My handbag quest

The other day I was sorting through my wardrobe with the aim of getting rid of some of the things I no longer use. I did that and found quite a lot of things I no longer needed, but surprisingly I also realised that I was short on something and that was handbags.

I’ve used the same couple of handbags in rotation for the past few years and since putting away my ‘winter’ bag last year, it’s become rather tatty – or, more likely, I’ve just started to notice the cracked leather and ink-marks. Yes, some of my favourite bags really need replacing! A shopping trip, with the aim of buying a handbag for every occasion, was in order.

I love shopping for handbags in Bishops Stortford because the town has a great mix of shops. All of the large retailers are represented there although some of them are quite small branches, but the town also has a proper High Street. The independent department store closed last year, but there are still plenty of small stores in the town. In Stortford, you can buy everything from a Chanel handbag to an inexpensive satchel for school or college.

The best thing about the town is that most of the stores have websites, so you can take a photo of a product and order it when your budget allows. If there is something expensive that I want, but cannot afford right now, I will often take a photo, find it online and wait until I see it in a sale online. Doing this saves me a lot of money. Anyway, enough chat here is how I got on, and some details of the different handbags I found.

A small clutch bag For nights out clutch bags are perfect. They are small and unobtrusive. Most of the time when I go out I just need my door key, phone, a card, some cash and some lipstick. For me a clutch is a good option. They are also essential if you are going to a party or formal dinner. A bulky handbag always ruins the line of your dress.

A new day-to-day handbag On a day-to-day basis, I need a bigger handbag. If your read the post I wrote in 2014 about what is in my bag you will know that there is no way that a clutch bag is going to give me enough space. For a day-to-day bag, I like a bag with a flap. That way there is space for small items I buy at lunchtime like my sandwiches, or a toiletry item. My trusty Disaster Designs bag was ideal for this. It has a flap with two straps, so I can slot something in on top of the items I normally keep in my bag, flip the flap over and secure the item in place using the straps.

A small rucksack Having gone back to college the other year I bought a satchel and really liked it. It works well for school and carrying your stuff on your back is far more comfortable carrying it on your shoulder. Owning the satchel made me realise this, so I decided to buy a small leather rucksack handbag for days out. I am sure that being able to take my lunch, drink etc with me will save me money, and because I bought it in a sale, the bag will soon pay for itself.

Even though I promised my husband that “I’d never need another bag again” when I bought that Disaster Designs day bag, I can’t help that it needed replacing after years of wear-and-tear so I no longer feel bag about investing in a couple more handbags – at least I know that these will last me a long time and not need replacing for years too! Do you have a favourite handbag that you’ve used for years? I’d love to hear about it and see photos of your faves so please leave me a comment below or tweet me @Cassiefairy.