6 Gems! vol. 30: the Handbag Heroes

Like choosing a child... but I chose them for you. Here are my sacred six.

A bit ago I did a 6 Gems around my RTW Closet Heroes.

You loved that one. Yay! And you had a request. A handbag edition. Not an easy assignment! I’ve been mentally working on it for weeks, going “This one has to be included. Then something has to go!” And then the Rodeo came into my life. Sorry. It’s probably sounded like I work for Balenciaga. When in fact secondhand T-shirts from Veblen are just about the only Balenciaga items in my closet. It’s just that THIS BAG is so useful I want to shout it from the rooftops. In the end, it helped me pull the whole list together. I also challenged myself to source some less expensive alts for my bags. So here they are!

My laptop in the pouch, and you can see how it locks in place.

1. That (freaking) medium Rodeo. I’ve been thinking about a new bag that holds a laptop for a bit, one that’s really functional. That means, for me, it has to hold a laptop, but not just hold it, it — has to hold it so it doesn’t fall all over, slam into my back or shoulder, and jumble up everything else in the bag. I looked at the new Fendi Peekboo Lite and it’s stunning, and I LOVE the way it holds a laptop. But it wasn’t light enough for my purpose — I sometimes walk miles with my laptop. This has an interior clasp where the laptop can fit, secured. It is lighter than any of my bags. It also has a feature I love from my (far less functional) Hermes 24/24/35: on the back are easy reach pockets for your cellphone and keys. Here is this amazing “ostrich” one. Latte and black. Croc embossed. Call Miami Balenciaga and ask for Pierre if you want burgundy. (How nice is Pierre?) Ok a comp for this is tough, but I think this Coach one feels ergonomic and I’ve had and loved Coach bags.

2. Black Old Celine Clutch: This is an old Celine that I randomly got on The Real Real along time ago, and it turned out to be a sleeper hit. I think what’s so nice about it is the very simple, minimal hardware and minimal logo, plus it holds a phone. It is my most used going out bag by far and I wish I knew the name of this style. (Here’s a nice Phoebe alt which I own as a crossbody. And here’s a mid priced comp I like, I’d tuck in the chain strap. I have bought the a DeMellier bag as a gift before and can attest to the quality.)