Hold Tight…

by style contributor, Julie

I would consider myself a modern day bag lady of sorts. No, I’m not hoarding 30 year old newspapers or broken oscillating fans, nor do I keep an obscene amount of cats as my entourage. What I do mean is I’m a purveyor of purses and I take a great deal of care when choosing my next carryall. I’m not a fan of frequently changing from one bag to another: I like my bag to be timeless AND trendless. I need to be able to carry it while I’m scoping out the flea markets or when I’m having dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant with my husband.

Key qualities I expect from my bag? Craftsmanship and quality, of course!

Craftsmanship: Keep an eye on SPI. High “stitch-per-inch” count is a huge indicator of quality and can tell you if your bag will hold up well to wear. A 7 or greater SPI usually indicates a stellar bag. Check to see if there are any imperfections due to production, like messy glue at the seams and stress points, patterns not lining up appropriately, and broken or frayed threads.

Quality: Give the actual materials a careful inspection. Check the leather, lining and hardware. Fake leather is tricky to spot but the telltale sign is smell – so give that bag a good sniff! Look inside the bag, not just for pocket room, but also to see what material the lining is made of and how it’s constructed. Does it pull away from the bag or is it glued to the body? Are there apparent needle holes where the seams were stitched? Lastly, is the material durable? Hardware should be solid! It doesn’t have to be heavy or clunky, but it does have to be substantial, and if the “gold” or other finish seems to be sloughing off, calmly drop the bag, then turn and RUN!

Finally, if the bag doesn’t feel right when you put it on your shoulder, if you don’t feel an instant soul-mate connection, keep it moving, sister! Handbags are like your hairstyle, it’s the one thing you wear everyday. The whole world sees it, so it needs to be a reflection of you and your style. Not too crazy, possibly a little posh if that’s your taste, or maybe no fuss, no muss. Whatever it is, wear it and wear it well. And when you find a bag that you fall head over heels for…hold on tight!