bag experts help me please?!

[madmomma]

I'm about to make my first investment bag purchase. I don't know where to start. I'm aiming to buy a beautifully made leather handbag every 5 years or so, and eventually hand them down to my daughters. My budget is £500, and I'd like it to be something that I can use day-to-day as a SAHM. I don't care about fashion or designer names, but I do want the best possible quality. It doesn't have to be new, and I'd like it to be black. Any ideas?

Ooh I love a handbag challenge!

If I were you I would hang on the sales for you perfect bag..off to look now!

anya hindmarch

I can't really do an extensive search but Bottenga Vanetta(sp) is worth looking at. Very chic,luxurious and timeless without' shouting' expensive bag.

that anya hindmarch is gorgeous. I'd imagined a shoulder bag though. Googling Bottenga thingimie...

shiiiiiiiiiiiitt! £££££££!!!!!!!!

I don't think I could get a luggage tag for £500 on there, but boy are there some beauties there. Wish I could do hyperlinks

warmandwooly that looks like a very expensive bucket bag !!! at Anya Hindmarch!! - does anyone see the value there or is it just me?

I have the Nevis AH bag in the sale(not that one in leather) although I do have that style in canvas (bought in sdale) which I stupidly overfilled and so needs repairing. I also have a lovel leather tote bought in the sale. Still looks a beauty.I also have another 4 AH bags which I love. May I suggest you look at pre loved bags site - love handbags and Chic and seek if you are not adverse to preloved bags on a budget!

What about something like the Mulberry Effie/Effie Satchel/Effie Hobo, these are about £500, some maybe slightly more but perhaps you could get in the sale or in another store with a discount or promotion.

A Mumsnetter raved about the Liebesking handbags and the quality of their leather a few weeks ago. I must confess the bags look fabulous but we established that it was a bit tricky to get hold of them in the UK.

They are probably cheaper than what you are proposing to spend. Anyway, here are two examples of the Liebeskind bags.

Hazel bag - 160 euros

Evi bag - 180 euros

Liebeskind! Sorry for the mis-spelling.

Here are a few, any of these take your fancy?

marc jacobs

michael kors

marni

ralph lauren

marc jacobs again

osprey

chloe

Ally Capellino and Diane Von Furstenberg have some great ones within your budget

2 more..

Mulberry somerset

Jaegar olympia

EeeeeeeK! thanks everyone. Back this eve to lust.x

Rat - The Liebeskind are well priced, but a little conservative for my taste/age (early thirties)Thanks though

Madamme - the marni is cute and the ralph lauren is nice - thanks

googling pre loved bags...

aaaaaaargh.... I have just been called me an old rat! 'Rat', yes, but 'old rat'...

< shuffles out of the thread with slopy shoulders (the slopy shoulder look is tricky to achieve for a rat, young or old!) >

Which ore loved sites do you look at madmomma ?

I mean 'Pre' not 'Ore'

oh no! I did just imply that you're an old gimmer, Rat!
What I meant was that I am rather unsophisticated, and am not ready for a 'mature' style bag

I looked on lovehandbags + chic&seek madamme
Didn't find anything that set my pulse racing. I'll know when I see it unfortunately it's a bottenga vanetta that I can't do a linky to

Thanks for the MmeCholet.

And madmomma, I must confess I am a slightly mature rat but in my defence, I would have liked those bags in my late twenties... You're forgiven though!