<p>I always have a general rule that my purse shouldn’t cost more than the amount of money I am likely to carry in it. ;-)<br>
I like Kohls, Target, Penneys…lately though I’ve noticed some of the less expensive ones are using a type of ‘leather’ that smells awful, like chemicals, so that may make me rethink that.<br>
My purse has to have one main area, it must have at least one outside pocket for keys and pens, and the front and back of the purse have to look different. (I had one that had an identical pocket on the front and the back, and I was always looking in the wrong pocket. It has to have 3 pockets on the inside (cell phone, hand sanitizer, and a zippered one for the ‘medicine cabinet’. I prefer just one strap for over the shoulder, because with two, one seems to keep falling off my shoulder, but I can live with that. I also like one that will zip closed or had a flap cover that closes with a magnet.</p>
<p>Shobo…I seldom carry money in my purse. Like…zero dollars! Does this mean my purses should be free? Nope!!</p>
<p>I like Target, Kohls, etc for my summer tote bags for the beach. They are not my “go to” places for purses. But I will say…they do have some cute styles. </p>
<p>The last purse I got from Kohls wasnt particularly good quality…and the zipper broke fairly quickly!</p>
<p>Chanel bags on Realreal are only few hundred $$ less than brand new bags. I opted for a brand new one purchased at one of those “double loyalty points” week. I recently had 2 bags refurbished at the Leather Spa. They looked brand new after they were finished with them. The bags’ blue color had faded a bit around the edges.</p>
<p>Chanel bags on the Realreal, like a lot of Chanel bags on the internet, are objects for collectors. There is a vast pool of Chanel bag collectors out there, especially in Asia. it’s an obsession for new money in the PRC. Good luck trying to find an authenticated Chanel bag that’s a “bargain”.</p>
<p>I have four purses I use. One is an ancient travel purse that converts to waist pack in black nylon. Also have black Coach crossover shoulder bag that is very understated. In Portland, OR, bought a lovely tan elk bag with gold sparkles hammered into the top flap–it’s lovely and lightweight. Most recently, at a silent auction, I purchased a small paisley LeSportSac that I am really enjoying. </p>
<p>I have larger fake LeSportSacs that I have been told look like diaper bags. They are nice and roomy for travel and featherweight.</p>
<p>I have several designer bags that I acquired when a friend and his GF split up. They’re not my taste, but haven’t yet decided what to do with them. Not Ds taste either.</p>
<p>Sell them on eBay.</p>
<p>Catching up after reading every post. I was very Coach loyal for 25 years – and then with the fabric and oversized logos, it began to look like every woman at every income level had one. That’s when I lost interest and sold a few on eBay.</p>
<p>I’m mostly carrying a couple of Longchamps these days and my shoulder appreciates the lighter weight. I can fit my ipad in too. There’s usually knitting in the bag and needed have pierced the corners. I just turned the bag inside out and restitched the seams.</p>
<p>Thanks for the thread!</p>
<p>I’m not positive whether they are genuine but believe they are.</p>
<p>I am still bag shopping and, like others here, looking at more expensive bags than my norm. It turns out that for similar quality bags I may be willing to pay more for a bag with no visible label or identifying marks and feel a bit ridiculous about that. Some marketing person somewhere has my number.</p>
<p>I’m trying to decide how much I’m willing to pay for a bag. I usually pay X for an outfit. I usually pay 1/2 X for a bag. It has occurred to me (finally) that I carry the bag everyday and perhaps it would be okay to pay at least X, if not several times X. I don’t want to overpay. Reptile probably will cost me more than leather. I am still on ebay looking at vintage bags. I’ve used my grandmothers’ for years but they are looking pretty sad. 
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<p>It has been a long time since I changed bags seasonally like PG and my goal is to carry one bag year round. Thus far, a challenge, because I adore summer bags. And sometimes I buy a bag just for a trip, because I want it to fulfill a certain traveling funtion I don’t need everyday. And I really like reptile bags for fall/winter though it may not be possible for me to carry one in summer. Does that rule still exist anywhere? Did that rule ever exist beyond my family? Would you carry a black crocodile or alligator bag in summer? What about black leather?</p>
<p>If you are looking for authentic-vintage Chanel I would suggest ShopBop or Ruelala or Gilt or Hautelook.</p>
<p>About a year ago I emailed Longchamp USA.
I received this reply:
I did as instructed and in about 4 weeks received my Longchamp back almost like new and at no charge. :)</p>
<p>After purchasing my new smaller cross body bags this week, I have determined that I now need a smaller wallet.</p>
<p>Then we need to start a wallet thread!!!</p>
<p>You NEED a smaller wallet or you now HAVE a smaller wallet? :)</p>
<p>I’ll have to contact Longchamp. I have a brown leather hobo that I bought in Paris that has a loose grommet. More irritating than anything else, but it would be nice if it was put back together.</p>
<p>I carry two wallets. One is bright orange with a wrist strap and holds my cell phone, DL and my debit, AMEX, and Visa cards and a few dollars. The other matches the Coach bag that will probably go back, but is about 6 inches long, slim, and hold the other credit cards, real cash and some change. I grab the orange one if I don’t need to carry a purse.</p>
<p>Hobo and Lodis have small flat cases with room for ID and credit cards. I used one until it wore out & replaced with the two above.</p>
<p>Clarks has really nice bags and wallets, and they guarantee them for life. My D bought me a wallet for Christmas and the decorative button over the snap fell off. I took it in to the store thinking they could fix it and they told me to just pick out a new one! I got a nice one with a zipper instead so stuff doesn’t fall out.</p>
<p>alh—(from several posts ago)–here is a thought that might help you get past the 1/2 x pricing ratio for the bag. I will spend much more for shoes or a bag than on clothing, as they are used for many more hours.</p>
<p>There was a double-page spread ad in the Sunday NYT magazine more than 30 years ago. I believe the product was sheets (long before the days of Ralph Lauren & the proliferation of 800 thread counts). The only text read “After all, it’s a third of your life”. License to spend…within reason and your budget, of course!</p>
<p>This was my favorite bargain purchase from last winter.[Sophia</a> Bag - Brown | Cuore and Pelle](<a href=“http://cuoreandpelle.com/products/sophia-bag-brown]Sophia”>http://cuoreandpelle.com/products/sophia-bag-brown)
Had never bought a bag on-line but love it. Some AM news show (Good Morning America perhaps?) has these promos where the bags are massively marked down to $70 or $80 for a blast sale. I was skeptical, but a friend had ordered so I took a chance. The sale seems to run via an organization called Style Mined, and fulfillment can be slow, but the bag has held up beautifully.</p>
<p>It rained today, and I felt like a bear ready to close my eyes and head into hibernation mode. Can’t really justify a new purse for the cave. ;)</p>
<p>Another lightweight travel purse option: Ellington Annie crossbody.</p>
<p>[Ellington</a> Handbags | Annie Crossbody Purse: Black](<a href=“http://www.ellingtonhandbags.com/Home_2/Travel-Active-Lifestyle/Annie-Crossbody-Purse-Black]Ellington”>http://www.ellingtonhandbags.com/Home_2/Travel-Active-Lifestyle/Annie-Crossbody-Purse-Black)</p>
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<p>Usually I amortize, too. Using my system, some garments are now paying me to wear them.</p>
<p>alh -</p>
<p>I think I share your preference for high quality bags that do not overtly advertise their brand. For years I carried Il Bisonte bags from Florence ([Women’s</a> collection: leather bags, wallets and accessories - Il Bisonte US](<a href=“http://shop.ilbisonte.com/us/women-leather/]Women’s”>http://shop.ilbisonte.com/us/women-leather/)), but my latest passion is Ally Capellino ([Ally</a> Capellino](<a href=“http://www.allycapellino.co.uk/shop/women.html#/page/2]Ally”>http://www.allycapellino.co.uk/shop/women.html#/page/2)). A perfect combination of simple design and quality materials.</p>