Bricolage: Confessions of a Bag Snob: Fall Handbag Splurges

First of all, I am not a snob. Yet somehow I have managed to become a bag snob. Maybe it's because I spent nearly a year of my post-college life selling handbags in a high-end department store. Unfortunately, teaching rich ladies the difference between a hobo and a satchel, educating them on embossed leather versus calfskin, does not supply a person with the money she needs to be a bona fide bag snob... even if she's working on commission.

I have not always been a bag snob. I entered college carrying a knock-off Balenciaga Motorcycle bag, purchased from Target. I remember receiving my first "designer handbag" as a gift, and experiencing sheer disbelief that I could carry my stuff around in something as fancy as Juicy Couture. Even though I've always loved fashion and been able to spout off endless trivia on designers, models, etc., I've never been able to afford fashion. (Of course no amount of money can buy personal style. I'm referring to "fashion" as what's on the runways, in the magazines.) But gradually, over the years, I guess you can say that I have shifted my fashion philosophy. I no longer view my wardrobe as temporary, individual items, but as a permanent collection. By no means am I the type of person who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on clothes. But I would rather spend $500-$1000 on a bag I will carry forever than spend $50-$100 on ten separate bags I will carry for six months, when they'll begin to fall apart. Quality over quantity.

Since making this shift, I find myself unable to enjoy the cheaper bags sold at stores like Target in the same way that my blissfully naive college freshman self once did. (In no way do I state this as a judgment on people who approach fashion differently.) I'm almost saying it with a sense of nostalgic regret. Because right now I am in desperate need of an everyday brown handbag. Sounds simple enough, right? Not anymore. I have become the girl who walks into any store, and without even looking at price tags, manages to pick out the most expensive bag of all.

So here I am, on a quest to find a semi-casual brown leather handbag, preferably for under $200... actually, the further under $200 the better! Of course I've been scouring the Internet, to make sure I'm aware of all the options, and I thought I'd share my finds along the way with my dear blog readers! To begin with, the current bags I love that come in way over budget. Let's call them distractions. But they're such beautiful distractions! If you're an admirer from afar like myself, consider them eye candy. Or if you're a fellow bag snob who actually has the income to support her snobby ways, consider me your personal shopper! I'm more than glad to be of service :)