* One Good Purse-Can It Be Leather?*

[AGBF]

Hi, neatfreak. I seriously considered the two Prada bags you posted, both the crinkled one (which I ultimately decided was too plain without the bows or a larger gold tone label) and the drawstring (which I love). I am not wild about any of the other bags. Thank you so much for looking for bags for me and considering my taste when you went on a search! You actually found bags that I had found and loved! Thank you!!!

AGBF

 

[neatfreak]

No problem Deb! I will keep my eyes open for you. I LOVE that drawstring one I posted. So classic and chic while not being too boring IMO.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/15/2009 6:17:30 PM
Author: neatfreak

No problem Deb! I will keep my eyes open for you. I LOVE that drawstring one I posted. So classic and chic while not being too boring IMO.

Thanks again, neatfreak. I have a confession to make. I like that drawstring bag more in the chestnut than in the black! And I have seen a similar Prada one that is made only in brown suede with gold lettering. (It is to die for!) I like brown leather a lot more than black and always find brown leather and suede bags (and tan and recently even an orange one-and I don''t even like orange) that I love. It''s my obsession with getting a good black bag to go with a black pair of shoes that is interfering with my getting a purse that would be my "ideal" purse!

AGBF

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 11/15/2009 6:46:26 PM
Author: AGBF

Date: 11/15/2009 6:17:30 PM

Author: neatfreak


No problem Deb! I will keep my eyes open for you. I LOVE that drawstring one I posted. So classic and chic while not being too boring IMO.

Thanks again, neatfreak. I have a confession to make. I like that drawstring bag more in the chestnut than in the black! And I have seen a similar Prada one that is made only in brown suede with gold lettering. (It is to die for!) I like brown leather a lot more than black and always find brown leather and suede bags (and tan and recently even an orange one-and I don''t even like orange) that I love. It''s my obsession with getting a good black bag to go with a black pair of shoes that is interfering with my getting a purse that would be my ''ideal'' purse!


AGBF

I also LOVE the brown. Get the brown and then get a cheaper black bag. If you wear brown and want one really nice bag-it should be what you LOVE! Designer bags aren''t practical-no sense in being practical about the color either.

 

[AGBF]

OK, neatfreak, how do you like this suede drawstring tote? My only quandary would be whether to buy it in the beige (my true favorite) or the brown (slightly more practical in terms of how quickly it would get dirty). That is if I am throwing practicality to the winds!!!

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod88650029&parentId=cat12360737&masterId=cat14860749&index=8&cmCat=cat000000cat000141cat000149cat000226cat5890735cat000011cat14860749cat12360737

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

I also like this brown suede Prada tote!

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod88660018&parentId=cat12360737&masterId=cat14860749&index=7&cmCat=cat000000cat000141cat000149cat000226cat5890735cat000011cat14860749cat12360737


AGBF

 

[decodelighted]

I like the Nero Ruffle tote! In the suedes -- tan wins out for me. But ruffles! RUFFLES!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/15/2009 9:56:07 PM
Author: decodelighted

I like the Nero Ruffle tote! In the suedes -- tan wins out for me. But ruffles! RUFFLES!

Oooh, deco! I am so glad that I am not the only one who was taken by those leather ruffles! I do not usually fall for black bags, but if I was going to "have" to pick a bag in black, I was pretty sure it was going to be that Prada one with the ruffles! There is one for sale on eBay now for a great price since it was a display model and the leather isn''t perfect. It is a brand new bag, but the Nappa leather has very minor and natural blemishes. The bag was authenticated on TPF, too!

AGBF

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 11/15/2009 10:05:05 PM
Author: AGBF
Oooh, deco! I am so glad that I am not the only one who was taken by those leather ruffles! I do not usually fall for black bags, but if I was going to ''have'' to pick a bag in black, I was pretty sure it was going to be that Prada one with the ruffles! There is one for sale on eBay now for a great price since it was a display model and the leather isn''t perfect. It is a brand new bag, but the Nappa leather has very minor and natural blemishes. The bag was authenticated on TPF, too!

Its more of a statement bag, you know? It doesn''t SCREAM Prada but it looks "special" and luxurious and interesting. I know ruffles are a real trend right now but I''d bet the "texture" aspect of it will outlive the trend & be wearable for a long time.

Some of the others remind me of a very, very "safe" Furla bag I bought & never carried much because it was so serious & dull. I just didn''t LOVE it. I bought it because it was what I thought I *should* have. Have had much better luck with ones I *love* from the get go.

 

[AGBF]

I managed to get a photo of the Prada brown suede drawstring bag, although not the beige version.

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/15/2009 10:14:51 PM
Author: decodelighted

Its more of a statement bag, you know? It doesn't SCREAM Prada but it looks 'special' and luxurious and interesting. I know ruffles are a real trend right now but I'd bet the 'texture' aspect of it will outlive the trend & be wearable for a long time.

Some of the others remind me of a very, very 'safe' Furla bag I bought & never carried much because it was so serious & dull. I just didn't LOVE it. I bought it because it was what I thought I *should* have. Have had much better luck with ones I *love* from the get go.

Clearly I need to buy both the ruffled black bag and the beige suede bag. I wonder how I can manage to do that? I never bought even one designer bag before!

AGBF

 

[neatfreak]

I really like BOTH of those suede bags in the tan color! Beautiful!

If you are someone who can be careful with your bags I say go for it! If you are someone who jams a purse on the floor of your car, etc. it might not be the best color though.

 

[Hest88]

Note of dissension. (Sorry gals!) If you''re buying one bag, and you expect it to last for years, I wouldn''t go for something like suede. You would have to be careful in the rain and snow, and the first time something gets on it will be a small disaster. I love the Prada drawstring bags (though for a daily bag I really need something with an exterior pocket) and like them better than the ruffle bag. Again, I think if you plan on switching bags all the time the ruffle bag is fine, but if you''re planning on using one bag for years something more streamlined and classic works better IMO.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/17/2009 7:59:32 PM
Author: Hest88

Note of dissension. (Sorry gals!) If you're buying one bag, and you expect it to last for years, I wouldn't go for something like suede. You would have to be careful in the rain and snow, and the first time something gets on it will be a small disaster. I love the Prada drawstring bags (though for a daily bag I really need something with an exterior pocket) and like them better than the ruffle bag. Again, I think if you plan on switching bags all the time the ruffle bag is fine, but if you're planning on using one bag for years something more streamlined and classic works better IMO.

I love the beige suede drawstring. It is my favorite among all the bags, I think, but I had already decided that it was impractical because of its color. Your comments on the suede are just reinforcing . I am not gentle on my handbags. At least I have never been gentle on my Vera Bradley bags.

I bought the black ruffle bag on eBay. So I will have one, classic, black purse. I will think about a Prada drawstring purse in brown leather, rather than suede, so that I have one black bag and one brown. Since this would be a second bag, however, I could choose to get it in suede-even beige suede-and choose to carry it only when I could protect it. I guess it's a matter of whether I want to get a lot of use out of the bag or whether I want to have my "heart's desire" bag!

AGBF

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Deb, the Prada ruffle bag is very elegant but sassy.

I am not a fan of drawstrings--too fussy for me and I never close them properly and all my stuff dumps out. I have a suede Gucci bag I love but baby it because it marks, stains.....I am so hard on my bags so only one suede bag for me! I love Botega Venetta too.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[PinkTower]

I love the bag you are considering.
Can you walk around with it to try it out?
I add this because of one of my LV bags, it is sort of a large tote bag look called Baginitolles, (not sure of the spelling right now).
It has the double straps, and I never use it because the outside one always falls off my arm and it drives me nuts. The only way to carry the bag is to keep your hand on the straps.
The bag you like made me think of that, so you need to see if it is an issue for you. Maybe I have round shoulders or something.

My favorite bag I own is the LV Epi leather midsize satchel in a french blue. I think it is a discontinued color, but maybe only in the states. I say this, because I wanted a shoulder strap for it, and walked right into one of the Paris LV boutiques and purchased the strap. The Epi shows no wear, I find.

(BTW, I love your avatar. I always thought you were implying you were a violinist and the AGBF was for the musical notes AGBF she is playing. Am I correct?)

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/27/2009 8:45:36 AM
Author: Pink Tower

(BTW, I love your avatar. I always thought you were implying you were a violinist and the AGBF was for the musical notes AGBF she is playing. Am I correct?)

Thank you for the thoughtful feedback, Pink Tower. You brought up issues that I would never in a million years have considered! I will definitely use Neiman Marcus and ask them to unhitch a bag so that I can carry it before I buy the next one. (I did buy the Prada ruffle bag on eBay already.)

It is not I, but my daughter (at age 10), in the avatar. Although my daughter is now 17 and no longer plays any musical instrument, she has tried many instruments-for varying lengths of time-during her musical career. Cello was the instrument she played for the longest time, although violin was the last instrument she played. At one point I remembered a few things about the strings. (After all, it was I who had to purchase new ones when they snapped.) I think the viola strings were in the same order as the cello strings? My point is that basically I am musically illiterate. I can read only piano music, and can play the piano only with my right hand now, so I would not use violin strings in my signature. "AGBF" stands for the first letters in the words, "A Girls's Best Friend" which people like to abbreviate on fora.

Thank you for your help and interest. Please tell me about your own musical background .

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/18/2009 8:48:46 PM
Author: canuk-gal


I am not a fan of drawstrings--too fussy for me and I never close them properly and all my stuff dumps out. I have a suede Gucci bag I love but baby it because it marks, stains.....I am so hard on my bags so only one suede bag for me! I love Botega Venetta too.....

Sharon,

Thank you for your comments. I wanted to tell you that I have taken your comments about a zipper bag to heart. I manage to dump the contents of my zipper bag from time to time! So just imagine what I could do with a drawstring purse! And now I have the Prada ruffle bag that closes with only one clip (I think). I don''t know what to do! However, since I am not about to do it right now, I have time to take suggestions from all of you! Does anyone make a drawstring bag with a hidden, inside zipper?

AGBF