# Best smallish purse? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827 "2008-04-18T02:29:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/1 "2008-04-18T02:29:24Z")
I had a purse for over 10 years and finally had to retire it because the latch broke. I was about the size of a football, and had a hand strap. I bought it for $143 CA, when the 1 US = .67 CA. The brand was Mancini and I bought it at the Eaton center. I bought a style I like at target but the purse barely lasted three months. What is a good brand of purse which will wear like my old one? I can seem to find anyone selling small mancini purses now. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/2 "2008-04-18T08:10:23Z")
I am not in the least fashionable, but I can’t imagine having just one purse, and having it for 10 years, at that! I’m a huge fan of buying cheap 10$ purses that go well with an outfit or two, and just chucking them if they break. For your sake, I hope any purse you find at 100+ will last a good long time! I have one from Jacob that's going on about 3 years, but even that was only 35 or 40$. If you really liked that purse, for a few bucks, you might want to see about getting the latch fixed at a [searching for word in English] Cordonnier. Leather worker? Those people who fix leather shoes and belts and whatnot, often in an unbelievably tiny store near mall exits. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/3 "2008-04-18T11:23:22Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] If you really liked that purse, for a few bucks, you might want to see about getting the latch fixed at a [searching for word in English] Cordonnier. Leather worker? Those people who fix leather shoes and belts and whatnot, often in an unbelievably tiny store near mall exits. [/QUOTE] There was enough wear around the edges and other places that it truly was time to retire. I don’t like shopping for accessories and I don’t like transferring the contents of my purse. I want a simple black bag that will do for all but the most formal occasions. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/4 "2008-04-18T11:27:51Z")
At the rate of $10 for a purse which lasts 3 months, it would cost me $400 plus time it takes to transfer contents and find new purses over the next 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/5 "2008-04-18T16:34:33Z")
It may not be your style, but check out the [seatbelt bags](http://www.seatbeltbags.com/handbags.html). I’ve got one that’s about 7 years old and still looks brand new. The seatbelt material is very tough. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/6 "2008-04-18T16:34:44Z")
I know I may be stating the obvious, but why not Coach? Everything I’ve heard is that they last 10 years (at least), and they’ll probably still be in style then too. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/7 "2008-04-18T22:58:08Z")
I bought a black Cole Haan bag a few years ago in a classic shape, and it doesn’t even llok worn yet. They’re expensive, but not outrageous for the quality you get. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/8 "2008-04-18T22:58:35Z")
I bought a black Cole Haan bag a few years ago in a classic shape, and it doesn’t even look worn yet. They’re expensive, but not outrageous for the quality you get. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/9 "2008-04-19T01:52:07Z")
[QUOTE=sugar and spice] I know I may be stating the obvious, but why not Coach? Everything I’ve heard is that they last 10 years (at least), and they’ll probably still be in style then too. [/QUOTE] I will look at them. All I know about coach is that they are expensive and they look and feel nice. I had not heard how they wear. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/10 "2008-04-19T02:00:05Z")
My Coach bags have worn quite well, with only reasonable care taken. I have a black leather Prada bag that is medium-sized and sturdy, with a classic look. I fully expect to have it 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/11 "2008-04-19T02:20:51Z")
looking more, I am finding that the styles I like are sold as [men’s handbags](http://www.superiorluggage.com/mens-handbags.html) . I often carried my purse by the wrist strap. Cole Haan is a bit more than I can justify, and I did not see just the right style. I want to look at the coach bags in person, there was one that just might do. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/12 "2008-04-19T03:50:08Z")
I recommend Brahmin as a great value, and would have recommended one in particular if you’d asked this a couple of months ago, but it’s probably gone by now. It was small, black, and had a section in the middle for cards, ID, etc. Had a really long strap which I didn’t think much of but you could adjust that. In general Brahmin makes very nice bags, with prices about like Coach or maybe a little lower but really good workmanship and style. Sold at Nordstrom, Dillards, Macy’s. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/13 "2008-04-19T21:59:52Z")
Wow those “seat belt” purses are really cool! I will have to try one of those. I have also been in the market for a new hand bag and I can’t quite find the right one. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/14 "2008-04-20T13:01:44Z")
I just went to the army surplus store and got an olive drab bag for my vacation in DC. They had various sizes of canvas bag; I chose one that will hold a bottle of water, a camera, my little purse that would go with me to dinner, and a book. Cost me $14. It looks pretty damn sturdy. This was very out of character for me. I normally spend about $100 on a leather purse that lasts me 10 years. I go to Wilson Leathers for these. They have lots of sizes and I’ve never had a problem with the quality. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/15 "2008-04-21T15:41:17Z")
lee, you also might want to look at Stone Mountain - they have very nice bags, and I’m still to this day using one that someone handed down to me - 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-smallish-purse/445827/16 "2008-04-22T16:51:09Z")
lee, check out Perlina [handbags](http://ww.perlina.com/store.html?CID=4) . I had one that had a clutch and over the shoulder. The leather is super soft or you can get pebbeled leather which is a bit tougher. It might be in your price range. I know e-bags carries them as well. I’m not sure if you can buy from the perlina site but can vouch for the organizing capabilities.