In pursuit of the perfect bag

But what is it?

Also who are the young(erish) and interesting designers/companies that aren't the mainstream ones at like Saks, Nordstrom's, etc?

mossimo has had a great line of fake leather hobo bags at target, great cheap option with lots of room for crap plus useful pockets & pretty groovy boho slouchy look

my current fave is this Lucky Brand foldover crossbody http://www.polyvore.com/lucky_brand_delray_foldover_lb1012/thing?id=99408586
mine is in black. I miraculously scored it on clearance at DSW for $60 (!)

i never thought i would regularly use it as much as I have. however: in no universe is it ever foldover unless you are just carrying like, lipstick and a pencil lol. the strap can be moved to clip at the top & just forgo foldover altogether. so i can just stuff it with my chunky wallet etc

i hate it bc the leather is supple and nice that it makes me want a full size Lucky bag sooooooo much & that will never happen bcz $$$$

also i have a weakness for betsey johnson clearance purses at ross. count so far: 3.
(4 if you count makeup bag)

Io that tan one is the 'pippa' by modalu and yes it is named after Pippa Middleton

pippa's purse

polyvore.com is being helpful btw

depending on what you mean by 'chic', i would highly recommend looking at men's bags - women's are never big enough to hold a laptop+ unless they're a tote. eg fossil makes some simple leather crossbody men's bags that imo are totally gender neutral

zappos has an ok selection

Thanks! Tote was probably a bad choice of words because I love handbags in the "tote" style, ie having a pair of handles with a short drop. I meant I don't want something like

http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/512067/P932447.jpg

I've been wanting a tote type bag with short handles to use as a gym bag. The Trader Joe's grocery tote is the perfect size and shape. I can't find a tote style bag that a) isn't too big, b) doesn't totally look like a purse and c) doesn't look like a grocery tote. Starting to check bowling bags, but no luck so far. Any advice gratefully accepted.

io this one is nice in person, but probably not big enough:
http://www.dunelondon.com/domino-multi-compartment-handbag-0019500110043351/

I like having an excuse to look at handbags that aren't nappy changing bags

i am partial to furla tote bags and satchels (only on sale for under $200 - search online at saks off fifth, nordstrom rack, bluefly etc) because they are decently made and hold up well and also have few/no embellishments, only a small logo on some (mine doesn't even have that). i wanted something as nondescript as possible which also wouldn't fall apart in less than a year & i wouldn't have to worry about putting it down on the floor of the metro or whatever. (i care about handbags and purses only insofar as i have a hard time finding any that are boring enough but don't look poor quality)

i'd debated spending a bit more for something like everlane's petra bag or one of these or clare vivier but those don't look like they are as well structured and would lose their shape pretty quickly if you carried a ton of stuff in there like i do. i have a plain tote bag from lululemon for yoga gear - it's pretty sturdy and quite plain except for a little logo on one side that i'd like to cut off but it seems impossible (plus if i keep the logo on there, i can always resell it after i'm tired of using it)

Took the plunge and ordered this one:

http://cdn.mattandnat.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/11/image/545x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/v/i/vintage-hemlock-nature-3.jpg

I like how it looks like a milk carton.

i really like that shape!

The perfect bag and the perfect leather jacket, these remain my unfulfilled style dreams, so many years, hoping, wishing...

i like!

lol robyn I have like 5 Matt & Nat bags at this point, almost all of which we found at TJ Maxx that one summer!

I have a bit of a bag obsession, and I found my holy grail of handbags last year in Paris: it's large, navy blue with red trim leather, with an apothecary bag-style opening. When I walked into this particular store I thought I'd died and gone to handbag heaven.

Did you get it???

Fuck yes! It was at the end of our trip and I'd already over spent, and I was trying to talk my self out of liking/buying it, but Jordan was like "you'll never find something like this again" (he gets me), so I got it. Will post a pic later.

knomo has some shit-hot bags fyi (some with integrated battery charger)

Huh. They seem very studiedly conservative? Maybe it's all the quilting and the Kate Spade-esque apple green.

feel like wanting a "perfect bag" or even a "nice bag" is inherently conservative so might as well go all-in

I reject every part of that statement.

"My perfect bag" or "the perfect bag for what I want right now" not the same as "The Perfect Bag" (according to who? perfect for what?).

this evening I will go home, open my tired, beat up (I have worn holes in the cordura, folks) black LA Police Gear bail out bag that I've had since late 2010, and take all of my gizmos and notebooks and sundries out, and put them into a Topo Designs Mini Mountain Bag that was [NaN] times the price (the old black bag was conference swag at a thing I spoke at once, for like 20 minutes, seriously, I was free edutainment for less than half an hour, it was a tad ridiculous).

If it is the perfect bag, I will post an update.

(I got tired of misusing the backpacks thread)

It is a pretty good bag so far

I like it. Can you fit a laptop in there? the australian review i watched only tested how many 6 packs would fit.