Question for you pocket types - where do you put your cell phone? I was a devoted non-purse user until I got a cell phone, but I feel that wallet, keys, and cell phone are too much pocket cargo for one pair of jeans.
Another problem is that I now have a toddler, which means I must take a diaper and binky everywhere I go. As I pretty much refuse to carry a diaper bag, that requires a biggish purse. I bought my current purse at Macy’s in the after-Christmas sales. It’s black leather with two shoulder straps. It’s kind of long and short. It holds wallet, keys, cell phone, diaper, binky, wipes, reading glasses, and now sunglasses. I think it was $50ish.
Well, almost. My version has both handles and shoulder strap, whereas the one in the link has shoulder strap only. It’s just the right size to lug around all my work stuff (note book, lunch, book to read whilst in transit, cell phone, Blackberry, pens, makeup, assorted kipple, and so on and so forth).
I found it at the Puma sample sale last year for $30. Score!
My main purse is a big black faux-leather bag I bought at Reitman’s last year for $25. It’s big enough to fit anything (I even use it to supplement my suitcase if I’m going somewhere and have a lot of stuff to bring) but it’s also chic and comfortable to carry. It has big metal loops all over it but it manages to not look butch. I need a big purse because I carry a wallet that won’t fit in any pocket, as well as a ton of other crap.
I also just bought a big tote bag last weekend for $10 that is proving to be indispensable. It has a really pretty black and beige leaf print on the top with solid black on the bottom separated by a red stripe. I love it, and it’s so handy.
I have a turquoise canvas Old Navy clutch with a wooden handle that I love, but sadly I hate carrying it because it doesn’t have a strap or really any sort of handle to put your hand through. I’ve used it once and I may force myself to use it again, but it’ll probably make its way to the back of my closet, never to be seen again. Oh well, it was only $20.
Finally, I have a beautiful little French Connection clutch that I have yet to use, but only because there hasn’t been a suitable occasion. It’s the prettiest shade of metallic blue and it’s just big enough for the bare necessities. It was on sale for like $20 so I had to get it, and I really need to find an excuse to use it!
Have any of you ever heard the fashion statement that the size of your purse should correspond to your overall size? So tiny women should not carry big purses and plus size women should not carry tiny purses? I think I saw it on “What Not to Wear”.
I also buy my purses from Target for $25 or less and tend to buy the sort that are on the medium side with lots of pockets to keep things organized. I carry over the counter medicine for nearly every ailment, all of my make-up, and all of my financial type stuff.
I recently lost weight and tried to downsize to a smaller purse, testing the purse should match your size theory, but just couldn’t do it. I NEED my highly functional larger purse!
Cellphone, Strawberry Chapstick, money and pens go in my front right pocket. Car keys go in my front left pocket. My wallet, which is actually a cigarette case that I’ve used as a wallet for well over ten years now, goes in my back left pocket. Paperback book goes in my back right pocket. Yes, I’m kind of OCD about which stuff goes in which pockets. And I’m not kidding about always checking pocket size before buying pants. I’ve got Dickie’s Men’s Cell Phone pocket shorts in almost every color because the pockets are really big and deep. And they look cute on me. But the pocket thing is more important.
Pocket starts looking kind of funny if you have to type it a bunch. Pocket pocket pocket.
As for cell phone, it never goes in my purse – if I am wearing pants with pockets it goes in my pocket (jeans, it goes in the back right pocket, dress slacks, right hip pocket) if I don’t have pockets, I slip it into the waist of my whatever – it’s a flip-phone, so I can open it and hang it over the waistband pretty effectively.
For carrying light textbooks/notebooks on campus, I use a olive green canvas messenger bag with pockets all over it, which was about $15.
For most other occasions (shopping, out and about, etc), I carry a largish black faux-suede black purse thing. Cost about $20 at JC Penney. I like it, but the back zip pocket where I keep my keys split a side seam, which means my keys tend to slide into the purse, between the shell and liner. This has caused me to think I have lost my keys more than once. I need to fix it.
All purses/bags I carry tend to be on the medium to large side of the scale, because a key requirement for me is that I can carry at least one medium sized book.
Same here. I carry a non-imprinted one of these which holds keys, license, cards and cash. I don’t need anything else. It cost maybe $6.99 at Penney’s. I bought up what they had but am using up my stash and may have to buy a lot of 25 from the imprint company.
I did get a goofy velvet beaded bag on a lark as something of joke, to use on vacation, but wouldn’t carry one as a rule.
It’s a fake-leather cheapo thing from WalMart. It’s about…oh…8 inches long, 4 inches wide, 6 inches high, with a short strap. It’s got an inside zipper pocket and 4 small pockets around the outside just the size to hold a cell phone or keys or a small wallet/some cash. I like it more than I thought I would, actually. I’d like to get a nice one that will hold up that’s just like it.
I also have a large green denim bag that’s big enouh to hold a notebook and a novel easily, and I use it when I need to carry something bigger that doesn’t require my laptop bag or backpack. I think it was $25 or $30.
I buy cheap bags, but I secretly lust for this and this. One day they will be mine…oh yes…
Hee, this reminds me of a minor scandal in the office. We’re not exactly a fashion Mecca, and the whole place is on the casual tip, so one co-worker caused a stir when she returned from the Big City (Ok, Macy*s in Manchester, NH) with a crocodile shoulder bag from some designer. Another co-worker loved it and called them to have them send her one. Exact same color and style.
Apparently this is a no-no, since the first woman bemoaned, “Couldn’t she have at least gotten a different color?” (The second woman is not known for her restraint or discretion. Or appropriateness.)
My purse is medium-size, black, one outside pocket with a snap-flap, 2 small inside pockets, 1" wide adjustable strap. I don’t always carry it, but it holds most of the stuff I need if I need to drag around a check-book, calendar etc for whatever reason.
I bought it in Spain a few years ago, I definitely remember the purchase. The name on the lining is Carla Sade. It’s nicely-made, and while it was a bit pricey it was not wildly extravagant. I don’t remember the exact price.
Today I’m carrying a Carlos Falchi. Dark red fabric with a golden alligator print & darker red patent decorations. It’s from his *Chi * line at Home Shopping Network. Bought it because it was cheap (cheaper than his line at NM, at least) & cheerful. It’s light yet big enough to hold everything, so I’m using it a lot. Also love my new Sharif (also from HSN), made of metallic patchwork leather–“restrained” metallic, until the sunlight hits it. Both Falchi & Sharif are known for bright, bohemain styles. (Clue: The shopping networks have some great offerings. Check them out online–you don’t need to call!)
My collection includes two classic Coaches that were my mother’s, bright ethnic stuff & resale shop finds. Plus a few things from Target, of course.
After several purse threads around here were I was saying I couldn’t stand the $10 purse I’d gotten four years ago at Marshalls and STILL LOOKED BRAND NEW dammit, so I couldn’t throw it out, I realized how silly I sounded and bought a new purse. $40 at T.J. Maxx. Its a Stone Mountain, so it should wear like iron and if I hate it I’ll still have it four years from now. At it matches my laptop bag - which is a Sigrid Olson my husband bought me for Christmas.
I’m a “stuff in the pockets” sort of girl when I can get away with it, but more and more I find I need to carry a book (or two), more cards than a single credit card and a driver’s license, and more keys than just my car key.
I only have one purse going at a time. Right now it’s a tan canvas Aigner bag which is OK but hard to fit all the crap I routinely carry (wallet, cell phone, PDA, and zippered cosmetic bag with my daily medications) but it works, just. The strap is long enough that I can stick it on my shoulder and tuck the bag under the arm. Last one before this was a cheap fabric one bought at Kohl’s. Cute (it looked like a pair of pants, including the belt) but did not hold up.
I gave up on the ones with straps long enough to go across the chest a couple of years ago because the selection was so wretched and I rarely commute into the city (if I did, I’d find such a bag for sure).
I do have two nicer bags - Coach - that are in reserve for “some day”. Both were bought when Macy’s had “20% off anything” coupons. I tried using the one (bright red, long thin strap, sort of a satchel/briefcase but not so large) for a bit but it had trouble holding the 4 essential items. The other one is a cream/tan color leather, large, almost like a small doctor bag, and should easily hold anything I choose to throw at it.
Worth what I paid; it holds tons of stuff and is indestructible. Fully loaded with all of my crap, it weighs like six pounds, but I’m prepared for anything!
Evening bags are another matter. Actually I hate them because they don’t hold much, but according to my grandmother all you’re supposed to carry is a compact, lipsick, aspirin and enough cab fare to get home if he wants you to put out or get out.
Well, my TJ Maxx on Saturday had a few Stone Mountains. It was actually “expensive purse day” at TJ Maxx. At least two D&Bs, a Coach. Plus a ton of Ralph Lauren, Tommy, Guess. I’ve never been in there before where they’ve had that sort of selection.
