Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts. I just want to buy an everyday type of small/medium size crossbody bag and I want it to last longer then 1-2 years. My budget is anything up to 250 depending on quality. I understand that these brands are not the only ones available. I have used Kate Spade bags before but was not very happy with ease of use and durability. Longchamp and the othe rleather bag brands suggested are great ideas - i will look into them. I do not want to spend more money as this will be a frequently used item and i think i will have to replace it in a few years. I just do not want it to start looking terrible relatively soon.

I love the idea of buying a Bottega Veneta cassette because i love its unique design, for instance, but cannot justify spending that much money on a bag.

Thanks again!

Go to shop goodwill.com and stalk the purse section for a week. You should be able to get a fantastic Made in the USA vintage Coach or Dooney and Bourke (All Weather Leather) for well under your budget. I can guarantee that however it looks in the auction photos is how it will look for the next decade. They wear like iron.

I forgot about Dooney & Bourke! These are GREAT recommendations!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts. I just want to buy an everyday type of small/medium size crossbody bag and I want it to last longer then 1-2 years. My budget is anything up to 250 depending on quality. I understand that these brands are not the only ones available. I have used Kate Spade bags before but was not very happy with ease of use and durability. Longchamp and the othe rleather bag brands suggested are great ideas - i will look into them. I do not want to spend more money as this will be a frequently used item and i think i will have to replace it in a few years. I just do not want it to start looking terrible relatively soon.

I love the idea of buying a Bottega Veneta cassette because i love its unique design, for instance, but cannot justify spending that much money on a bag.

Thanks again!

Go to shop goodwill.com and stalk the purse section for a week. You should be able to get a fantastic Made in the USA vintage Coach or Dooney and Bourke (All Weather Leather) for well under your budget. I can guarantee that however it looks in the auction photos is how it will look for the next decade. They wear like iron.

I like the classic Coach bags (not those sold at their outlet stores) and agree with a previous poster suggesting Longchamp (I have a navy leather bag and it’s been great and the leather is so soft).

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts. I just want to buy an everyday type of small/medium size crossbody bag and I want it to last longer then 1-2 years. My budget is anything up to 250 depending on quality. I understand that these brands are not the only ones available. I have used Kate Spade bags before but was not very happy with ease of use and durability. Longchamp and the othe rleather bag brands suggested are great ideas - i will look into them. I do not want to spend more money as this will be a frequently used item and i think i will have to replace it in a few years. I just do not want it to start looking terrible relatively soon.

I love the idea of buying a Bottega Veneta cassette because i love its unique design, for instance, but cannot justify spending that much money on a bag.

Thanks again!

I can't look at a Bottega Cassette without thinking about those seatbelt bags haha.

If you like the Bottega bags with the smaller weave, Cole Haan actually made a woven leather line that looked similar and had pretty good quality and construction.

Anonymous wrote:I thought the impressive handbag trend might have passed already but here goes. Tory Burch bags usually have a problem with zipper quality. They tend to stick get stuck etc. also TB handbags are very heavy. I think TB overall not a quality brand.
Minkoff I haven’t tried as too pricey
Coach makes an indestructible handbag although some people think they are too plain/ too mainstream. I have several over 15 years old. They do not age.

+1 about Tory purses being heavy. I will also say that their totes (e.g., Robinson) tend to have really skinny/weak straps. Heavy purse plus skinny/weak straps is not a good combination.

For Minkoff, they actually have really good sales and there are also a ton at consignment sites like TheRealReal and consignment stores like Current Boutique online. So browse those sites first. I think they are okay in terms in quality.

Coach is pretty good quality for the price point though not as good as they used to be. The old vintage coach bags made in the USA (I know they used to have a factory down in Florida) is super well-made but the current lineup of bags still has decent quality (though not as good as the older stuff).

OP here. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts. I just want to buy an everyday type of small/medium size crossbody bag and I want it to last longer then 1-2 years. My budget is anything up to 250 depending on quality. I understand that these brands are not the only ones available. I have used Kate Spade bags before but was not very happy with ease of use and durability. Longchamp and the othe rleather bag brands suggested are great ideas - i will look into them. I do not want to spend more money as this will be a frequently used item and i think i will have to replace it in a few years. I just do not want it to start looking terrible relatively soon.

I love the idea of buying a Bottega Veneta cassette because i love its unique design, for instance, but cannot justify spending that much money on a bag.

Thanks again!

Tory Burch

But personally I like my leather made well more

I really like my Marc Jacobs bag. Coach doesn’t do it for me.

I thought the impressive handbag trend might have passed already but here goes. Tory Burch bags usually have a problem with zipper quality. They tend to stick get stuck etc. also TB handbags are very heavy. I think TB overall not a quality brand.
Minkoff I haven’t tried as too pricey
Coach makes an indestructible handbag although some people think they are too plain/ too mainstream. I have several over 15 years old. They do not age.

Those price points range from $100 to $600 depending on which bags you’re looking at, and if they’re from the premium lines or outlet lines. Which is closer to your budget, OP.

Second, who are you looking to impress? Not snark, it’s a legitimate consideration. If you just want to be under the radar, any of those three will work in unobnoxious designs. I personally like the Coach Cassie, or their Courier Hobo. Longchamp is nice, but can be a bit of a black hole. I love their mini pliage crossbody, though, for wallet and phone days.

If you want to impress the DCUM set, go for Madewell at the lower end of your budget or Cuyana at the upper end. If you’re a little more artsy, look at Etsy or Oberon Design. If you secretly love Louis Vuitton, but are too embarrassed to carry it, give Etro a try. If you want something no one else has, look at Massaccesi.

If you’re just buying for yourself, then all I will say is browse, browse, browse. It’s a cliche over on Purseforum, but eventually you will find a bag that “makes your heart sing” when you see it. Buy that one, and to heck with anyone else’s opinion.