Handbags

[chiclet]

I have always carried a leather bag and now that I am retired I am only interested in small/medium crossbodies.  For some reason the fabric type bags like vera bradley never have appealed to me with all the designs.  I bought a travelon years ago and did not care for the cheap flimsy nylon fabric.  I bought something similiar to a Vera Bradley bag once to take on a trip and the nylon zipper broke before the bus got out of the parking lot.  I would like a cloth type bad that does not look cheap and ugly.  Any suggestions? The kipling bags look nice. 

[phoenixbrd]

@chiclet  I'm always on the lookout for nonleather bags for ethical reasons.  I've been happy with kipling, baggalini, and vera bradley is my gym bag.  I have found all of these brands to be well made and comfortable cross body bags...just check out the different styles and find what suits your personal needs.  Good luck.

[Eileen in Virginia]

I always carried leather bags until I retired, then I switched to Vera Bradley bags to lighten the load on my shoulder. I absolutely love Vera Bradley’s Little Hipster Crossbody bag. It’s 9.75”Wx6.5”Hx1.5”D. It has an adjustable strap so you can use it as a crossbody or shoulder bag. There’s an open back pocket, a zipped center compartment with another interior zipped pocket and a gusseted, zipped front compartment that functions as a wallet (bill holder, 5 or 6 card slots, etc.). I usually prefer a big bag, but the Little Hipster’s great for those times when you need to use both of your hands or just want to keep your bag close to your body. I gave one to my aunt for Christmas a couple of years ago. While she liked the pattern, she didn’t think that sized bag would be large enough for her. Now it’s the only bag she carries.   I prefer VB’s retired prints to their new ones, so I buy them at their outlets or an online sales. In addition to finding patterns that I like, the prices are much better! 

[151949]

Because Vera bags are so expensive I prefer to go with Bella Taylor bags. You can look up Bella Taylor.com. Same quality as a Vera bag  but much less expensive. I'm particularly fond of their Amaretto print- a nice neutral , mostly brown. However, I own several of their prints in blues and corals as well.

[phoenixbrd]

@Eileen in Virginia  another fan of the "hipster".

---

@Eileen in Virginia wrote:

I always carried leather bags until I retired, then I switched to Vera Bradley bags to lighten the load on my shoulder. I absolutely love Vera Bradley’s Little Hipster Crossbody bag. It’s 9.75”Wx6.5”Hx1.5”D. It has an adjustable strap so you can use it as a crossbody or shoulder bag. There’s an open back pocket, a zipped center compartment with another interior zipped pocket and a gusseted, zipped front compartment that functions as a wallet (bill holder, 5 or 6 card slots, etc.). I usually prefer a big bag, but the Little Hipster’s great for those times when you need to use both of your hands or just want to keep your bag close to your body. I gave one to my aunt for Christmas a couple of years ago. While she liked the pattern, she didn’t think that sized bag would be large enough for her. Now it’s the only bag she carries.   I prefer VB’s retired prints to their new ones, so I buy them at their outlets or an online sales. In addition to finding patterns that I like, the prices are much better! 

---

[RhondaRena]

Talbots has a great Nylon Satchel thats around 11 inches that comes in navy and black. Its regular priced at $99.00 but I got it on a sale about a month ago. It has two compartments and the size is perfect without being heavy. I highly recommend if you can get a coupon or good sale. I purchased the black.

[Tyak]

I like the Kipling Alvar, it's a great bag!

[momoftwo2007]

I just purchased this bag (St. John's Bay) from JCPenny. It is a small crossbody. It is not leather but feels so soft like leather.  It is under $20.  

There are some other ones on JCP's site that look very appealing and they are around $20, too. This Liz Claiborne one looks very nice, too. 

[Greeneyedlady21]

I bought a Lug Carousel bag for a day of volunteering that I did last month. It's much more casual than my usual taste, and it's small. But I love that little bag, how organized it is. I use it when I go out for a walk, if I want to go into any stores. Or just to carry my phone and other essentials while walking. I got the solid grey

I also have a Michael Kors blush pink nylon crossbody that I love. It's north south though, not east west.

[pegomyheart]

I love medium east-west bags as well. My go to bags for summer and traveling are Kipling bags.  Last summer I found a silver/grey one.  I was so happy. They are Lighhtweight , and they hold so much!  They are neutral tones and go with all my summer clothes.  Another brand I really love is Baggilini.  You can find them on ebags.