OK, I admit it—I'm one of those girls who are certifiably crazy about handbags. I know I'm not the only one. I see you lingering in the accessories department, feverishly feeling the leather, testing the hardware, examining the interior, swinging the straps over your shoulder to see the range of motion in the mirror—all done in search of pocketbook perfection.
I'm in good company. Having the latest and greatest bag has become an international epidemic. In fact, the trend even has its own moniker—"It Bag," meaning handbag of the season. As the craze has grown, so have prices, with many bags weighing in at well over $1,000. Ugh … my love does cost a thing.
In the current economy we gals have to cut back on something—and, sadly, overpriced handbags are the first on my nix list. But I have to tell you (please keep this between the two of us), I've never paid full price for a bag. I actually buy many secondhand, so from the get-go I'm at least a season late.
There have been many I've coveted, but never had the pleasure of owning: the Balenciaga Motorcycle (spring 2001), the Chloe Paddington (fall 2005) and the ultimate It Bag, the Hermès Birkin, which is still available today, provided you're prepared to fork over a minimum of $5,000 and sit tight on the waiting list for a couple of years. And yes, this is after you've paid for it.
Even shopping second hand, sticker shock is common. But a convenient rationalization comes over me just before a handbag purchase: "It's a work of art, a collector's item. People pay a lot more than this for a painting, and I'm actually wearing it, so not only is it an investment, it's also practical—sold!" But even I know this can get out of hand. Not many of us can buy two (or five, or eight) high-end bags a year.
I want to be timely and chic, but I also have to pay for gas. Where is the happy medium? Could it be found in the classic handbags? Ones that keep their luster year after year, like Bottega Veneta's Veneta, its sumptuous leather woven together flawlessly; the quilted Chanel 2.55, the iconic bag originally designed by Coco herself; or the Gucci Bouvier, done up in the signature Gucci logo and once carried by Jackie O. These are the handbags that go with everything and stand the test of time.
I recently sorted my closet and rediscovered bags from years ago. This time around, I had a new love for them. The brown suede Chanel Shopping bag from nine years ago is even more amazing today. The Yves Saint Laurent Mombasa, with its engraved silver handle, is a bit dated, but I adore it as much as I did in 2002. And a couple of Ziploc bags could revamp my old Luella Gisele into a stylish diaper bag (my little guy's got at least another year). In my enlightened state of mind, I resolved to recycle my collection and not even think of setting foot in the Neiman Marcus accessories department—sale or not! I know it will be difficult, but I'm saving up for a Pollock.
Bagging the Prize
Barbara "Joile" Mackney, owner of Vintage Haberdashery (3181 Morganford, 314-772-1927, vintagehab.com), offers three tips for your next vintage-bag search:
- "Pay particular attention to the craftsmanship and condition of the bag. I see bags that are over 50 years old, but the women who owned the bags used them very little and stored them away with shoes and hats to be used for special occasions. These finds are as close to perfect condition as you can get."
- "It doesn't have to be designer to be beautiful. There is a wide variety of wonderful vintage bags—the Lucite bags from the '50s have unique shapes and colors, the straw bags of the '60s are fun and whimsical, and you can find gorgeous hand-beaded evening bags."
- "Most importantly, buy what you love and you can't go wrong!"
