Bags

There was a time when I thought crocodile bags were “grannies’ bags” so I don’t know if it’s me aging or getting savvier (or both), but now I love (faux) crocodile bags, which are so in fashion now.

Crocodile leather is one of the most expensive (and cruel) material available so luckily there’s plenty of faux crocodile bags. And I found many! Are you into this trend or you think croc effect is not for you?

Dries Van Noten.

River Island.

Saint Laurent “Medium Sunset Monogram”.

PrettyLittleThing.

Cafune “Egg Bag”.

Gu_de “Chord”.

Chloé “Faye Day”.

STAUD “Shirley”.

Trademark “Harriet”.

Bershka.

Wandler “Luna”.

Nanushka “Hoyt”.

ASOS DESIGN.

Rebecca Minkoff “Kate”.

Pop & Suki “Takeout”.

Chylak.

About a year ago I wrote a post about designer bags that are a bit underrated but better than it-bags. Today I decided to write a post about designer bags perfect for women who still prefer understated luxury.

Loewe “Gate”. The flap and the knot remind of the more famous, round-shaped “Gate” bag.

Marc Jacobs “The Box”. With its retro vibes, the double zips allow to open and close the bag quickly. I know flapper bags look more elegant, but sometimes practicability is a huge plus. 

Valextra “Iside”. Isn’t this bag so timeless and chic?

Saint Laurent “Sunset” shoulder bag. Loved by influencers, but not particularly hackneyed.

Marni “Trunk” shoulder bag. I like the clean lines of this bag, and its compartments that allows to keep everything in order.

I’ve already written I don’t particularly like bags and I’m not into it-bags.

It’s not that I don’t like bags, because of course I do. I just wouldn’t describe myself as a “bag enthusiast”, I don’t get crazy about this or that heavy and impractical model, I don’t call my bags babies (some do it, and I’m totally fine with it), and I usually prefer timeless bags and purse, even if I have a soft spot for cute, crazy clutches. They’re so beautiful to see.

Most of all, I usually don’t like most of the bags that have become a status symbols.

For example, I don’t get all the fascination for Hermès Kelly and Birkin. They are beautiful bags, but they look dated, to me. As Coco Chanel said “luxury should be comfortable, otherwise is not luxury”. And those bags both seem to be impractical.

Also, I easily lose interest in a fashion item or trend when it becomes so popular that it’s basically everywhere. When I’m doing shopping and a shop assistant says “oh, we sold this bag/dress/fragrance/whatever item so much”, it doesn’t make me want to buy it, at all. I don’t want to dress and, most of all smell, like thousands of people.

So, I decided to write a post about those bags that I consider underrated. They are less popular and less Instagram and Pinterest friendly. Maybe you don’t even know about them also because they’re not counterfeit! How many times have you seen a person carrying a Louis Vuitton bag that made you wonder if it was real or fake?

BALENCIAGA BLACKOUT CITY LEATHER TOTE. Since the arrival of Demna Gvasalia as creative director, Balenciaga made some hugely successful and talked about bags but the City bags designed by Ghesquière are still very popular among it bags lovers. There was a time when I used to wonder how many girls and women could afford a bag that expensive despite their jobs but I guess many women would rather give up eating in order to have a designer bag. While I find the studded (and heavy) version, available in many different colors, overrated and common, I find Blackout tote much classier. Its color, Gris Cender, is very chic and goes well with everything, the lack of studs and any type of hardware (which I usually love) makes this bag lighter in every sense and the smooth handles are more practical and refined than the whipstitched ones.

GUCCI GG MARMONT. While everybody seems to love Dionysus in its super embellished and Guccified versions, GG Marmont is more refined and timeless. Available in light pink, red and black, every detail of this bag is beautiful, from the matelassé chevron leather to the quilted heart on the back of the bag.

HERMÈS VICTORIA II. The French house is famous for two of the ultimate it bags, Kelly and Birkin, the object of desire of many fashion victims, included Samantha Jones. I don’t know about you, but I saw the Birkin carried by so many tacky women that I don’t consider it a stylish bag, anymore. I remember a post on PurseBlog where a woman left a comment saying how the Birkin lost its allure at her eyes after she saw it in the hands of a porn actress. It’s become a status symbol and even if it’s still a great profitable investment, Victoria II is a Hermès bag you should consider if you’re looking for a beautiful and classy bag. It’s available in 16 different colors and, even if I love it in bleu jean and bordeaux, my favorite color is gold. Timeless and chic.

LOUIS VUITTON PERNELLE and ALMA PM. Louis Vuitton is famous for the monogram and the damier canvas bags and for collaborations with artists like Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, Cindy Sherman and Jeff Koons, just to mention a few. The French house makes some beautiful bags and among them I would chose Pernelle, an elegant tote available in three colors, magnolia, black and galet (my favorite one) and Alma PM, available both in textured leather and canvas (my favorite is damier ebène). Alma is a model originally created by Gaston Vuitton, who named it Alma after the Parisian bridge (now also sadly known for the close tunnel where Lady Diana’s car accident happened). Aren’t these two bags better than the more famous Speedy?

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DOLCE&GABBANA LUCIA. While Miss Sicily seems to be the most successful bag designed by Dolce and Gabbana, I find Lucia more refined. It reminds me of the bag carried by one of my grandmothers to go to Mass, but with a modern twist. I like the embellished handle (the bag also has a detachable and adjustable strap) and the metal fastening, not to mention the leopard lining and the compact mirror. Style is in the details, right?

SAINT LAURENT COLLÈGE. If many women love Cabas and Blogger (formerly known as Camera) bag, I find Collège truly classy and timeless. While Cabas has always seemed impractical to me, most of all because of the gusseted side panels, and Blogger too small, I find Collège a bag perfect from day to night, like Chanel flap bag. Available in three sizes and many colors, my favorite version is medium in grey, even if I (obviously) like it in black, too.

LOEWE AMAZONA. Do you remember when Loewe launched the Puzzle bag, designed by Jonathan Anderson, and the Elephant bag? Fashion editors went crazy for them. I fell in love with Puzzle in pvc but unfortunately it costed like the leather version (why, oh why?). While I never understood all the fuss about Elephant (unless you’re a child) despite my appreciation for the craftsmanship of who makes it, Amazona is my favorite Loewe bag. Can you believe that it’s forty years old? Forty and fabulous, I would say.

If you’re looking for timeless and chic bags take a look at these and this, too.

Bag (and not bag) persons, today I’m glad to introduce Laetitia to you.

Laetitia is a young brand of bags and accessories born in 2013 in the heart of Tuscany, a region famous for amazing art and architecture, breathtaking landscapes, great wine and a long tradition of handicraft.

Laetitia, which means joy in latin, aims to create elegant, luxurious and timeless bags for women with a defined sense of style. Even a “not a bag person” like me immediately fell in love with Laetitia’s creations, also because the brand offers a made to measure service so you can create your own bag, choosing among many colors.

The brand has three main models: Sylvia, Tippi and Lavinia.

Sylvia, Laetitia’s first-born bag, is named after Anita Ekberg’s character in the famous film “La Dolce Vita” (1960), directed by Federico Fellini. It has a vintage vibe and its round shape makes it practical and elegant. Sylvia is available as a handbag and as a clutch. It is such a timeless and versatile bag. Its elegance can elevate a casual everyday outfit and perfectly accessorize classy daytime and evening looks. Blue navy and blush pink is my favorite color combo, I find it very classy.

Tippi, named after actress and model Tippi Hedren (my favorite among all Hitchcock’s muses and for those who are not fond of a certain genre, Dakota Johnson’s grandmother), is a very classy bag with a retro vibe. It looks like the bag of the protagonist of an old thriller, because the protagonists of those films were always so chic! I like its geometric shape and its chain shoulder strap. Tippi is available in two versions, as a flap bag and as a shopper.

As a huge film lover, I have a thing for brands that take inspiration from films and those iconic characters and actors that are still a source of inspiration when it comes to style and fashion.

Lavinia is Laetitia’s latest born. Inspired by beauty bags, it’s perfect for those women who like small bags and prefer to carry with them only the essentials. Even if I usually go for roomy bags, I admit that going out with a lightweight, compact bag is very comfortable. Sometimes I wish I was minimalist!

All Laetitia bags are classy, timeless and youthful. Some say that elegance consists in not being noticed. But sometimes elegance means to make somebody wonder what you are wearing and which bag you’re carrying.

Laetitia bags and accessories are available on Laetitia’s official site and in famous Italian shops like Biffi, Penelope and Vela Shop.

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