#17 Affordable bags for those who appreciate the luxury of authorial design

If you doubt investing in a bag, today's newsletter will help you make the right choice!

Jul 25, 2024

If you were to ask me whether it's worth paying more for a special occasion bag or an everyday bag, both as a style consultant and as your friend, I'd tell you to invest in the bag that accompanies you on a daily basis.

Do you know why? Because your personal image needs to be strategic every day a quality, well-made bag is essential for communicating your professionalism, sophistication and care for your image.

See the two examples below. The two women are dressed similarly, but one is wearing a bag with more sophisticated and authorial codes, while the other is wearing a commercial bag with no presence.

If you were to hire one of the two, which one do you think would be more competent and therefore have the higher price? This doesn't mean that she is in fact more competent than the other women, but her image positioning undoubtedly adds value and can help in negotiations.

You can even rent an occasional bag on platforms such as HURR for a few days or even a month if you want it for occasions such as a wedding, graduation party or special dinner. This is a sustainable way of consuming, as we usually only use the same festive bag a few times in our lives. Unlike work or routine maternity bags, don't you think? Some people only have one for these occasions (myself included).

Have I managed to make you rethink which type of bag deserves your investment?

Well, now let's move on to the ideal model of the bag to accompany you on your daily routine.

Whether you're a professional in a conservative or creative sector, there's the same pattern that adds value to your personal image while also being functional.

Instead of buying a mass-market commercial model, discover models from designer brands that develop their products through an end-to-end sustainable production chain and that the quality of the leather and all the raw materials stand out and reflect the brand's style, as well as your own.

Oh, speaking of leather, if you're going to work, prefer a well-structured model in a neutral tone, such as beige, grey, burgundy, brown or opaque pink. Perhaps you're wondering why not a black bag. Unless your wardrobe is at least 90% black, it won't be neutral and will become a point of contrast that can weigh down your look in an unwanted way.

WHERE TO BUY AFFORDABLE DESIGNER HANDBAGS

I know that exclusive bags have a higher price tag than commercial bags, but I can assure you that they cost less than luxury bags and are of the same quality. The difference in price lies in branding, because luxury bags carry heritage, brand and fashion history, as well as social factors such as adding social status to differentiate oneself from other social classes.

I've curated three models of bags from different brands to inspire you. Oh, and although they're not all from the UK, they deliver worldwide!

1 - Polène 2 - Escudero & CO 3- DeMELLIER

THE RIGHT SIZE BAG FOR YOU

A bag of the wrong length can flatter you visually or even elongate you (and that's not always a good thing), so it's important to be aware of your body proportions. This way you can avoid dividing yourself into blocks and make assertive purchases for bags, trousers, coats and jackets.

If you haven't been through a full style consultation with me, where I teach you how to use proportions to your advantage, the tips below could help you make an assertive purchase:

For petite girls:

Avoid bags that hang below the hip line, because as well as conveying a look of little or no care, they will leave you visually flat. And even if you don't mind looking shorter or taller, flattening your silhouette means reducing yourself without refinement.
What type of strap to choose: it will depend on how much weight you carry in your bag, because as well as being beautiful it needs to be comfortable and functional. That's why it doesn't matter whether it's thin or thick, as long as it generally fits in with your image strategy and routine.
What size is ideal: maxi-bags have been on the rise for a couple of years now, but they're not for everyone! Avoid bags that are too big or too wide, as they can give the impression of what I like to call: a keyring carrying a bag rather than the other way round.

For tall girls:

Think that it would be practically the opposite of what is orientated for petit girls.

What size: prefer larger (but not giant, okay) and sturdy bags over small or mini bags, as they can (depending on your outfit) look too small for you, as if they don't belong to you.
That doesn't mean you can't use a baguette model, okay? A baguette of the traditional Fendi size is very democratic.
Which type of bag strap: between super thin and super wide, stay in the middle ground, of course as long as it's comfortable and functional.

Although I'm not a fan of ‘dress right or dress wrong’ rules, some are really important in an image strategy that wants to make you more confident in communicating professionalism, politeness and visual care. And if I didn't believe in that, there would be no point in me being a style consultant, right?

It may not be a statement of style, but the click is a step in the fashion direction:

✨ A quick and easy trick to make your ponytail look more sophisticated

✨ My dream wardrobe is also Kristin Davis' dream wardrobe

✨ Why does the first lady of a country at war need a stylist? I really liked this article in the NY Times about the first lady of Ukraine. After all, fashion is also a way of communicating, honouring and protesting.

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