And I don’t mean the paper ones with ribbon handles used as alternative wrapping or an elegant way to transport a gift. I’m talking about being confident enough to buy a friend or loved on a new bag all wrapped up as the gift! I’ve heard people shy away from buying someone a bag, with style and shape being so personal or being overwhelmed by the fashion trends of the season. One solution is to wrap up one of the classic designer bag icons. However, if the budget doesn’t allow or isn’t appropriate, here are six bags that just never go out of style, that won’t break the bank and will be coveted by other friends!
The camera bag
Who doesn’t need a crossbody bag so you can be hands free? Whether your day tripping around a city or going ‘out out’ for a night on holiday, Marc Jacobs has got you covered, with the best selling Snapshot small camera bag. Lots of colourways, however, this one below is a classic. Priced around £300. Probably one of the best crossbody bags around.
How to travel light
So many people cannot be wrong with the classic nylon Le Pliage from Longchamp. This light foldaway bag, inspired by origami has got a worldwide following and I’ve selected the Travel bag from the many lines of Le Pliage because there’s no other bag that is light weight, can fold away when not being used and still offer your clothes protection. When you see one of these bags you know the owner is a confident weekender! The large travel bag is around £95. Probably one of the best weekend bags around.
Minimalist chic
When the person you are buying for is all about clean lines and loves a no-fuss approach, especially for work, there’s a little secret; a designer brand based in Germany, called PB 0110. The brand and bags walk the walk as there’s no fuss even with their names. Thanks to Philip Bree the leather tote bag (AB 49.1, the bag name!) can be fully adjusted to a short setting, giving a hand held strap or long, to put the bag over the shoulder. And that’s what you need when working; depending on whether you are carrying around the laptop. Price 599 euros. Probably one of the best work bag around.
Grab a clutch
For an evening out, a compact clutch bag is a must. And clutch bags come in all shapes and materials and for such a small bag, they can sometimes demand fabulously big budgets. How about this must-have solution, the Ellena bag from the quality retailer Reiss (well if it’s good enough for the Duchess of Cambridge!) What I love about the Ellena bag is that it is in the pouch style, with softer edges and pleats – some clutch bags can be heavy and solid, enough to be considered a weapon in some part of the world I’m sure! And if you want to upgrade to one of the classic designer handbag brands, head to Bottega Veneta where the mini pouch will cost over £1000. This one here is £95. The pouch, probably one of the best evening bags around.
Sustainably good
When the birthday is for someone who is eco conscious and vegan, head to the wonderful brand Matt and Nat from Canada. I’ve been a customer since 2005 and love how the handbag range has grown. The Adel satchel is from the Purity range which is the brand’s first fully recycled bag collection (both outer and inner materials). The Adel comes in three sizes – I like the micro size. Prices start from £75. If, however, you want to blow the budget, I suggest heading to Stella McCartney for the designer vegan friendly bag options.
Backpack who?!
Does a backpack conjure up images of cute primary school children and a birthday gift that makes you want to run for the hills as an adult? Well, let me ask you to pause before you put on your running shoes. I’d like you to consider all those occasions when you need to be hands free – say going through passport control at an airport, strolling around a weekend market, a bike ride! So let’s agree there are times when a crossbody just won’t do and you need something bigger. And I’m delighted to tell you THERE is a backpack bag that has a sense of style and where you don’t need to plait your hair to carry it off! Thank you Kate Spade for the daily convertible backpack. Price £195. Hurrah!
There you have it, the bags you never knew you could wrap up and present as a sought after gift. Maybe difficult not to wrap one up for yourself! So when it comes to shopping for a birthday gift, don’t shy away from the accessories and buy your friend a bag they will enjoy for life. And to reassure you, they don’t all come in black. This isn’t an ode to Amy Whitehouse and asking you to go back to black! Just for ease of comparison I’ve kept the birthday bag options in one colour, but there are many colour ways to choose from.
Hope you’re having a great weekend! Keep up to date here with more bag inspiration:
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Photo credit: Thanks to Adi Goldstein on Unsplash for the header image.
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