Bags: Lightened up
Leather bags: love the look, suffer under the weight.I can no longer sling a leather shopper the size of a Mini Cooper over my shoulder and charge around all day. Leather bags have to be small. But mostly, I'm hunting for microfibers.
If you, too, are minding the weight of a big leather bag, here are some light options.
Groom Paris' MV 28 is a small leather bag (14 x 28 cm or 5.5 x 11 inches), that carries the essentials.Available in a variety of delicious colours; shown, tilleuil. Price, 210 €; available from Groom's online store.
Groom's microfibre bags are durable, washable and chic. Shown, the Clone, price, 113 €. The 53 x 30 cm (20 x 12 inches) bag has an outside zip pocket and an ingenious little pocket on the padded strap for your phone. Padded strap, best thing since the underwire bra.
Wear Mandarina Duck's Jaipur bag in the hand, over the shoulder, or wear cross-body. Measures 46 x 22 cm (18 x 8 inches), big enough to carry a book or magazine.
From Mandarina Duck's online store, price, $203 on sale. Available in blue, black, and a subtle grey evocatively called "marine".
Kate Spade's nylon Mae Hobo has a pyramid stud closure and chain-link and patent straps that lift it above functional. Size, 13 x 9 inches; price, $325 from Saks Fifth Avenue. And yes, metal feet!Bree's Punch
49 messenger bag is made of an edgy glossed tarpaulin fabric, with a padded shoulder strap. Size, 38 x 28 cm (15 x 11 inches).Price, €95,95 from Bree's online store. Bree bags wear well.
Lovers of ethnic textiles might choose a woven kilim shoulder bag with leather trim, $147 from Yurdan; many other styles available on the site.
Of course it's what's inside the bag, too. I'm toting one-third of what I used to hoist. A few more dreamy thoughts on the streetcar instead of reading a book, but far less neck strain.
And with good deep coat pockets, sometimes I can skip the bag entirely!
Comments
I like that 5.5 x 11 inch bag from groom, and it is about what I consider the perfect size at the moment. I will look into it. But some of your other options are really intriguing too so perhaps some looking around is called for on my part.
One of the reasons why I wear cargo shorts and pants on weekends is that I can put my phone, keys and wallet in the pockets and not have to carry a bag at all.
One good thing about the ubiquitous and kind of tacky Vera Bradley bags: they are very light. (I do like some of the Provencal-type prints)
Still, a lightweight fabric sling with padded strap sounds very appealing, too...
Can we see them in another image ?
Look how they radiate warmth...swooning from here...
Your suggestions are all great, as well, when a smaller bag will suffice.
And, like Mardel, I really like the option of being able to carry a bag in my hand -- because I'm likely to walk kilometres and kilometres in a day, I like to be able to shift the pos'n of a bag and having a nice short strap allows that.
Mardel: I too get crabby when carrying any weight, but need both hands to deal with streetcar and subway.
Belle: Doesn't it feel wonderful to just use your pockets!
Frugal: That's why I've shown the choices I have! Vera Bradley a deliberate omission.
Anonymous: OMG, a thrifted Groom bag, nirvana!
hostess: My pearls, from Kojima Company.
dana: Agree,microfiber briefcases are great, more utilitarian than those shown but very useful. With twins you need to pack a lot of gear!
ma: I'll overfill any bag bigger than a book! Occasionally carry a handbag but need shoulder one easier for city transit, both hands free works best on subway.
I love my silver leather midsize "shopper" but I just can't take it everywhere...my last job entailed more "equipment" that I had to carry around, but I just liberated myself with a $3 vinyl waist bag (that I wear over a shoulder). I've already gotten several compliments on this silly little clearance item. :P
On my bicycle, I have Dutch saddlebags though, bought at a street market in Amsterdam. It makes me uncomfortable looking at commuters cycling with heavy backpacks. Ow!
I only use the granny cart for cat litter and food. Not resigned to using it for human groceries yet...
If carrying work, I use a rolling briefcase or a big leather carryall, which hurts.
For my books, files, etc. at the Uni, I've got a small canvas boat bag with patent leather trim from Lands End (bought at enormous discount, so "beat-upable") -- but it lives more in the office or the car than it gets carried. Its major shortcoming is that when the weather is bad, stuff gets wet...
LPC: Just keep bench pressing and you will never have to!
Anonymous: Thanks for bringing Le Bagellini into the lineup.
Guess I should buy stock in companies making good looking microfiber or nylon bags, we seem to need them.
I wanted a tote large enough to carry & disguise my Built neoprene lunch sack and still hold other thing.
Yes, it is sometimes hard to find things inside; I've resorted to using small, cotton zipper bags in various colours to hold stuff. It's easy to identify what I need quickly.
- Louise