Handbags

[Goldengate8361]

Lightweight fabric; crossbody; black or gray; with short handle with long crossbody strap; zip-top; lots of pockets and organization....Oh wait! That's already been designed; it's a LUG!!!!

I LOVE my Lug bags; I have many. I really like my Dooney and Oryany bags--but my LUGs are actually better--and I like carrying them more.

[songbird]

Not a fan of handbags period.  But if I have to carry one (I am a women after all....it's the law) it would be a crossbody.  Somehting to free my hands.  Leather and very soft.  No snaps, something that snaps shut right away.  Magnetic.  Pretty basic.

[JavaQueen]

Apart from having some kind of pocket on the back (tasefully placed, of course!), I would make sure that shoulder bags are truly shoulder bags with appropriate drop lengths. Some of us, not all, are a size 0.. That means no 7 ior 8 inch drop. They would have a minumum of 10. Or offer choices to buyers. (You know like pant leg lengths.) I would do the same for straps with crossbody bags. Not just the third piece that Dooney sometimes inserts.

While we're on those straps, I would design tider shoulder straps to accommondate larger pieces.

My smaller bags would accommodate larger cell phones. 

Finally, my pieces would be classic. No flash-in-the-pan  designs and made inthe U.S.A.

I looked over my bags and sicovered that the ones that I have kept the longest had one of these features.

My LV pochette accessoire was kept because it's easy to clean, lightweight and can function as either a pouch or a crossbody. My Coach peices either had great organization or great stras with convertability. Of course, they're still around due  to solid.cratmanship.

[Dennie A]

This is a good one. Can we also add lightweight?

[GingerPeach]

Whatever material it was made from, should be good quality.  

If leather, supple and not stiff, but not floppy.

The leather should go through whatever process makes it stain resistant and durable.

If fabric, should have some sort of "body" and be stain resistant.

Only zipper closures.  No magnetic closures.

If the bag has hardware, it should be sturdy, substantial, but not heavy.  No coated metal.  If there is hardware, it should be a quality metal, not something that will flake off.  No flimsy or coated hardware.

Crossbody, with adjustable strap.

The strap should be comfortable on the shoulder.

Strap should be attached close to the bottom of the bag, not just an inch or two below the top.  (Provides support to the bag, and helps it keep its shape.)

Some texture to the material.  

Should have several pockets inside.  Cotton or similar long-lasting lining, no nylon linings.  It may or may not need an additional zipped pocket inside.

The opening should be large enough to be comfortable.  No skimpy openings and no zippers that don't go all the way across.  In fact, they should be just a bit longer than the top of the bag.

An outside pocket is needed.  Preferably zipped.

I liked the style, shape, and color of this a lot, but sadly the leather wasn't stain resistant and the strap isn't adjustable the way I needed it to be (by inches, not by a foot).