Views on this bag, please

[polyhymnia]

Have been looking long and hard for a new bag for spring/summer - preferably for everyday use.

Want something I can put over my shoulder, not too small, not too structured, neutral colour, and preferably with an outside pocket - or separate internal one - for Oyster card. Must be real leather. Budget: up to £250, but preferably closer to £150ish. No bright gold metalware.

Thinking of getting this, which covers all the bases, is very much my style and I can see being a real day-to-day bag in a good colour (it's a subtle olive):
www.comptoirdescotonniers.co.uk/eboutique/accessory/bags-and-leather-goods/8510-shoulder-bag-leather-aude-battle-green.html?art_Id=33542

But in R and B the other day was distracted by this:
www.russellandbromley.co.uk/all-handbags/mini-chain/invt/713327

What do people think? Is the second one too blingy/ has too much going on/ not for every day?

All views welcome.

[polyhymnia]

Like the look of large Predton flap bag but can't find a colour I like. What colour is yours, pp?

[TitsCrossed]

This is the Oushka Harper.
No zip closure and no metal studs on bottom. Inside there is a zipped pocket (which holds my wallet and keys), and 2 other open pockets, one fits my phone, other would hold a travelcard. The closure is 2 flaps which have a magnetic catch. The flaps overlap sufficient imo to make it safe enough but I would prefer a zip.
The leather is soft and good quality. I love mine!

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

The first one is many times nicer than the second.

My only reservation would be about how hard wearing that plaited strap may or may not be.

[SuckingEggs]

Beautiful leather! What a lovely bag

[IWILLgiveupsugar]

That OH bag is beautiful, but I would worry about having a bag without a zip. Bought a cheap tote bag without one and I constantly worry about losing my purse or phone.

Don't know if fossil have improved recently - the only one I ever had, I had to chuck out very quickly as the leather started to peel off the straps.

Also wouldn't buy peony and moore. Ordered one in their flash sale and had to send it back - it arrived with scratches on the clasp and, this is a real bugbear for me, the strap had joins in the leather that were unevenly spaced. It was cheap looking.

[IWILLgiveupsugar]

Have you looked at Grandala? They used to be blondie mania.

www.grandala.com

I have a petrolina and it is fab quality.

[icklekid]

I love the first one (may have just pinned it!) But the second one is just not my taste colour and strap style so I might not be helpful.

[VulcanWoman]

The name/make of the bag seems more important than the actual bag.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

For expensive bags I think they look cheap. Sorry! The first one looks better than the chain one imo.

[Ifonlyiweretaller]

The OH one looks lovely - and in picture 4 on the website it's smiling at me - always a good sign ;) ! Thanks for showing the inside too TC! (You'd think they would have done so on the website really) Is it easy to keep looking so clean if used for an everyday bag?
Re the original two, i don't like either. The first one looks a bit mumsy, and i always think chain ones are sort of unbalanced. the chain strap will always end up on the floor due to its weight when you put it down so you are putting a dirty chain over your shoulder. and they can damage your clothes too.certainly wouldn't use as an every day bag.

[polyhymnia]

For me at least, not at all important what the make is - it's the bag that matters. Find it very hard to find one with all the features I want.
I do admit to being prejudiced against Clarks, but that's about it.

Will look first, though, in places where I've bought good bags in the past though - which include R and B.
Know what you mean about the plait ickle - though this is one of the features which makes the C des C one more interesting and 'feminine', along with the trim on the catch and the colour, which is much softer than it looks online (and of course khaki is everywhere this season so is fine for summer).

[polyhymnia]

Grandala looks interesting. The big buckles on the Petrolina aren't for me but there are plenty of others.

[Duckdeamon]

The first one looks very White Stuff IMO. Dislike the tassel, chain on the second and the metallic thing might not wear too well after a while.

Also wouldn't want a bag with no zip/fastenings.

[everythingsgoingsouth]

I'd keep looking, I'm wary of big bags with thin shoulder straps, can't be comfortable.

[polyhymnia]

Never set foot in White Stuff but doesn't sound good. Think I do need to keep on looking. Lack of zip or outside pocket on Oushka one rule it out for me but looks lovely.

[Oly5]

I have the large Preston flap bag by fossil in tan and a sea green colour. It is a fab bag at a great price. It also has the outside pockets you want for oyster/phone etc. The press stud is also really sturdy. I live in London and don't worry about getting my wallet nicked etc. They also had it in a red colour which was nice, you might find that online somewhere. It's a good size bag, I can fit all my bits and bobs in it

[polyhymnia]

Thanks, Oly, tan sounds possible. will take a look for it.

[Oly5]

It's nice in this colour too imo
m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/store/fossil-preston-leather-flapover-across-body-bag/p2501657?sku=235042853&colour=Multi&isClicked=true&un_jtt_v_dummy=yes#page_loaded

[Oly5]

Also, it says cross body but really it's either

[polyhymnia]

Yes that Preston bag is really nice. V reminiscent of an Anya Hindmarvh one and one I bought at R and B a few years ago.
But none of the light colours are for me and I so far haven't managed to track down a tan one.

[Oly5]

Ah annoying. I do find the colours you want sell out quickly. You can get black, espresso and hunter green via Amazon but they are shipping from the US so I guess you'd want to know if you're keeping it. Otherwise try a Fossil store and see if they can source one for you. It came in a tan colour and a lighter camel colour too

[VulcanWoman]

Fair enough, just out of interest, what's up with Clark's, is it the school shoes connection. I have a black leather Clark's bag, lasted me ages, I couldn't bring myself to pay any more than £50 for a handbag but that's just my preference. I probably wouldn't buy a Clark's bag if it had their logo on the outside, don't like anything with logo, I'm not a sandwich board, but I think their quality is just fine. It's a pain in the bum bag shopping, I agree it's quite hard to get all the requirements, I try mine on in the shop, is this odd I wonder.

[VulcanWoman]

And purse shopping.

[polyhymnia]

Hmm, re Clarks, yes perhaps it does all go back to schooldays. I only know that, though they have plenty of fans on here who are clearly stylish, I'd never be happy wearing their shoes or carrying their bags. Feel much the same about M and S shoes and bags tbh, though there have been a few exceptions over the years.

[polyhymnia]

Not at all odd to try bags on in shop, btw. I always do, sometimes more than once and with my own purse, phone etc in them!