Having a great bag is one of PeaceBang’s personal obsessions. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about having the right bag for all my needs throughout the day that helps me feel prepared and competent. It’s a superstitious thing, I suppose. As though the Right Bag can ward off grief, suffering, death, illness and bounced checks for me and my wider community of concern. Of course it can’t, but darned if that doesn’t stop me from fussing over bags the way my beagle fusses over his plush toys, picking them carefully out of his toy basket and carrying them solicitously around the house in his soft mouth. It’s very cute, and only knows why he must choose just that toy to tote around that day, or to bring to the visitor at the door.
And so it is with Big Mommy Beagle PeaceBang, who has to have just the right bag to tote around on any given day. This means that she is frequently changing bags, although once she settles into a season, she does sort of “move into” a particular purse or tote and stick with it.
One of the things that PeaceBang is forever lamenting is the lack of a convenient exterior pocket on purses. Why is this so hard to figure out, bag designers? All adult people carry phones nowadays, and do you really think we want to have to dig into our backpacks* and purses and briefcases to pull them out every few minutes? No, we do not! Do you think we want to have to UNZIP a side pocket to get to our phones and keycards? No, we do not! Let me hear you, pigeons!
NO, WE DO NOT!
Which is why we here at BTFM salute the designers of Hobo, International for designing gorgeous bags with lovely exterior pockets that open with no effort, thanks to the magic of magnets. This is one of my favorite all-time purses. I have dragged this thing all over the world (I have it in navy) and it is amazing, durable, and convenient. The shorter strap is great for when you want to fling it over your shoulder and keep it close to your body, and the longer strap is great for flinging it across your entire bod and running through the airport. Don’t think I paid anything close to full price for it — in fact, I almost keeled over when I saw how much it cost. I’d love to buy a second one but not until I come upon another fabulous sale as I did for the first one.
Here’s a Tignanello model that looks to have a nice little exterior pocket for your phone. Once that leather softens up, you’ll be good to go.
Here’s a smart little tote. I love the color and the contrast of the small pocket:
I’m not sold on the flowers for myself but I know I’d admire this Lockheart Carina if another gal was carrying it. And, hey: exterior pockets!
Good old Baggalini makes extremely durable classics. Nothing sexy about them, and they’re not well padded enough to carry around a laptop that isn’t in its own case (I don’t have the time to zip my laptop in and out of a carrying case, so I carry bags that are heavy enough to protect my Macbook Pro from banging around). However, their larger bags will do nicely for a minister’s life. Here’s one with fantastic exterior pockets.
Here’s a perfectly serviceable bag with a nice texture detail and deep side pockets. A little too deep, actually, but you know I’m picky.
*Tricked ya! If you’re an adult, you should NOT be carrying a backpack unless it’s a distinctly dressy one, and even then, try not to.
No backpacks, really? But, what if you are an academic and absolutely, positively (and through no fault of your own) cannot find a tote that carries both a laptop AND numerous books at the same time in a manner that makes it physically possible for you to move in a forward direction?
While I do agree entirely on the import of a lovely bag (and I do have a serious “workbag” at home for certain occasions, like important meetings where I know I’ll be driving), I use a messenger bag for day-to-day because I bike commute, and I live in one of the most bike friendly towns in the US. Many of my parishioners also bike commute, and it’s quite common to see people carrying in their pannier bags.
As long as I swear that I carry appropriate luggage on business trips, and that I bring one of my “serious” bags to serious meetings and to anything involving the Bishop, do I get a pass for my messenger bag due to the bike commuting and the low carbon footprint? [You GOT IT. PeaceBang Pass, baby. – PB]
(Don’t worry- no matter how I dress to ride in, I keep a stash of work clothes at the office, and I do a quick re-set when I get in to wear proper office clothes all day.)
This year I found some great diaper parachute nylon bags around–one bright orange, another in lime green. Both large enough for my 17″ laptop, and both with many additional pockets of varying sizes, including one just the right size for my phone. And both have padded shoulder straps. Both are relatively lightweight, especially compared with what the weight would be of equivalent bags in leather.
I pretty much wear black or gray nine months a year and look to my bag to brighten things up.
I’m very particular about my bags, too, and I agree about the outside pockets, but I cannot deal with the cost of bags these days. I mean, $70 for vinyl? There is no way I will spend that kind of money. I know a good bag will last a long time, but I’m old enough to remember leather bags for $13!
FWIW, for hauling “stuff” (i.e., books, calendar, etc.) I splurged and bought myself a leather LLBean tote, which is roomy and attractive, but the thing weighs a ton, even empty.
I am in love with my Miche bag! http://www.michebag.com. I always want my bag to coordinate with what I am wearing but hated having to switch purses all the time to make that happen.
I also have a Hobo bag which I picked up on sale. I love that there is no brand name emblazoned all over it to show everyone how hot and trendy I’m trying to be. Unfortunately while it is a great small size, I got a new work phone in addition to my personal phone and am now in need of something a little bigger.
About the backpack issue…I’ve noticed when I’m in Harvard Yard that many many people are hauling wheeled things…like salesperson cases on wheels. It’s amazing to me that with all the digital papersaving and on-line text books, people are carrying a LOT more than I did as a student. They can’t all be going to a meeting with a ream of handouts or bringing lunch for a crowd or carrying autographed copies of their own books. Not sure what this signifies. So along with the wheelie, they have a nice purse that doesn’t have to haul their computer.
LOVE bags. I can’t understand why it’s so hard for designers to understand that dark purse interiors are not helpful. More designers are moving to contrasting color interiors which makes it so much easier to dig out my stuff. I’ve also learned to keep my things in small colorful bags – personal care stuff in one; computer and phone related stuff in one; feminine products in one; it makes it easy to switch from bag to bag and I always know where things are in any purse.
Seat belt bags are brilliant.
I like looking for bags at TJ Maxx/Marshalls because 1) they are all in one place so you don’t have to go from display to display like at a department store and 2) they carry higher-end brands at much lower prices. You may strike out much of the time, but if you have time to check now and then, a just-right bag may be your reward.
I came this close to buying a Baggallini bag (they say it’s a “bagg,” but puhlease) just today. It seemed like such a big decision that I had to go away and think about it first. That might be a sign that I need to change bags more often.
Judge not, lest ye be judged, but I have to confess that I would judge a minister who carried a $500 handbag pretty much the way I’d judge one who drove a Lexus: harshly, unless it was a gift from a rich relative. (In the case of the handbag, I’ll retract my wince if it is the person’s sole splurge.) It is not necessary to spend tons of money to look professional, and when we do, it looks for all the world like we are living by the values of consumer culture instead of the higher ones to which we’re supposed to be devoted.
[SOME OF us are given gorgeous bags or shoes by admirers. Because SOME of us find jewelry too intimate but are more than happy to have beaux gift us with fabulous leather bags. You can’t judge a single girl for accepting a nice Christmas or birthday gift, I hope. And given that a designer bag goes for thousands of dollars, a nice Italian leather bag for a few hundred is not expensive by consumer standards. The reader who commented that $60 seemed an awful lot to pay for a non-leather bag isn’t very connected to today’s reality, where non-leather designs are super desireable, often expensive and gorgeous. Not my thing, because I consider leather bags an investment, but just as polyester is nothing like the fabric it used to be, neither are purses made from synthetics. My argument isn’t with the person who chooses to be eschew expensive items, it is with the many ministers who don’t know the difference between garbage and quality. My best friend Scott dresses within a very reasonable budget and is committed to buying American-made, but he never looks like he’s wearing anything cheap. – PB]
Just to reply to Amy’s concern about pastors carrying expensive bags. I have a purse that I know cost around $350 when my husband and my mom pooled their money to give it to me as a birthday gift eight+ years ago. It is a large, black leather purse from a famous designer. I’ve carried it on and off for all these years and someone asked me last week if I got a new purse (because it has held up so well). I’ve also had a number of cheap $40 purses over the last few years and most of them have ripped or broken and are not the kind of quality that can be repaired.
I am very selective about my purses, so when I find a style that works, I may get the same one in a couple colors. I chanced upon a great pewter colored bag in a local Goodwill–had all the exterior pockets I like, and the interior was divided into compartments. (I dislike “bucket” bags where everthing falls into the bottom.) Snatched it up for $2.99 and discovered I had scored a $128 Diane purse from SAS. Once we had “dated” for a time, I watched on eBay for deals—found the same purse, but in a pure, bright, smile-inducing red.
With deepest, truest, sincerest respect, PeaceBang, I don’t think I’m out of touch with today’s economy. I’m a happenin’ momma :>) who shops regularly and I know the difference between garbage and quality. I understand that these are the prices that bags go for these days. But I also doubt that the price is commensurate with the value of most bags. I suspect that the disproportionate increase in the price of bags is because they’ve become status symbols for so many people, and it really, truly bothers me to see people putting that kind of money into something that is really non-essential. One bag that you invest in and use all the time is one thing. Five bags that you will replace next year (or next season) because they’re out of style just troubles me. That’s just me. Hugs!
Check out the Rio tote at http://www.jordanapaige.com. It’s durable PVC, and comes in basic black, turquoise, or olive green. 2 smaller exterior pockets, reasonable length straps, lots of slots and pockets inside. While it’s designed to hold knitting projects, it’s not obviously a knitting bag. The company has a sale once a year to benefit pre-eclampsia research; bags go for $50 then.
I agree $60 is not too much for a non-leather bag nowadays; there’s been some inflation since the days of the $13 leather handbag. Very well-made, more expensive items can be a wiser use of money than cheap ones. Dedicated bargain-hunters can find good stuff at TJ Maxx that looks more expensive than it is, so I might be fooled. And as I said, I will withhold judgment in the case of one or two items because it’s good for my soul, and because yes, it could be a gift or a rare luxury. I am just saying that when I see colleagues whose hair and nails and shoes and clothes and jewelry and handbag all look expensive,* I start calculating how much money those trinkets and treatments cost and how much food and rent it could have bought for someone in real need. (I always thought Judas was on to something in Matt. 26:9, though if anyone deserved a little pampering it was Jesus.)
In a lighter vein, I’m closing in on a bag, having done a lot of research and discovered haikubags.com. I hope PB approves.
*This happens rarely–I am a UU, after all.
Oh, Rabbi Wendy, you made my day! I love the Rio in turquoise, and astonishingly, there is a dealer right here in River City. You just simplified my dear husband’s search for a birthday gift for me. Blessings!
As a grad student, I use a messenger bag. I have an eye out for something a little more upscale, but I am seriously strapped for cash (just had to buy a bunch of shirts without holes or bleach stains). I only need *one* long term, incredibly durable satchel-type thing. Anyone have something they love? (I really love the look of the Fossil satchels, but I’ve never had anything more than a cheap clutch, and I can’t bear to think about all that money!)
For Dav and others, thrift stores or consignment stores are a great place to search out good bags at very reasonable prices. In larger cities (I’ve noticed this in Philadelphia) many churches are opening thrift shops and bags and purses are in steady supply. Last week I discovered Blue, a high end thrift shop run by Goodwill Industries. It’s more like a consignment boutique and everything is organized by color. Great for shoes, purses, and fabulous jewelry. Also be on the lookout in unexpected places. Last summer I found a gorgeous, black Italian leather handbag in the backroom of a furniture consignment store. It was $25 and the kind of bag that still looked new and would continue to look new for years. One final suggestion, if you (or a friend) are traveling abroad keep your eyes open for leather bags. I spend a portion of every summer in Egypt and the last two years I’ve come home with great, unique leather purses that I’ve purchased at Egyptian fair trade stores for around $50. Everytime I use one of them I get comments.