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Replace the messenger bag now?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I’ve had a messenger bag since the 90s. The same one. It needs to be replaced. Idk if I want to get a new one now, or in our new city after the move. I did a little looking today, and came up dry. These are the best candidates; and my thought on each.

The white bag with weaving has lots of great pockets, and could go with anything from jeans to biz casual or maybe office attire just a step below conservative formal. It’s main drawback is the white. The only way that would work is if I checked it for smudges daily and cleaned them off right away. Hmmmm.

Bag #2 is even better, because it combines black and brown, so is even more versatile than the white one. Alas, the body of this one has a lot of white as well. The pattern would help cover some dirt, but the white is still a danger.

#3 is a classic, the model to go for. Unfortunately, it is all brown, so not very flexible, especially in a city where I expect to wear a lot of black.

I’m undecided on the size of the bag. The first two are big enough for my laptop, but considerably smaller than the third, which itself is smaller than the current messenger bag.

Back in the day, this was a book bag, and I schlepped a lot of books. I still might take a volume or two along, but with the internet, I don’t think anyone carries stacks of books like we used to. My laptop, also, is smaller than the ones I carried BITD—the screen is smaller, and it’s not even a quarter as thick. The messenger bag used to feel perfect, but whenever I’ve carried it recently, it’s felt awkwardly bulky. But could I put an outfit in one of the others for an overnight? I’m undecided.

Ideas, anyone? I could get something here and be set, or use the old one as a “personal item” on the plane, then get a new one there. I’m not sure where prices are better, but it will be sales season where we are going.

ETA: the colors at this link are MUCH more accurate than in my pic! https://m.bonanza.com/listings.....cQQAvD_BwE

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19 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

Aida

Veteran

Ohhh too bad the brown one wouldn't be versatile, that one would get my vote in a heartbeat. I personally like wearing black with brown but I know that many do not. Hopefully Astrid can chime in about whether there will be many good options after you move and if it'd be better to get one here or there. I would be a little concerned with the thinner straps of the second if a laptop would be going in there; wider should help with weight distribution. Is the first photo the white bag? It looks like a vivid aqua on my screen

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Ew, that picture does indeed have a greenish tint! Irl, the bag is white with various shades of brown weave. It’s Fossil’s Corey crossbody, large size, in vanilla. I’ll have to go look for a link to a more reliable photo.

Very good point about the strap. That tends to be the part that goes out first on any purse I carry; I probably tend to carry heavy, because I love packing things together precisely.

Joy

Veteran

I vote, get the brown one and some booties or other footwear that you can wear with it. Brown looks great with black. Just style it so that it looks intentional.
Other ideas to tie the bag to your outfit: a jacket near the color of the bag, a scarf with both colors I it (like black and brown)., a brown hat, brown buttons on your outfit...just repeat some brown somewhere.
ETA: The first bag also looks Aqua on my screen.

Kathie

Veteran

I vote brown, or get one in your new city. I’d be tempted to look around in your new locale, and see what other people carry, and what might work for your new lifestyle.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Ok, I’ve added a link to a much better pic of the first bag to the original post.

About black & brown: I like that look, and like that the second bag has both. It would be cool to learn to do that well (hat tip to Sal on the excellent black/blue combo). But still, I would plan for this to be a bag I carry (nearly) every darn day, and I wouldn’t necessarily want that color scheme every day.

Then again, JOY’s suggestion of a jacket ties right in with the LL Bean leather bomber jacket I’ll wear often.

I don’t know how to explain what I like so much about #3. It isn’t the color scheme, but it is somehow the look. I don’t like distressed items that broadcast “I’ve had a tough time of it”. Overly sleek, chic, slick bags are not me either. (My dad got me one once; I’ve never used it). This one is sort of in the middle. It has character and looks ready for adventure, but not in a fake, Hollywood kind of way. I’d love to find something with that character that also combines black and brown.

Aida

Veteran

Wow that's like a totally different looking bag in the link! I do like the white, am fairly sure it would get dirty quickly with daily city wear though. As for black+brown, if it helps I MUCH prefer black clothing items paired with brown leathers but not the other way around; something about the urban vibe of the black clothing paired with the natural vibe of the leather.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

AIDA, I love how you analyze things! You are absolutely on point about the natural brown leather bringing a different vibe with black clothing than vice-versa. Idk why black leather doesn’t have that earthy, natural feel—there are black cows—but you’re right, it doesn’t.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

KATHIE, you might be right about me jumping the gun. I’ve wanted to buy all kinds of things recently, keep having to remind myself that they have shoes, shampoo, and pants in Germany too. The bag might be in the same category, or could be sufficiently less expensive here to make it worth the pre-purchase. And this old one is really grody!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Bags are so personal -- it's always hard to advise. Yet the point about strap thickness is really important if you're carrying a laptop -- even a lightweight one.

It would be nice to be able to try the one you want with all the items you'd be carrying. That's always the real test and you can learn so much just by putting your stuff in and slinging it onto your shoulder.

Personally, I like the look of the brown one if you are going for that style -- a classic "schoolbag" kind of briefcase, and it will look fine with black.

I carry a laptop most of the time but I don't use a messenger bag -- I just use a large tote or shopper or a hobo or sometimes a backpack as my bag (except if I'm not carrying the laptop) and I slip the laptop into a soft sleeve for protection. This works for me but wouldn't necessarily work for all. I can fit laptop, water, keys, wallet, small makeup pouch, sunnies, Kindle, pens, phone, sometimes a sweater in these bags. But they do get pretty stuffed with all of that.

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Astrid

Veteran

Yes, we do have bags too!

Fossil is also available in Germany, they have stores in Berlin. Another German favourite of mine for bags is Jost (https://www.jost-bags.com/de/). There's also Picard (https://www.picard-lederwaren.de/). And BREE makes great bags, but they're a tad more expensive than the others I mentioned (http://bree.com). All of these have several stores in the city and they're ususally also available in department stores too.

ETA
When you look at the homepages and prices, keep in mind that there are also a lot of brands available that are less expensive, that's not the norm for bag shopping in Germany. But all these brands are good quality and I personally prefer to buy better but less.

rachylou

Veteran

I do like the brown... it IS smack down the middle, can go fancier or more casual. I also like Astrid’s links. Are you going to be starting work right away? That would probably decide me on buying here or there... time...

Sal

Veteran

I would wait til you see one that you love. It will be an important piece that you use every day and getting it wrong is going to be annoying.

I think white is just too hard to keep clean for an everyday bag.

I like the last one - but I understand your trepidation about getting the colour wrong.

kkards

Veteran

i'm one of those people who never worries about my everyday bag matching my outfit....i'm more worried about the functionality and weight of the bag....i love bags....but i've learn that a bag that doesn't function the way I want it to becomes an orphan. and a bag that is heavy or the straps uncomfortable becomes a burden...have you seen any of these bags IRL? can you test drive them?

Liz

Veteran

I'd probably get super-practical with a purchase like this, based on my actual lifestyle.

When are moving, and what will your lifestyle be like in your new job / area?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

SUZ, what a great collection! You must use organizers to be able to switch that often. They are all lovely, but alas, one-shoulder bags don’t work for me as they aren’t truly hands-free for me—I need to keep one elbow close to my side so the bag doesn’t slip off my shoulder.

ASTRID, thanks for the links! But my son, who turns 16 in October, will be disappointed to hear about the food—he’d been hoping to nourish himself exclusively from “liquid bread”.

I think you’ve settled the “now or later” issue. I know clothing prices in Europe tend to be higher than the US, but leather goods in Southern Europe can be less expensive than here, so I didn’t know which way the leather bags would fall. There are a couple bags on those sites I like, and I’m surprised to see that Picard has an outlet. It’s been a while since I was in Germany, and I was expecting Sommerschlussverkauf to be my one opportunity for lower prices.

RACHYLOU, nope, not off to work right away, so I’ll have time to pick one out there.

SAL, good point about none of these really grabbing me. And I am so glad I didn’t scoop up the white one. I think its siren song was based on the fantasy of having a dirt-free life, and we know THAT isn’t happening any time soon.

KKARDS, yes, I took those pix in the store. I had my ratty messenger bag, with typical contents, along, but unfortunately didn’t do as SUZ suggests and fill the candidates up and hoist them onto my shoulder. I just pulled out the laptop and checked that it would fit easily.

LIZ, we move in a couple weeks. The biggest changes in lifestyle, I think, will be climate (Tampa to Berlin), transit (ditching the car and using public transit, bike, or my feet) and being less tied to my son, as he’ll be able to be fully mobile on his own.

JILL58, the others are smaller, but one thing that impresses me about Fossil is that their bags generally include plenty of pockets. These both have exterior pockets, one of them also has a slip pocket, and they have several interior pockets. But even with that organization, I might still want a (slightly) bigger bag. I wish I could figure out a way to determine that, short of buying and test-driving.

jill58

Veteran

#3 looks like the most functional work bag. Agree with others about purchasing boots to go with it. The first two don't look as if they would fit as much or lend themselves to organization.

SarahD8

Veteran

Chiming in with a vote for waiting. It doesn’t sound like any of the options you’ve identified thrill you unreservedly, you’ll have a better sense of precisely what you need once you get over there, and it could be fun and meaningful to purchase a new bag to kind of symbolize your new life.

Gaylene

Veteran

I’ll put in a BIG thumbs up for the Jost and BREE lines that Astrid mentions. Somehow a bag from those lines usually manages to follow me home...

I’d take the old bag on the trip over and then use it for storage—or hauling groceries—once I found a replacement.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

SARAHD8 and GAYLENE, what a lovely way to think of the new bag, and a good suggestion for the old one. It is structurally very sound—Bass is great quality!—so I know I won’t be able to toss it in the trash.