Handbag Lust
For the past few months, I have been head over heels in love with this new Tiffany bag.
It’s REVERSIBLE (which means it’s like two purses!) and would match everything. Obsession set in.
I talked about the handbag so much, that the Pilot finally took me to Tiffany to buy it so he wouldn’t have to hear me talk about it anymore.
When I told the sales associate which bag I wanted, she went to the back and returned with two purses that were not at all like I’d imagined from the pictures online. They had two versions: a small one, which was very cute and an extra large one that was a little too big.
In real life, I didn’t love the bag at all.
It was paper thin and looked like something I could have picked up at a grocery store. It didn’t look the least bit durable and the flimsy material was a major turn-off. I was so bummed. The Pilot on the other hand, was smirking as we walked out empty-handed.
The sad part of the story was that I didn’t get my handbag that day, and am still mostly using a brown Coach I got two years ago.. 90% of my purses are in the POD 🙁
The happy part of the story is that I’m having a lot of fun trying to find a new handbag obsession.
Here’s what I’ve found so far:
1. Tory Burch Amanda Mini Bag
Why I love it: The drape across look is super cute, and I love that it’s small and won’t make my terrible posture even worse. The color would match pretty much everything.
Potential cons: It’s very small and I’m more of a silver person than a gold person.
2. MARC by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Francesca Tote
Why I love it: It’s a classic structured style and the color is crisp and clean for spring and summer.
Potential cons: It would sit in the closet most of fall and all of winter. I could see myself stuffing it to the brim with heavy stuff, too.
3. Salvatore Ferragamo Lalette Satchel
Why I love it: It seems like the perfect size, classic, love the color and silver detail instead of gold.
Potential (major) cons: The price tag makes my heart cry ($1,790) so I don’t even want to know what the Pilot would say about it.
4. MARC by Marc Jacobs Kitty St. James Leather Satchel
Why I love it: the greige color is a lot of fun and would match grey/black and brown outfits. I looks like it would possibly hold my ginormous camera, too?! (I really need a point and shoot to carry around)
Potential cons: Can’t think of any! Maybe a winner?
Have you ever gone to purchase something and was disappointed in the real-life version? Who makes your favorite handbag?
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I can’t stop staring at anything and everything Michael Kors. PRAYING for a new bag for my birthday!
bags make the best bday gift 🙂
The last time I was disappointed was when I bought a pair of boots online. They came and they were a suede material and I was not expecting that. Neither the description or the picture gave any indication they were suede. I was so excited until I opened the box. 🙁
And…my mom used to be a Coach rep at Macy’s so my heart belongs to Coach. She would get free bags every Spring and Fall if she made her goals…and since my mom is the best, she would let me use the credit and pick out stuff for myself. I love plenty of other bags, but I always end up buying a Coach. 🙂
free bags?! that sounds like the best job ever 🙂
I agree, however, since my mom is the one working, I’m sure she would disagree! Haha!
I work at the cutest little consignment shop. We have a rich lady consignor that works at Kate Spade. She buys bags, uses them a couples weeks and then consign them. For mother’s day I bought myself one for $60 and it’s brand new. I was so excited. I can’t find the perfect bag… I’m very picky! But I LOVE the Ferragamo one!
amazing! i’m super picky too
I just got the Michael Kors Astor Weekender in Luggage (brown) http://www.michaelkors.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod1750008&parentId=
and I am in LOOOOOVE. I can fit my whole life plus the kitchen sink in there. 🙂
BIG handbag lover right here. 🙂
While I love my Burberry purse, I was surprised it wasn’t made better. It’s made really well, but I guess I was expecting gold plating for the price tag….
Go figure I love the most expensive one too. I love the camel color and how classic it looks!
isn’t that how it always works?
OOOOOOOOOOoooo! That last Marc Jacobs would be my winner, also!! LOVE.
I used to be a devout Coach gal, but lately have been crushing more and more on Marc, Kate, and Tori. And yes, we are on a first name basis 🙂
I can’t buy jeans online unless they are something I have tried on in a store first. I HATE when jeans are too heavy/too thin. They are very deceiving in pictures!
just catching up on your blogs as i was in vegas for the pacquiao/mosely fight! woot woot! we won!
i love the salvatore satchel!!!! that’s my pick! the price..whewwww!!!
you are a traveling machine, little lady!
I was totally in love with this Michael Kors bag and then I finally saw it in person and hated it! The leather felt really cheap and there was just too much stuff (chains, buckles, etc.) on it.
For my birthday I got this bag: http://www.modalu.com/product/bristol-medium-grab-brown?colour=black
It hasn’t come yet but I’m really excited for it. I saw Pippa Middleton holding it in some British tabloid and I knew it was the bag I’ve been searching for forever. Hopefully it’s as nice in person!
that is CUTE!!
Anything Kate Spade or Tory Burch makes me want to run up my credit card… love your picks, too! I’m super surprised about the Tiffany bag because it is so gorg in the picture!
in real life, it’s a major disappointment :/
I usually don’t shop too often online because I need to see it in real life to know what it feels like!
It also happens with furniture — it looks super nice and well put together online and when I get to the store it looks like it is made out of cardboard 🙁
you’re right- furniture is impossible to buy online!
get #4!! love anything Marc Jacobs, so jealous! Do you get the “Shop It To Me” emails? They almost always (everyday) have a MJ bag on sale.
Try going to an outlet mall 🙂 I just got 3 coach bags for $350.
My favorite is dooney and bourke
I love the Tory Burch Amanda Mini Bag! Sooo cute. I *try* to buy small bags coz if I buy bigger ones I do just stuff them full of heavy stuff, most of which I don’t need to be carrying around with me! But I like to have one big enough to fit my camera in too… Ah, I almost always talk myself out of a bag purchase coz I’m so picky and can never make up my mind! lol
I bought a new coach a few months ago, I’m still in love with it. I love marc Jacobs and Michael Kors too. Such gorgeous classic shapes and colors! I look for something that will always be in style, I’m not spending good money on something that will be passe in 2 months.
That is why in store shopping > online shopping!
I actually got a Marc Jacobs bag a few years ago that wasn’t what I expected. I ended up returning it because it was so heavy and clunky. My favorite bag is my LV speedy. It was a little worn, so I brought it into LV a few weeks ago, and they sent it to California to have it repaired free of charge. They have great service (but then again, they should for what they charge!). I love the Tory Burch bag above. It is classic yet unique looking at the same time.
The Michael Jacobs white bag is gorgeous!! Oh how I would love to wear that bag 🙂
I have an AMAZING Marc Jacobs tote but its so heavy it hurts to use it!
I bought a Kate Spade thats nice and lightweight. I also love Michael Kors and Junior Drake bags. And Coach, but the leather ones, not the fabric.
Love Michael Kors! We have a Michael Kors outlet that has amazing prices if you don’t mind stuff from “last season”. Right next door is Coach so I definitely have to watch myself. I’m loving the white Marc Jacobs you posted.
I am a bag lady with expensive taste, too! My recent handbag obsession is the Jenna Kator Foxtown (in Arbor Mist), part of her Summer 2011 collection. http://www.jennakatorhandbags.com/ It’s not on her website yet, so you can Google it and find images on other sites. I bought it and I love it. Jenna is a local to me [MI] handbag designer who is fabulous.
Loving the last bag – I think the colour is called “taupe” (grey-brown) ?? LOVE this colour!! It goes with so so much! I’ve found that even though I used to not like them, pastel colours suit my skin tone. And this colour goes well with beige, grey, rosé colours …
Yup, definetely a fan of the last one 🙂 (but I am a bag lady – I have such a thing for bags! I would gladly adopt all of them ;-))
i’m a bag lady too 🙂
I love Kooba bags. Great leather, very durable, and large enough for magazines, notepads, kindles, etc. for flights and travel.
I love the MJ one! He is an impeccable designer. I like that the greige is still on trend without risking going out of style – it’s a neutral color that will go with everything, but it’s still more fun than black or brown. And the size is significant without being too bulky (can’t stand that). Love!
I just love handbags.
But if I had to pick a favorite, I really like Coach. They are cute, durable and some what reasonable dependidng on style….
Sorry to be a buzz kill… maybe i am just way out of the loop, but the only one that doesn’t scream “grandma!” is the white one… Your con for the white one is it will spend most of fall/winter in the closet but by then you will be all unpacked and have all your other purses back 😉 Loved the gold Tiffany’s purse, too bad it’s too flimsy!
that’s a very good point 🙂
Love the Tory Burch bag! Its def more of a going out bag… too small for everyday use but its sooooooooo cute.
love it too!
http://www.bossladybags.com/espe_groovibag
If you want a reversible bag! It’s not an insane size, it’s vegan, reasonably priced, and Canadian (I’m canadian 😉 I have one in green and I LOVE it. I get lots of complements. I always buy my wallets from them too.
good luck on the handbag front!
Sorry to hear about the disappointment! My favourite bag is made by Coach – I’ve got one of the classic black, white and silver ones but am dying for one of the beige/brown ones to use when I’m wearing warmer tones.
Great bag choices! I’m currently loving my Alexander Wang tote it’s made of taupe pebble leather and it has super cool studs on the bottom. It’s comfy on my shoulder and fits everything
What a bummer about Tiffany’s! The good news is that you found some more fabulous purses! and I lvoe the MARC by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Francesca Tote! As much as I lvoe white purses I also hate that they are only a spring/summer and can get dirty so easily!
I love that Tory Burch bag! so cute!
Don’t you hate it when bags are not what you though IRL? i hate that…Sorry the Tiffany bag didnt work out. well thats happened to me a time or two 🙁
I like the last bag for you…that color and style seems sooo you especially since you can also put your camera in it too. Not too big, not too small 😀 win, win! GL choosing.
I was given a bag from a family that I nannied for (did I mention they were rich?!) It cost about $500 and it was SO UGLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt so bad, and sad because $500 is a lot of money!!! I don’t even remember what I did with it now, but I felt so bad, as I never used it.
I love a purtty purse! Except my BF got me a pretty expensive one from Coach not even a year and a 1/2 ago and its falling apart! The top and handles are fraying and coming undone on the leather straps! #notcool
I absolutely love handbags but I am so cheap. I don’t think I have ever spent over $50 on a new one. Truth be told, I have a million other things on my “omg I need/want/can’t live without” list, that an expensive handbag isn’t even close to the top (yet)
I do love running out to TJ’s when I am in a funk and looking for a great deal on a less expensive brand though!! Great handbag therapy!!
a Pink Chanel and matching wallet is what I carry 95% of the time.
I have a Gucci travel bag/tote and 4 LV’s. I love them all.
all were an investment and i have taken great care of them and can pass them down to Skylar one day. I say, go for it if you can swing it…on whatever bag you feel like you want to look at for a lifetime 🙂
I love Marc by Marc Jacobs bags! The leather is so buttery soft! <3
Ohhhh you absolutely cannot go wrong w/ MBMJ! I like the last option the best; the “greige” is perfect. However, it is so much more structured than the Tiffany bag you originally liked; is the structure of the bag a make or break thing?
Currently I am rotating between a monogram LV Tivoli (the large GM size; this thing is a practically a suitcase) and a royal blue Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag. RM makes my absolute favorite bags, and even though they are priced between 300-600, you can ALWAYS find good deals on them at ebags and other sites. The leather she uses is hands down the most amazing leather I have ever felt, and the range of colors is ridiculous.
it’s a little dressy, i was hoping for something more casual, which is my only hang up. awesome, i’ll have to check out RM- thanks!
The picture of that Coach bag looks so cute, but I would be afraid to ruin it. The insides of my purses always seem to get a little dingey with accidental pen marks, a cold water bottle that sweats, etc… I feel like I would ruin the inside and render the reversibleness of it useless. Maybe it was for the better!
Ah I love the Marc by MJ – the last one! I am in the process/hunt for a new bag too! I love my Cole Haan but it is ‘past its prime’, it has lived a long and good life with me and served its purpose well, but onto the next! I really want a MJ bag too 🙂 maybe this one will be it?? Or another fun spring one? Let me know if you do end up getting it! : D
I got this one for my birthday earlier this month. I LOVE IT! I never knew Frye made bags and when I received it, it was love at first sight. I thought the leather would’ve been a bit softer, but I’m actually glad it’s not as soft as I had been imagining because it’s so darn durable and holds itself up well. 🙂 Highly recommend. http://stores.thefryecompany.com/-strse-3662/frye-accessories-clovertab-satchel/Detail.bok?category=Accessories%3AWomen%3AHandbags