Sunday 11 January 2009

Dear handbag manufacturers of the world...

... I have been looking for approximately two months for a new handbag.

A handbag is in many ways very much like a girl's daemon. It is another part of her, whether she likes it or not.

My requirements are as follows with explanations:

Medium sized: I would like a bag that is attractive and can fit a phone, wallet, notebook (for writing), perfume (of course!), travelcard and possibly other sundries in it. I do not want a teeny tiny bag that I can only fit a phone, a cashcard and a lip gloss into. I am not Carrie Bradshaw and cannot survive with these things alone all day. Neither do I want a humongous bag that is going to give me curvature of the spine. I am not Mary Poppins and I do not need to be able to carry lamps, large mirrors or any other furniture items in my handbag.

Secure: I am a twenty something girl who works in London and regularly uses trains, tubes, buses, a car and her feet to get around. I often take my handbag to work and then straight out to dinner/ bars/ clubs/ theatres/ cinemas. I therefore need a bag that has a zip or other very secure fastening. I would add that London and most other places I have visited experience rain from time to time and a bag that is wide open to the elements is not only insecure but a bit silly if you don't want the contents to get wet.

Attachments, buckles, bling, rhinestones: I want there to be as little glitz and razzmatazz on my bag as possible. I know tastes vary but really how many people can take a bag that looks like it was designed by Barbie to work.

Price: I actually don't mind paying a reasonable to borderline over the top amount for a bag that fulfils these requirements. However the only bag I have come across so far that does is a Birkin and I can't afford one of those- and even if I could I need a new bag now, not in three years (or however long the waiting list is now).

Fakes: I don't do them, I don't want them. Just because I can't afford a Birkin, or Kelly or Bayswater doesn't mean I want a much cheaper, copied version. I am not a snob but I don't watch pirate dvds and I don't want something inferior. I don't see that that means I can't have something nice. I want you to design your own interesting bags please.

My current bag was a mere £50 from Gap and I adore it. It is part you can take me to the office but part bohemian and is just the right size. With hindsight I should have bought two, or more. It is now coming to the end of it's natural life after service over and above the call of duty and I would like to be able to buy something new so I can stop wrestling with the broken zip.

Please can you make me a workable, secure bag of a reasonable size that doesn't cost the earth? I would be most grateful.

Eagerly awaiting your reply... or designs.

Yours Sincerely,
Rose

12 comments:

vicki archer said...

I love your letter Rose and hope you find what you are looking for (especially with the sales in London) xv.

Rose said...

Hi Vicki, Thank you!! I will let you know when I have a Eureka moment x

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Hi Rose- Good Luck! My favorite handbag right now is my black doctor's bag from Monserat de Lucca. It is black, no bling and not stiff. I love it! Hope you can find what you are looking for...

Unknown said...

Having the same issue right now too. Why must a bag be such an issue?

Anonymous said...

Hi Rose, have you tried Urbanoutfitters?

Rose said...

Hi Daily,
Your bag sounds lovely, that's the sort of thing I'm after!

Rose said...

Hi Jena, I'm glad someone else has trouble! I don't know why it's such an issue, I'm sure it used to be quite easy... now I think bags are either really cheap looking or crazy expensive and the size of a small person

Rose said...

Hi Kathleen, not since before Christmas- so that is a very good idea!

charlotte said...

have you tried ally capellino? i think she has a sale on at the moment. i have one of her bags that i bought over two years ago and i use it every day. the leather has got better with age and it has secure zip pockets!

Rose said...

Hi Lottie, thank you so much, I haven't tried AC and I didn't know she had a website. You are correct there is a sale on and I think I might have found a contender!

Jayne said...

What a lovely post! I'm afraid I bring no offerings to the table - ah! Actually perhaps I do. One of my planned Christmas presents was a handbag to replace the clapped out red thing I had been touting around London for a year. I wanted something brown, zipped, not something suitable for Barbie (that did make me chuckle), professional looking and yet scholarly (eyes that word doubtfully- decides to leave it). I found it at Debenhams. Or John Lewis. I think it was around £50. Not sure if that is much of a help, actually!

Rose said...

Hi Jayne, Thank you! No that is helpful. I haven't really looked in Debenhams and JL as my last visit to Oxford St was on the 27th of December and it was quite scary! So a revisit might be required. I'm also quite keen on the Ally Capellino bags suggested by Lottie. I'm glad everyone else has trouble, it makes me feel less like I'm being a real effort.