All hail the handbag

Photo: Contributed

Handbags at top, clockwise from top left: Hermes Birkin, Matt & Nat Gloria Small, Roots Small Zoe, Mackage Barton, Kara Ring Crossbody, Mansur Gavriel Sun Bag

Note: The following includes gross sexist generalizations, so if you are a troller, read no further.

Some people — I’ll go out on a limb here and say mostly men — fantasize one day of owning their dream car.

Maybe it’s a Porsche or a BMW, but for sure it’s expensive and, in their minds, the pinnacle of transport engineering.

Likely they don’t actually need a 400-plus horsepower engine costing six figures to drive to the office and back; in fact the vehicle itself might be very impractical. But it’s that person’s goal and few would begrudge them realizing it.

However, mention you covet a $1,000 handbag, and you are opening yourself up to a tote load of judgment.

What bag could possibly cost that much money? Actually, the priciest purse on record went at a Christie’s auction for $379,261 US — a diamond-encrusted crocodile Birkin created by Paris luxury house Hermes.

The regular leather versions start around $13,000 US and are considered the only handbags to actually be an investment like a blue chip stock that appreciates over time.

I digress. My point is that there is a double standard when it comes to male and female extravagance.

Imagine a male colleague is gushing about his new Jaguar. What are your thoughts? Happy for him, curious, maybe even a bit jealous?

Now picture you are complimenting a female colleague’s satchel, and she admits it cost $6,000. What are your thoughts then?

See what I mean?

Handbags have become for some women what luxury cars are for some men. They are practical in terms of serving a purpose, but one’s desire for a certain shape, colour, or brand goes beyond purpose.

They are expressions of one’s individual taste, values, and can act as status symbols.

While few have the kind of disposable income to buy a Birkin, I do believe it is worth investing extra in a well-made handbag. Cheap faux leather purses are fast fashion; they are trendy for a season and look outdated the next...if they don’t fall apart first.

Over the course of several years, one well-constructed bag can cost much less than two bargain-basement sacks per year.

For example, my high-school graduation gift to myself was an all-leather backpack. It was a mind-boggling $180 back in 1989, and I used all through university and beyond. I’d still have it if a roommate hadn’t lost it.

The fact that I’m moaning about this decades later says something.

You get what you pay for; typically pricier purses will be made with better quality materials by craftspeople earning a fair wage. While bags with designer logos on them vary greatly in craftsmanship, they do carry cachet, and often come with guarantees. 

So I encourage you to avoid cheapo bags and invest in a few models that will last and keep you stylish for years, and who cares what the judgers think.

Ensure you are picking a style you find practical to use and a colour that will coordinate with the majority of your wardrobe.

If you want great leather without blingy logos and four-figure prices, you can say thanks to indie brand Mansur Gavriel for spawning the trend of minimalist quality-first products.

Good choices in a similar vein include Canadian brands Roots and Mackage, and the architectural styles of Building Block and Kara.

If you prefer faux leather, Montreal-based designers Matt & Nat also offer a simple, paired-down esthetic.

If you gravitate toward logos, Louis Vuitton’s monogram canvas is the ultimate all-season classic made of coated canvas. Its continuing popularity has inspired the likes of Gucci, Dior and Fendi to revive their signature prints.

For similar durability at a lower price-point, Coach and Dooney and Bourke also offer recognizable monogram bags along with well-made leather options.

If you want a true classic that will never go out of style, that you could actually bequeath to the next generation (with proper care), it will cost you. Hermes’ Kelly and Chanel’s classic flap are designs that have stood the test of time and are still going strong.

The Kelly was created in the 1930s and earned its name after Grace Kelly used several. Coco Chanel invented her flap bag in February 1955, thus it is often referred to as the 2.55.

Depending on the size and type of material, these bags cost $5,000-10,000 and beyond. But what does that commercial say? You’re worth it!

Find all the inspiration and enabling you need at purseblog.com.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.