Everyday bag for under £2k

[buckingmad]

It’s my 30th and I’d like a nice everyday bag. Thinking something along the lines of a Mulberry Lily in brown or black with gold hardware but open to other suggestions. I want something classic and easy to throw on as often rushing around after young children! Big enough to put my phone, keys and a lipstick/small perfume.

Suggestions please!

"Each to their own but £2000……. That’d keep my Church’s foodbank going for a couple of months, reroof about a quarter of my son’s house’s roof."

Your son has a HOUSE? Why on earth isn't he living in a tent and using the rest of his money to fund the foodbank? Selfish boy

I have a number of designer bags so obviously I never donate to charity because they are mutually exclusive 🙄

This. Lobb shoes are excellent but a) OP doesn’t want shoes and b) that’s it, really.

Some lovely bags posted on here and I hope you get something wonderful @buckingmad. I wish I’d earned so well at 30!

Well if you find out what does buy class you might consider getting some for yourself, as there's nothing classy about being unnecessarily rude about someone wanting a really nice bag for their 30th.

Also there are many bags in TK Maxx costing £1000 or over so its not all £30 polyester totes.

If you do have that sort of money to spend on something to make you happy, something both beautiful and practical that you use a lot and will last for years makes a lot of sense...don't really see why so many people are so fascinated by it because it really doesn't require high levels of comprehension.

I like experiences, so I'm more likely to spend that kind of money on travel and things like that. It's not better or worse, it's just different. Most people have some fun money at some point. I'd think a long-lasting bag created by a well paid craftsperson was more ethical than cheap fast fashion.

Trying to buy bags in here, not class.

Although if ‘having class’ means ‘dropping snide comments to strangers spending more on bags than you deem to be acceptable’ then I wouldn’t even take it for free tbh. Please do keep hold of it, much like Covid it doesn’t require being shared. Please and thank you.

Look at The Row OP! I also really like the Andiamo by Bottega and don’t find it too heavy. The Neverfull is a classic workhorse, but for something different but along the same along the same lines there’s also Faure Le Page:

https://eu.faurelepage.com/products/daily-battle-zip-27-large-scale?variant=47037548134730

My Mulberry Alexa (which I would call everyday casual) has lasted amazingly considering how it has been used and abused. I got it when they were first released. It was used every single day for maybe 3 years - dumped under my seat at the rugby etc. Lovely soft leather. Still looks great. I got the tan which goes with most things.

Mulberry Bayswater - oxblood - had for approx 5 years - everyday work bag, which has been carted back and forth on the tube most days. It could do with a refurb to be honest, as it’s a bit scratched, but I think that’s a function of the colour and my lack of care. Leather still great.

I have a grey mini Bayswater which I use for everyday now (replaced the Alexa in that slot). It’s a bit more formal I’d say, quite hard still at the moment. Can’t fit as much as the Alexa.

I have a thing for mulberry, as you might guess 😂

Oh don't! I have my eye on this in the sale!! How is the Alexa for size overall? I'm between this and an oxblood Bayswater but the pink Alexa is calling to me!!

Should also say that I have a Fairfax and Favor bag (can’t remember what it’s called - small ish rectangular metallic champagne coloured). Not an every day bag but the brand quality seems good. I’ve my eye on a F&F Loxley backpack for work.

OP, ignore the sanctimonious killjoys who seem to pop up on all threads like this, and spend your money on something that brings you joy. You've earned it, and you have every right to spend it how you like.

I have to say that I've gone off Mulberry just lately. The quality of the newer bags doesn't seem to be as good as my old Bayswater. That's just my opinion though, as I know that others love the brand. I like Aspinal (they've got a sale on at the moment) if you're in the market for a brand new bag. Otherwise, have you thought about preloved? Naughtipidgins Nest (no connection just happy customer!) always has really good bags and you may get something that would originally have been out of your price range.

Just to point out to all the PP’s who are scoffing at the OP and accusing her of having more money than sense….

I’ve bought designer handbags for the past 20 years. I’ve looked after them and had them repaired free of charge if anything ever got too worn (LV and Mulberry are very good at this). They can be seen as investments as I could sell any of them for a lot more than I ever paid for them. Not that I would, my teenage daughter would kill me as she regularly reminds me that she plans on inheriting the entire collection.

I have this bag. It was one of the first I bought. From memory, I think I paid around £700. Look what I could sell it for now..

https://www.farfetch.com/uk/shopping/women/louis-vuitton-pre-owned-2008-pre-owned-mini-speedy-bag-item-17035299.aspx?lang=en-GB&size=17&storeid=15201&pup_e=3337&pup_cid=206008&pup_id=17035299-17&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_keywordid=119354386&utm_shoppingproductid=17035299-17&pid=google_search&af_channel=Search&c=2069273465&af_c_id=2069273465&af_siteid=&af_keywords=aud-2324821770877:pla-312428062250&af_adset_id=77928495778&af_ad_id=61200817416&af_sub1=119354386&af_sub5=17035299-17&is_retargeting=true&shopping=yes&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADsmKHR0aMCiC6h8J_SkEJ8_YgUv4&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2eKtBhDcARIsAEGTG40wloeTXWyM4Y7wmtCNrEOyVSrYpkE7DQGyMwx6XNbQeyV1Iy9mucwaAloDEALw_wcB

Ahem, we seem to have a bit of an, erm, handbags at dawn situation here.

Can we respectfully ask for a wee bit more peace and love on the thread please? Mumsnet is here to help make parents’ lives easier, after all, and Style and Beauty is the place to discuss things all, erm, stylish and beautiful. So the OP has broken no rules in starting this discussion.

While we encourage healthy and robust debate, we will delete any posts breaking our Talk Guidelines That said, if £2k bags aren’t for you, we’d encourage you to keep scrolling rather than coming on the thread purely to criticise other MNers' choices.

Hopefully the discussion can continue without further disruption and we hope you have bags of fun (sorry) on your special birthday, OP.

OP, I’ve just seen that you have a new baby (congratulations!). Now I know that you said upthread that you don’t want a Neverfull or large tote but it would make a great nappy bag.

I was given by my MIL a large Mulberry vintage tote when my first was born to use as a nappy bag. She bought it 45 years ago when my DH was born to use as a nappy bag.

I love that bag so much. It reminds me of when my kids were babies and I can’t wait to pass it onto my own daughter when she has babies.

Just a thought….

I don't think the St Louis lasts well. They are very thin. Some of the others are better but I still think for the money there are bags that will last longer

Thank you! I did consider a neverfull as a nappy bag and like the idea of it being a reminder of a happy (once I get past the cluster feeding abuse of nipples stage) time. plus would be more useful for when I go back to work at the end of the year.

Maybe I’ll get a small crossbody mulberry AND a neverfull. I am saving money on formula after all…

I wish I’d got something nice for nappy bag. I bought a Jem + Bea bag instead and of course now it’s useless to me.

Ooh, if you are using your lovely bag as a nappy bag, just make sure you have lots of very good quality sealable packs in there in case you have to take dirty clothes or muslins home...

First baby was a reflux baby, I’m sadly well equipped to deal with sick infused muslins 😂 it’s a glam life eh.

Maybe start a thread asking for recommendations for changing bags under £2k? I've quite enjoyed reading some of the bitchy comments and suggestions of how other mners would spend the money, I wonder if they would be more or less unhinged if it were duel use? And then you could be told you could fund half of that roof for someone's son.

😂 the roof and the shoes from the 70’s that are now worth £2k were my favourites. Kept me going through the night feeds.

I’ve just bought a Coach Willow Tote in the monogram and I love it ( Far prefer it to the LV Neverful) Big enough for a book etc and has a central zip pocket. I also wanted a bag with studs on the bottom which many Mulberry bags don’t anymore meaning the corners wear quicker.
I also tend to use my leather Fairfax and Favor Tetburys ( have large leather and small suede) for everyday as mentioned by a pp.

I do like the fairfax and favor bags (and boots) but can’t bring myself to get them as in the horsey world they are literally everywhere it’s like a uniform! And most of my social life revolves around horses.

As an alternative to the Neverful, there's the Graceful which I prefer as it has a magnet to close it - I always thought Neverfuls weren't very secure.

As for Mulberry cross-body bags, I have the Darley Satchel and the small Amberley and I use them both a lot.

I know exactly what you mean and therefore tend to use mine with different brands of boots or unhorsey clothing brands 🤣

Happy 30th to you. I do hope you find something you like. I love so many bags but I would go with a classic and simple style (check what's been on the shelves for a few years and never gone into sale). I love the Loewe puzzle but that has such a distinctive shape and style, I would worry that it will date.

I've bought my first designer bag in 1997 (LV speedy) for £300. Ever since then and up until stopping work to be a sahm in mid-2000s, I bought more LVs, Guccis, Pradas, and a Christian Dior.

The bags vary wildly in quality.

Since rejoining the workforce in 2010, I have only bought mulberry bags.

My problem is this: the same bags I still own and cost between £300 and £850 now sell (exactly the same style, maybe a few subtle differences) for so much more - even double/triple the amount!

I cannot justify that at all in my head. It's the increased in cost - not the actual cost.

You'd be hard pushed to get a holiday for £2k for a week. £2k on a bag will last much longer.

BUT, I cannot bring myself to pay the latest prices. I bought a Darley small satchel in 2022 for £450, is it now £650. That's what I can't get my head around.

If I could get past this, I'd buy a Lily in black for going out and a Bayswater tote in tan.

#stuckinthe90s.