Can you recommend an understated classic bag?

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

jli86

Member
Jan 31, 2007
11
0
Hi girls!
I must admit I was much more of a clothes and shoes person than a bags person. That is until one day I saw a girl carrying a bag that just caught my eye and when I looked closely it was a Prada. Another time a Paddington. That's when I started looking into designer bags. I am always conscious with how I look but I am not someone who likes to show off wealth either. To me, the monogram LVs are just a bit too much that way (no offense to the LV fans).
Can you girls recommend a classic bag that is an understate luxury? I.e. I'm not walking around telling everyone "hey look I can afford this bag" but rather a recognizable designer label that is familiar to the better informed, and with a timeless elegance?
Thanks girls!
 
Kate Spade has classic handbags. Cole Haan has some nice handbags. Marc Jacobs is higher but some are classy. Ferragamo has really nice classics. Good luck!
 
Are you looking for unknown/yet-to-be discovered high-end designers or for well-known designers with more understated elegance?

Some that I think of as nice, but not too showy:
Tod's/Hogan
Celine
Balenciaga
Jil Sander
Chanel
MiuMiu/Prada
Hermes (really, to me, the ultimate)

Newer, less well known name (but still nice):
Belen Echandia
Hayden Harnett (less formal)
SHIH
Goldenbleu
Andrea Brueckner
 
I recommend

*The unquilted Chloe Bay Bag (absolute luxury,casual or smart,not a screamy logo in sight)

* The YSL Muse bag (leather gets better and better with age,same as above...can be used casually,for work,and in my case even as a nappy bag LOL.

*Good quality Mulberry bags. I still adore my chocolate Roxy and it's not been so great here that everyone would think "she's got the It bag from 2 years ago".

* Chanel reissue in black. No CC's, great distressed leather,can look anything from punky to very chic.
 
Ferragamo Marisa.

Marissabag.jpg
 
How about an LV epi? I like LV but some of their styles are too obvious. I have a black epi that looks great, is easy to care for and recognized by only those who know bags well.
 
Without a price range, the choices are unlimited. The names that come to mind for me are: Bottega Veneta (my fave), some of the Chanels, Ferragamo. Less expensive--Cole Haan is a great bag for the money with a wide range of styles and very nice leather.
 
Thanks girls for the great suggestions! I think I really need three bags - one for everyday use at work, a more casual one for the weekend, and a larger one with a shoulder strap to carry documents when I go on business trips. I don't like swapping things in and out all the time, so the "one colored bag for every outfit" game is not for me. I also would like the bags to be as light as possible.
I used to think spending $1000 on a bag is ridiculous but I guess I'm falling in the trap like so many girls!