Handbag “big” birthday present for my lovely mum

[PrincessTwilightStoleMyToddler]

Lovely DM is going to be 60 soon and I want to get her a really nice handbag as a gift. She won’t buy expensive things herself but really likes nice things and would love something “designer” (or at least high end high street). She doesn’t like huge bags. A cross body bag, small tote or possibly a posh backpack would probably be her style.

Must be leather, must be lovely, would prefer a brighter colour rather than black or navy. Nice lining a real bonus. Budget about £350. I could try to stretch that a little for something absolutely perfect. I’d love it to be more (she’s worth it!) but can’t afford much more.

I could buy online but would prefer to see it in person really. I can easily get to the Mulberry factory store (though even at the factory store I guess it might be a bit out of my reach price wise?), an Osprey outlet (I could pick anything in the store within budget and have money over for accessories), a Radley outlet (ditto) and a Harvey Nics. If anyone has a clever idea for a particular brand I am sure I could do a day trip somewhere to have a look!

So... any ideas please you lovely people?

I love the shopping together idea. I think I'd make up a nice voucher with the actual amount on it, so that there was no guesswork on her part, and then tell her that any amount unspent would be going to the Society For Encouragement of Smoking In Primary Schools (insert her least favourite thing here).

I was 60 this year and thinkmthis is a lovely idea. I would LOVE a mulberry bag or a longchamp bag but would never spend so much on myself! I especially like the longchamp backpack here but any good quality leather ( unless she is vegan) bag would be lovely. Longchamp seem to me to do not in-your-face designery stuff. I suspect that if my DD took me shopping I would be difficult too, worried about money etc. Do any shops show bags without prices? You could give them a budget and they could show you a range?

My mum would be exactly the same on a shopping trip. "no, all I want is this nice Bag for Life, honestly!"

Could you do a window shopping browse together, or point out some possibles in a magazine that 'you like', in order for her to say - "that'd be nice in red" or whatever...

Haha - looks like my mum is in good company on the money thing! I do get it, but it doesn’t make getting a nice present easy!

Some great ideas here - will work something out! The Longchamp ideas are inspired btw - she loves all things French or even kind of French. She has a Longchamp Le Pliage bag that she found second hand and loves - with many comments about “so lovely but couldn’t have bought at full price!”. I bet she’d really love a Longchamp leather back pack and could easily be persuaded to window shop in there at least, and to choose a bag style and colour in a hypothetical “if you could” sort of a way, and then as a pp suggested I can then secretly buy it ready for her birthday!

I’m off to plan a mum and daughter “early Christmas shopping and nice lunch out” trip (without my lovely but very little and impatient kids, and somewhere that happens to have a Longchamp store)!

Hope you and your mum enjoy it OP!