci zip tote from What Goes Around/Shopbop. The bags I’ve ordered from here are in great condition and returns are easy like a regular order.

The hunt:

New to vintage bags? Pick brands/styles that are always being re-issued. A Balenciaga City Bag, Bottega, or Prada Tessuto bags are perfect examples.

Balenciaga City bag via Fashionphile - a GREAT site for bags

That City bag, North Face jacket (color is old), Amazon sunglasses

Prada Tessuto bag for $325?!

A big Bottega is timeless

With my big Bottega (a RealReal score), vintage coat and Frank & Eileen denim shirt

Logos:

All-over Louis Vuitton print you got at the LV store? Ok. All-over print on a vintage bag? YES:

An easy to carry LV Croissant

One of my biggest fashion regrets is selling my Speedy. Big mistake. This bag, especially pre-loved, will always have a place.

Mid Tier love:

Sometimes a vintage bag won’t cut it - that’s ok - there are a lot of mid-tier brands with great bags. Parker Thatch is a favorite, so is Liffner, and Madewell has a star offering:

Parker Thatch bags are beautifully designed and last forever. My current faves are these and this one is back in stock and on my wishlist.

This Madewell bag is a fan favorite, so I went to the store to try it - it’s great - light with a comfortable strap. This is their suede studded version. I also fell for this trench (the checkered lining!)

The Staud Maude bag - it’s giving Birkin, but not in a dupe way

You’re a cool mom - what bag are you carrying?

You need a sturdy bag for your mom shit. It should zip closed and wipe clean. An LV Speedy is great until you’re doing a 9 hour stretch on the soccer field and your bag is now also a plate. Here are some favorites:

A great mom bag from Vee collective

Enormous, light as a feather, zips closed, and it’s $78

Fits all our criteria and it’s $20

Of course this is a very topline, broad strokes kind of bible, but I hope it helps give structure to your bag search. Is there a bag you love and swear by that I missed? Hit reply and tell me! Until next time, fashion friends!

xo

Abby