Handbag help...which one is the nicest?

[Flighttattendant]

I'm having some trouble deciding on a 'proper bag', after years of searching for something that will be reliable, easy to use, go with everything and last a really long time.

I've seen a few in TKMaxx which are quite nice but am not sure which to go for, if any...so tell me what you think.

we have A in either pink or blue

which is leather, big enough, looks pragmatic and has a long strap, but might be a bit twee?

Then we have B, which I don't think is actually leather but is very pretty. Also big enough and has good strap.

Scuttling along behind these is C which is utterly gorgeous but doesn't have the hands-free option I so desire (long strap) but then, maybe it's worth the sacrifice?

And lastly, we have the ditch-them-all option, instead going for this little number which I am led to believe will be somehow superior, due to costing a terrifying amount of dosh.

I'm suspicious of these 'premium' bags...I mean, I like a bag to be well made and high quality obviously, and to age well, but seriously how can they be worth such a lot?

I'd be glad of any input from the bag aficionadas among us! Thankyou

A and B are going to limit you because of their colour.

B is very much the kind of bag that my Auntie used to have.

C is lovely if you can cope with not having a long strap.

D is fine if you have to take loads of stuff with you, but looks a bit blah.

My favourite is the Ollie and Nic even if it is not leather.

And if you are going to spend so much money on a bag, then I would go for this one

Thankyou. I like the Aigner one but what is it that stands out for you MmeL? I think it looks a bit small, plus there's not even a hint of a shoulder strap sadly.

I know the Campomaggi one is a bit dull but it is big and the leather looks soft...I haven't seen that model anywhere else so difficult to get better pics. And it is the only one they have got! Oh apart from hideous thing with coins all overit, don't even go and look, it's outrageous.

I see what you mean about the pink and blue, they will limit what can be worn with...and I LOL at Auntie's bag, i know exactly what you mean and thought the same when I first saw it, but it's quite big so might see what it's like - I think it's pretty with the bead and so on.

I think I might go with C and drill some holes in the ends for a strap.

I am also willing to look elsewhere for similarly huge, nice-leather dark brown bags. Like the campo one. If you have seen anything anywhere.

The Campomaggi one is not a brand I recognise so I would not want to spend that kind of money on it unless I knew that it was really lovely quality and had something that made it stand out from the crowd. It is just a bit blah.

I like the shape of the Aigner one, and the tassles.

If you are going to go for a cross body one, this would be more versatile than the Olie and Nick ones.

I also like this style and bowler style

Oh I love Fossil bags, and have been looking for a really nice one for a week or two now but the trouble is, my friend at school as THE most glorious vintage fossil one and I can't find anything to match it. I can't get a Fossil that isn't as nice as it, iyswim.

One day on ebay there might be one like hers!

I am browsing the M&S bags now.

and I had to google campomaggi before I came to the conclusion they were sort of well known!

ikwym about not spending a heap on something really obscure. I wouldn't, either.

ah...he is married to Caterina Lucchi! that explains a lot

The first two look a bit like 'Hi I am a tourist!' The second one is a bit old fashioned. C would drive me mad as the straps that it does have even look short. I prefer the look of D to them all.

Never heard of either Caterina or her DH.

Thanks Ticktock. I am always up for encouragement to spend WELL over budget, even if I do bottle it

I am not encouraging an overspend just like that one the best. Do you really want a leather one? I buy alot of my bags from this website they are inexpensive, however look very expensive because they are designer inspired. Maybe worth a look.

There are loads of lovely ones on there! Thankyou for sharing. I do really prefer leather I think, though - I've had so many pretend leather and I just wreck them really quickly, the coating comes off etc.

I suppose what I am after is something that will age gracefully.

River Island do some very nice leather ones that age well and you can pick them up for a reasonable amount on ebay.

That's a thought. i actually have a River Island leather one which is gorgeous but it is too small with no long strap.

I will go and have a look, thankyou

Okay, well I found a dress in River Island but sadly no bags!

I have now received bag B. It's awful.

It's PVC but not in a nice way, it's very thin and plasticky and I hate it. Which is a shame.

I ordered (for trying out purposes) the others as well - so far TKM have 'cancelled' bags A and C (apparently a glitch, they should still arrive?) and I have no idea where bag D is.

I will update as and when they appear! But bag B is going straight back.

I love this site, try this one, satchel or can be worn as a hobo, and has across body strap..

here

Love the M&S one as well, leather buckle hobo, v yummy...

That is a gorgeous site, thankyou for sharing. I love that bag, too, it is much nicer than my grim expensive one! But the colour worries me as I have nothing it would really go with.

There is another lovely one on there too but only available in yellow, it is beautiful in pink but think they have sold out.

It looks more light tan to me than yellow...? the pink one is yummy - there was a discount code on here ages ago REG01- 13% off, which I used to get this one..here

Quality gorgeous....

Wow...it's wonderful.

I will have to keep an eye and see if they have anything else come in that looks appropriate. Mean while will see if the TKM one is any good, and if not, take it back!

Wine I bought a bag from that site too - am really pleased with it really good quality so it will last - wish I had known about the discount code though!

LOL Hope

Well the others have arrived.

The Pink and blue 'tourist' bags are not that nice. They are good quality andf the pink colour is good, but the blue is too dark and I don't like the lining.

Those are both going back.

The Billy Bag one is very nice but not really suitable, however I am holding back on returning it just yet as I don't want the staff at our local shop to think I am money laundering

The Il Expensivo one is actually lovely. Which is a shame, really as I would be being really extravagant to keep it. It's made in a sort of rather rough-chic kind of way, too - you can tell it's by a bloke. There are funny non-lining-up edges and stuff like that, it's very very heavy as well which is nice.

It is a good useful bag and I am seriously tempted (thanks to my kind Granny, without whom this would not be possible) but I am still torn. I have a sense of this Italian bloke sitting laughing at me because he didn't bother to hem it very well yet I am still tempted to spend a small fortune on it.

'I saw you coming' has gone international

Try this site,has lots of lovely bags,not cheap,but are leather so will last years.

www.blondiemania.co.uk/handbags-c-3.html?zenid=20601fbf1053f9e419bd92ff34dec435