<p>OP here. I have still not bought a bag. By the time I narrowed my choices down I could not find what I wanted in town and not enough time to order online. I used my old DKNY nylon messenger bag. It works great. I am just ready for something new. The nice thing about not finding a bag was as I traveled through the various airports I looked and observed the various bags that people were carrying. Since I was traveling alone I also got a good picture of my own needs. Such a wide variety. It did make me realize I did not want anything too bright. I wish I was bold enough for a Vera Bradley bag but I realized that it just wasn’t me though I love the fabric and prints. I think I have lived to long in places where a floral quilted bag is just not fashionable. Though if you like Vera Bradley the Indianapolis airport has quite a nice shop. I was tempted to buy a new cosmetic bag. If I actually wore makeup.
After traveling through 4 airports on that trip I think I need two different carry on bags. One not quite as large that has some flair such as the Burberry, Longchamp or the Tumi tote. I like the simple clean look of these bags. I don’t like the prices so I must wait till I have an impulsive urge to just go for it. I can’t find any of them local so I think I am safe till I take an out of town shopping trip.
And another larger carry on for longer trips. I might order one the Jane Marvel bags from ebay that someone referred to in the first page of this thread. I am headed to Africa this summer with extended family and I think I will want a larger carry on bag.
One thing I did notice is that my carry on suitcase is a pain to get down the narrower aisles of the plane. Not sure about a solution to that problem. It is not a problem for the first flight out of my town since the planes are smaller and you leave you carry on suitcase on the tarmac. But this past trip my 2nd leg I was seated at the front of the plane which boarded last. Of course by that time all the overhead bins in the front were full. Had to make my way down the narrow aisle to the back of the plane to find an empty space.</p>
<p>Honestly, just bite the bullet and buy a Longchamp bag. It will last forever and your price per use will be next to nothing. It is, without question, the best travel bag made and I’ve purchased them all.</p>
<p>The Burberry is nice, but they change the style so often that it will look dated fairly soon. It’s fine if you replace your bag every year or two. The Tumi is durable, but it lacks style.</p>
<p>OP here- just both 2 Jane Marvel bags off of rue la la. the jitney for $49 and the mile high for $39. Both in a tan with brown straps.
Rue La La is a shopping site that has daily specials. So this won’t last long</p>
<p>mom60…post a picture of the bag…please. I tried the site but you have to be a member.</p>
<p>[Jane</a> Marvel Jitney Tote Bag - Shop Now- eBags.com](<a href=“http://www.ebags.com/product/jane-marvel/jitney/125583]Jane”>http://www.ebags.com/product/jane-marvel/jitney/125583)
I got it in tan. Glad to see my price on RueLaLa was a good one.</p>
<p>[JANE</a> MARVEL HANDBAGS: MILE HIGH BAG](<a href=“http://www.janemarvel.com/bags/milehigh.shtml]JANE”>http://www.janemarvel.com/bags/milehigh.shtml)
I also got this one in tan with brown handles</p>
<p>I might still consider a Longchamp or Burberry bag but these were good prices and the colors were normal.
Bags on RueLaLa- $49 regular price $119 ebags
$39 on RueLaLa $110 on the Jane Marvel site</p>
<p>I am the bag lady of NY. I own ever so many bags. And I didn’t pay more than $20 for any of them. All of them from garage sales, give aways, TJMax, Christmas Tree Shop, Salvation Army, etc. And I bought another, sigh… yes, kick me for $16.95 at a discount store, a very light Californiapak to carry on the plane for a wedding I am attending next week.</p>
<p>Hermes bags sold out in less than an hour on RueLaLa yesterday. Prices ranged from $3,000 to $12,000. :eek: Recession, anyone?</p>
<p>BB - I picked up three, where were you? ;)</p>
<p>In our house there is a standing joke that I am the bag lady. I love bags. If someone would only float me start up money, I would abandon my educational consulting business and open up a bag store. </p>
<p>I can’t go by any place that sells bags without checking them out. DH thinks I am hopeless and DD tells me to “step away from the bags.”</p>
<p>The moment I knew something was wrong was when I was working at the homeless shelter this winter and DD heard me tell a woman (client) that she had a really nice bag and that it had nice organizational features. </p>
<p>She said I really needed an intervention.</p>
<p>I slept too much, so I missed the opportunity to snatch one of the bargains. DD asked me, “Is this website legit?” when she saw the Chanel and Hermes bags. </p>
<p>Hey, I see a Prada ad at the top of my screen!</p>
<p>Worknprogress, we can go together. I could have bought those Hermes bags with what I have spent on my bargains. Yeah, I eye the bags that are at the soup kitchen where I work too.</p>
<p>When I was at a street fair some years ago, I bought a bunch of cheap but wonderful bags, some of them designer knock offs. Oh, I was in my glory. Bargains on bags! A double dipper for me. </p>
<p>On the subway ride to the train station, I was seated next to a woman. My big paper bag carrying my loot was beginning to fall apart and I had neglected to buy a master bag to carry all of my new bags. It was raining which contributed greatly to the disintegration of the master bag. When I got up at my station, the big bag fell apart, and I had to grab some of the bags that fell out. I accidently pawed at my neighbor’s bag. She jerked it away from me and gave me a glare. I was a bit embarrassed but not as horrified as I was when someone said to me as I left the car, “Had a good day, did you. Almost snagged another one, hey?” </p>
<p>So how about that intervention?</p>
<p>I have never been in one place where so many women (not me!) were carrying Chanel classic flap bags as S’s college graduation last week! You would have thought they were being given away with the programs.</p>
<p>workinprogress- my sister opened an upscale bag shop about 5 yrs ago. The first 3 years she beat her H in income earned. The last 2 yrs have been up and down. She has decided to close her shop.At this point she is breaking even but having to spend time away from her family while not making much money. She sold bags such as Kooba, Treesje and several others that you now find on RueLaLa and Gilt. She said several factors went into her decision to probably close her shop. Some of the designers she sold have gone out of business themselves, victims of the economy, less impulse spending on the part of her regular customers. She used to have customers who spent thousands on handbags in a year. One of the biggest factor though is the practice of designers selling their bags on sites such as Gilt and RueLaLa. Even though the designers say they are selling last years merchandise they are often not. When she started her shop many high end designers would not have been selling their goods at 40% off retail on line just months after the bags came out. Now she sometimes finds the bags on sale online before she even takes delivery. She can’t compete. NO one wants to pay full price and there are fewer people who don’t know how to go online and search for the best price. My sister’s shop is in a high income community.</p>
<p>I missed a sale??? on handbags??? oh, no… But seriously, I was on vacation a few months ago, and stopped into the Hermes store (window shopping, I assure you), and a woman came in and had to have the one Birkin bag that they had in the store. She already had at least one (it was on her arm), but liked the color (a nice*** brown). I guess she thought I might buy it (fat chance). It was hysterical actually. I am saving for tuition - that thing was around 10K. No joke. Once you get it home the thrill is gone, I am sure.</p>