orla kiely, cath kidston, or neither?

[TheMysticMasseuse]

hey, having a bit of a low moment for all sorts of reasons, anyway to cut a very long story short i am about to draw my last paycheck and leave London. Neither are due to my choice so to "celebrate" and cheer myself up while i still can afford to cheer myself up with consumer goods, i thought i'd buy myself an "iconic" London handbag.

Currently hesitating between choice a and choice b

or perhpas choice c and choice d

what do people think? will i regret it once i move outside of London (to a completely different country) and what now seems so hip and "normal" will just look bizarre and mumsy? or will i fondly look at it and remember my London working mum days? and if the latter, whcih one?

or are they simply horrendous?

thanks!

I LOVE bag C!

hello good morning and thanks for putting your shopping thinking brains to work for me!

i still don't know what to do, really.

Liberty way out of my league- my paycheck ain't that big! (but i like your thinking!), and i specifically don't want a leather bag, more of an everyday-out-with-the-kids (one of whom is still in a buggy) thing. if and when i work again i'll deffo treat myself to a kick-ass leather bag.

Libra, LOL. i know, the words iconic and cath kidston really don't go together it's more of a here (NW London yummy mummies wannabe) and now (late 2009) thing. which would probably not stand the test of time.

so perhaps i am incihing towards OK again..

mmhhh whoever wanted to buy a changing bag, how about this? it isn't officially a changing bag but would easily work as one.

with my second dd i used a regular backback as i found nothing fit in my skip-hop messenger bag, way too small for baby and toddler bits!

Bag A, absolutely. It's not as obviously OK as the other one. Personally I hate Cath Kidston bags, I think CK is only acceptable as childrens' bed linen. Good luck with the big move.

OK yes, CK no for me

Now, if money was no object I'd get something like this as my changing bag, or this. Marimekko is a great brand with lots of fashion history, so maybe they could provide you with your iconic Big City bag? If you like floral designs, this one's pretty bold, and this (if you can get hold of it).

like A as it's unusual, don't like the CK ones and the other orla one is too, well orla really.

Didn't realise Ck and OK were "iconic" London, Orla's been arond here (south manchester) for bloody years, i've got 2 orla bags myself but have stopped using them as they're absolutely everywhere amongst the south M/Cr yummy memmy set.

CK seems to be taking over too now, massive section of Selfridges devoted to it. I have got a CK shopper as it's bit enough to hold all our junk in (me plus toddler and baby).

Think the Ollie and Nick ones are gorgeous, as someone else mentioned going to an outlet and investing in a mulberry might satisfy your craving.. saw a gorgeous mulberry at cheshire oaks outlet for a reasonable price (for a mulberry), prob got the same at Bicester Village?

Agree with other posters Liberty definitely more London

I had a look on the website last night and the bags all look a bit crusty and price-wise; several strata above OK or CK to be blunt!!

The shop itself is gorgeous I know.

I saw some gorgeous, gorgeous bags in Ted Baker yesterday come to think of it. They were about the £180 mark as well.

I have a midi sling OK bag and it's a fantastic size for all sorts of outings. Don't like the cups though, prefer the stems. And I find that it depends where you are outside London - some posher places = lots of OK bags, other less posh places = none. Also, mine has also ripped a bit and I went into the OK shop and they basically said tough (more politely than that, mind!).

There are frequent OK sample sales, usually in Clapham or Truman's Brewery - register on the website.

ok this is blatent steal from another thread but if you want a bag that carries all the child crap but still looks good have a look at this site. Please, please please just step away from the OK and CK.

well i already have one of these in black with white flowers, they are made by a lovely lady who lives around the corner from me (and who has got to be a MNetter, she's just too nice), so the alternative is to get another one in a different print, they are well made and unusual and quite a bit cheaper than OK.

i have just had this hankering for an OK bag for years now. and tbh i am so crap at choosing handbags, although i do like the oushka website...

this whole exercise, which was supposed to cheer me up, is actually really stressing me out now!

a and c for me. think c is better.

thanks to the poster who mentioned oushka... i have bought myself a handbag from there!!!

arrived today and it is really nice...

ohh which one did you buy?

Oh gosh, I went into the CK shop in St Ives & very soon felt quite queasy. You can have too much of those fiddly twiddly prints, you know.

That was to CK, btw, in case she's reading this.

i got this one which is perfect for the office and i love it... except.. oh hang on a minute... i am only going to the office for TWO MORE WEEKS!

so while i love it it was a dumb purchase....

hmm I would have probably chosen one of there slightly more baby friendly bags (i.e. the bigger ones you can carry lots of stuff in and could do across the body!) BUT you will not have a baby forever and you can still go out by yourself AND it's lovely

ohi dont like ay of em

all a bit "i am a um trying to eb cool"

ah
yes maddoz is hte best of the lot
no naff pattern

R
O
F
L

at the OP! We do have such novelties and fripperies in the provinces, you know

I like C best, but then I love OK and cannot stand CK.

prunerz, i am moving abroad, so for "London" you can read "UK". no offence to the shires intended

i still need a "out with the kids" bag... and leather bags in my experience not sturdy enough unless extravagantly expensive...

Mystic, am so pleased you got a lovely bag! I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of my Oushka (grey Oakley) but think I missed it today- there was a royal mail card waiting when I got home . It looks like a good choice for carrying kid paraphernalia, maybe get that one too???!!

Phew MM
I really was laughing though!