My Purse Collection Ranked

As you guys all know by now, I’ve been so fortunate to have had quite a few purses in my life. Lately I haven’t been buying and selling as many bags as I have had in the past (thank goodness) so my collection has been pretty steady. And since a reader asked me how I would rank the purses currently in my collection, I thought why not? So here are the rankings of all 20 bags that I currently own from least favorite to favorite.

20) Longchamp backpack: I purchased it on impulse last year and have yet to use it >.< . I’m not a backpack person but I thought it might be useful with a toddler or when traveling. I’m keeping it around just in case but if I don’t use it this year I’m selling it.

19) Everlane Form Bag (reviewed here): I never use it because it’s just too large for my needs. I much prefer the mini form bag (see #7) on this list. This bag is also on the chopping block.

18) Longchamp medium tote: I use this for times when I don’t want to carry the larger Longchamp tote, but tbh those occasions are kind of rare. We’ll see how long I keep this one.

17) Lululemon Crossbody/fanny pack (similar here, but mine is smaller and in black): I bought this bag a long time ago and it used to be my music festival bag. It can be worn both as a crossbody bag and a fanny pack, it’s waterproof, and it has a ton of pockets for organizing. I still sometimes use it for hiking or other times when I don’t want to have to worry about a bag. I’ll probably keep this indefinitely since I plan on it being the last fanny pack I’ll ever buy.

16) Longchamp Weekender: I used this as my hospital bag and plan to use this as my “personal item” the next time I catch a flight. Also just got this at the end of last year.

#15 and #13

15) Everlane Foldover Crossbody (reviewed here): I love using this crossbody when traveling since it’s pretty discreet yet can hold a ton of stuff if you need it to. It also can double as a clutch when going out.

14) PB 0110 Circle bag: I just reviewed this bag here and as much as I love this bag, there are so many more bags that I love before it so sadly it gets pushed down to number 14. And as much as I love the quality construction of the bag, the circular shape is just a trend, I know. We’ll see how long this ends up sticking around.

13) Balenciaga Work Bag: I used to have a lot of Balenciaga bags like this (it’s actually the bag that got me addicted to high end purses and started my former PurseForum addiction). I’ve sold them all a long time ago, but recently purchased this bag used on the Fashionphile (because of nostalgia and the fact that they go for such good prices now). I don’t think they’ll ever come back in style (they’re sooo 2000s) but I’ll always love them!

12) Hermes Bolide (reviewed here): I love this discreet Hermes bag and to me it’s the definition of understated luxury. But since it’s currently so low on my list here and it’s so expensive, I’ve decided to return it to Fashionphile using their buyback program. It just didn’t make sense for me to keep something that I didn’t love love love, especially since we’re trying to do FIRE.

#10 and #7

11) Acne Studios Musubi bag (reviewed here): I just got this bag at the beginning of the year (from TheRealReal), but this bag has made my top ten list. I love the sturdy leather, the great useable design, and its unusual shape. The more I use it the more I fall in love with it. Plus it fits a lot more than my usual “just essentials” daily bag.

10) Chanel small crossbody flap : I purchased this bag in London at the end of our Europe trip last year. This is probably the most useable Chanel I’ve purchased and I wear it often when going out. It holds just the essentials and can be dressed up or dressed down. And unlike the regular flap bags, which have a strap length that at the longest makes for a short awkward crossbody, the chain on this one is long and it’s a very comfortable crossbody length. Plus there’s a strip of leather that makes carrying it crossbody comfortable (instead of having the chain dig into my shoulder and leaving marks).

9) Longchamp large tote: This bag has been my travel workhorse over the last decade. I’m planning on replacing it with the weekender (see #16) since this tote is starting to wear out (the nylon corners are usually the first to go and mine are starting to have tiny holes in them). But I plan on still using it until pencils can fall out of the corners (like my friend’s longchamp tote).

8) Everlane Mini Form bag: This is my current obsession and also the newest addition to my collection. I just reviewed the bag here and I mean it when I said it was one of the best crossbody bags I’ve ever purchased.

7) Fendi By The Way bag: I recently reviewed the bag here even though I’ve had this bag for over 3 years and it’s the second oldest bag in my collection (the oldest being #9 above). Even though it was never a popular style, it works really well for my lifestyle (durable leather, easy to organize inside and multiple ways to carry it).

6) Everlane Day Market Tote (reviewed here): My most used item in my closet period. This is my work tote and all around “haul-anything” tote. You can see how it’s worn after 100 days of wear (and it’s taken a beating).

5) Chanel Medium Flap (featured in the post comparing vintage Chanel caviar leather to new Caviar leather): This was a gift from my mom on my 30th birthday so it’s the one bag I would never sell. And now I plan on passing it on to my kid eventually (hope she likes Chanel!). I only use this bag for special nights (mostly weddings).

4) Celine Small Cabas Phantom (reviewed here): This is my fancy tote that I treasure and baby. I use it when I want to look a bit more polished but still have to carry around a lot of stuff. I think a good dupe for it though is the Cuyana structured leather tote (I reviewed their original classic unstructured tote here).

3) Celine Nano Belt Bag : I’ve always loved the design and shape of the Celine Belt bag (and have purchased the Mini, Micro and now the Nano size—I’m like a crazy Celine Belt bag Goldilocks). I unfortunately sold my Mini bag before I started seriously blogging but I reviewed the Micro Belt bag here and did a comparison post between the Micro and Nano here. Now I have just the Nano and it’s the perfect size for my essentials without weighing me down!

2) Celine Soft Cube (reviewed here): This is the second most used bag in my collection after the Everlane Market Tote and it’s because the Soft Cube is a super functional bag. I like the crossbody strap (that’s a good length on me) along with the two top handles (which is how I carry it most of the time). The leather is durable and the inside is spacious enough for my essentials and then some. The only thing it’s missing are some legs to keep the leather bottom from touching the floor (not that I put it on the floor).

1) Hermes Lindy (reviewed here): This was my holy grail bag for over a decade, and I finally purchased it about a year and a half ago. And it was everything I had dreamt it would be. It’s my second Hermes bag (my first being a vintage Kelly that I had in my collection awhile ago), but I love it as if it was my first. This bag is a lot more functional for me than the Kelly was since the Lindy is a more casual bag. I love that I can carry it two different ways and even though it’s a high-end bag the leather is durable and not fragile at all. It’s the best of all worlds: functional, luxurious, and discreet.

Whew, that was some bag blog post! This is for all my bag-loving readers out there! I never really realized how many bags I had until I started to write this post, but 20 feels like too much. I think I’ll be selling some of those on the lower half of the list. How many should I cut my collection down to?

P.S. I found this old post with my old purse collection here. Not gonna lie, I definitely miss some of those purses!

Hermes Bolide 27 Review

2018 was a crazy year for me: We moved from an Airstream to a larger trailer to a house to an apartment, we sold our business, we got pregnant, and then I went in and out of the hospital a couple times and had several pregnancy scares. So that might also explain my temporary insanity when I impulse-purchased this very expensive handbag. I walked into the Hermes store in Palo Alto (just to browse lol) and picked up a Bolide 27 bag in epsom (a black one and not this one I’m holding) and just fell in love with the lightness of the bag, the usability, but also the gorgeously smooth interior leather and the hardy epsom exterior leather. I also loved that it wasn’t flashy and you wouldn’t know it was an Hermes unless you knew bags. I might also have been influenced by Shoko over at simplytokyo who loves her non-flashy Hermes bags and styles her Bolide 27 so beautifully.

Well whatever the reason (and this was before my one lengthy hospital stay and before we had discovered FIRE in December), this bag is in my life now. To be completely honest I still have mixed feelings about it because even though I love it, it’s also uber expensive and I really don’t need to be adding money to my bag collection right now (I should actually be liquidating and putting that money into ETFs and mutual funds lol).

This bag is the definition of understated luxury and there are several other brands that make a bag like this, from Louis Vuittons BB Alma to Linjer’s Crossbody Purse for much less than Hermes’ Bolide retail price of $6300 (I know, ridiculous right?!). No, I didn’t purchase this brand new, instead I got a used one that’s 9 years old and at less than half the price over at Fashionphile (in Epsom leather and in the color Bleu de Prusse). But still, I wonder if it’s worth it considering the more frugal lifestyle that my husband and I are going for these days.

On one hand, it’s a great bag that can fit all the essentials (wallet, keys, sunglasses, coin purse, lip balms, a reusable bag—though with all of that it’s quite full and causes some puckering because the bag narrows at the top). And I love it everytime I use it. Also it’s an Hermes classic that will retain its value over the years and hold up beautifully (even at 9 years old, this bag looks just as great as the new one I saw in the store). But on the other hand, I could get the same look for much much less.

I think the true test will be how often will I carry this bag in my new life post-pregnancy with a baby. I have a feeling not much, and if that’s the case I’ll probably sell it back to Fashionphile using their buyback program (TBH I’m getting more wary of ebay buyer scammers these days, especially when I’m trying to be frugal I can’t be out thousands of dollars). But until then (the buyback offer at 70% of the cost ends after 6 months), I’m going to use this bag a ton and keep trying to decide if I want to keep it. If you’re interested in this classic bag, I highly recommend purchasing it used from a reputable source instead of new. You can find a selection of Bolides at Fashionphile or TheRealReal.

So what do you think: keep or not?

{August 2022 Update: So I did sell this bag and I 100% regret it. Lol, I still miss it from time to time and tbh i was probably the best deal I would have gotten on the bolide. True, it didn’t fit everything but man, it was a beautiful bag.}

Acne Studios Musubi Mini Bag Review {Updated January 2024}

So as I mentioned before, this Acne Studios Musubi Mini bag was my one purchase for the month back in February and I purchased it secondhand (and for 20% off) at TheRealReal. I’ve been eyeing this bag for over 6 months and I still loved the look, so I decided to go for it. And I have to say, I have zero regrets!

via

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I first was influenced to wanting this bag via Eva Chen’s Instagram (darn you Instagram) but when I polled y’all on stories only half of you guys liked it (which also truthfully sways my opinion). I myself was intrigued but wasn’t sure if it was cute or just too much. And I’m so glad I did hold off on impulsively purchasing right then and there because it gave me time to ruminate on it and now I know I really do love it. Also, during those 6 months, I got my favorite Celine soft cube bag (which I still really love but am currently letting it “rest” so I don’t wear it out too soon) and realized I love leather bags that look soft and pillowy. So I was pretty sure when I bought this in February that I would love it.

If I had a choice, I might have gone with the tan colored one, but since the black one was what’s available on TheRealReal, black it is! As for the quality of the calf leather of the Acne Studios bag, it’s really gorgeous. Comparing it to the calf leather of my Celine soft cube bag, I would say the grain of the Celine bag is slightly finer but not by much (but the Celine bag also retails for $700 more). And while the Celine bag is lined with calf leather, the Acne bag is lined with lambskin making the inside buttery soft but also helps keep the bag light (lambskin is lighter than calfskin).

Since I’ve been using this bag during the rainy California winters, I first protected it with some Chamberlains Leather Milk No. 3 (reviewed here). It gave the leather a slight sheen, due to the slightly waxy formula that’s meant to repel water, but the bag has held up in downpours with no issues so far. Also the durable calfskin has held up great with zero scratches or nicks.

The interior of the bag is divided into 2 sections with a zippered pocket divider. It’s perfect for keeping my things organized with my wallet and phone in one section, my keys in the zippered pocket, and everything else in the other section. The bag closes easily with snap buttons at the top, but I’m also not too worried about the security of the bag when wearing it over my shoulder or crossbody because the thick top handle tends to hide or cover the opening of the bag.

Currently all my bags have pretty thin crossbody or shoulder straps so I love the thickness of the Acne Studios strap and top handle. It makes carrying the bag super comfortable. Also the long crossbody strap is adjustable via some pegs on the sides of the bag that’s hidden by the mini knots.

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Having never tried Acne Studios clothing before, I wasn’t sure what to expect about the quality of these bags. But I have to say I’m quite impressed (and this is coming from a long time bag lover). These made in Italy leather bags are really beautiful and durable. Also the design is different enough so even though it’s a pretty minimal black bag, it’s not plain or boring.

Also the word musubi refers to my favorite rice ball snack (and in Hawaii, my favorite spam rice snack) which maybe makes me love the bag even more. But the word also works for the tying of the Obi sash on Japanese kimonos, which is what Acne Studios was referring to. Either way, I love this snack of a bag and can’t wait to get over 100 good wears with it!

{2022 Update: So I sold this bag to a good blogger friend Andrea last year and she reviewed it on her YouTube channel here. Here are my last pictures of it before I sold it:}

{January 2024 Update: Even though I no longer have this bag (and neither does Andrea, I helped her sell it to know of my readers here) I thought this review of the Musubi bag from a leather crafter was interesting.}

The One That I Sold Away: Celine Medium Box Bag Review {February 2023 Update with Celine Teen Box Bag}

I rarely regret selling a handbag because usually by the time I’m ready to sell it, the bag has gone unused for quite some time. But of course there’s always an exception to the rule, and for me the exception is the Celine Medium Box Bag. Once in awhile I find myself wistfully thinking “I could really use that bag right now.” I originally purchased the bag back in 2015 through Fashionphile (my favorite consignment site) at a price that is less than what they are selling for now used. Yep, can you believe this bag is just as pricey if not pricier 4 years later?! Talk about holding its value (also I know with the end of the Phoebe Philo era, all great Celine classics are going up in price).

But just look at that beautiful light blue color:

The calfskin leather of the box bag was surprisingly durable, even though it was such a light color. I had it for several years and by the time I sold it there were only one or two light scratches. There’s no color transfer and no major gouges, despite my usual roughness with bags. The leather held up beautifully.

The clip closure is relatively easy to use (and not as bad as say the closure for the micro belt bag, which was always a pain). The shoulder strap is adjustable and pretty easy to adjust (it was like one of those clip mechanisms you find on belts). The inside is subdivided into three main compartments which made organization easy. One of the compartments was zippered and a tad smaller than the other two. You can’t hold a lot in each compartment since the inside of the bag isn’t as roomy as you would thing. I would be able to hold my wallet in one compartment, my phone and keys in another, and sunglasses and some lip balm in the third. But it could hold the essentials easily enough.

So why did I end up selling it? Well first of all the bag is not light. The thick calfskin leather with the all the compartments ends up weighing down the bag even when empty. Also I don’t usually carry boxy bags as my everyday bag. My ideal everyday bag is Celine’s soft cube bag (reviewed here), so I only ended up carrying the box bag on date nights or special occasions.

However hindsight is 20/20 and what I really should have done was sell one of my Chanel bags (similarly boxy and only used for special occasions) and kept this one. Ah well, sometimes there’s just a bag that gets away. But if I were to seriously repurchase this (and I still might in a more neutral color because it’s such a classic!), my go to shop would of course be Fashionphile (their selection of Celine box bags here) or TheRealReal (their selection of box bags here).

Do you guys ever have bags or items of clothing you regret selling? What were they?

And if you’re interested, here are all my other Celine bag reviews.

{February update with the Celine Classic Teen Box: I also purchased this in late late December after seeing the Celine Triomph Teen Bag at the Celine store in Hawaii (and not purchasing it). I loved the size of it, and it reminded me of the Celine Classic Box but it was lighter since the Triomph had one less compartment (as compared the the medium Box that I once had). But in the end I couldn’t pull the trigger because of 1) the price (even with the Hawaii price of being $300 less than retail, with tax it was going to be just under $4000 and that’s how much I paid for my new Chanel Classic many years ago 😱) and 2) I’m just not 100% about the new Celine clasp hardware with the two C’s (to me it screams Hedi Slimane Celine and I’m pretty much a Phoebe Philo loyalist even though I am a huge fan of the Tabou bag above and that’s a Hedi era style). So I went with a secondhand Classic Celine box (from Fashionphile) in the new-ish Teen size. Unfortunately the leather on the box is super stiff and not forgiving to aging. The leather was quite creased, to the point of almost cracking in a year or so. So back it went. Oh but if you’re interested to see what fits (and also what I’m talking about on the leather) you can see my video of the bag in my Insta story highlights—just scroll to the end).}

My Best and Worst Designer Bag Purchases {Updated January 2022}

Though my luxury bag obsession has died down a bit in the last couple of years (thanks to being a bit more conscious about my consumption habits and also getting into slow fashion), I’ve still purchased (and sold) a lot of designer bags in my lifetime. So why not share my experience of the 5 worst and 5 best designer bags I’ve ever purchased and used.

Worst

1) Goyard St. Louis GM bag: I reviewed the Goyard St. Louis tote here and even in the review I stated all the things I didn't like about it.  My main gripe was the fragile and floppy canvas.  Also the straps were quite thin and would dig into my shoulder when the tote was filled up (which is something one does with a tote). This tote was only for the brand-name looks. If you’re looking for a cheaper practical workhorse of a tote I recommend Everlane’s Day Market tote or if you’re looking for a more upscale tote but one that’s still practical, I would go with the Celine cabas phantom tote (which is on the “Best” list below). If you absolutely love the Goyard print and have to have one, the PM size might be better since it won’t flop around as much nor can it be weighed down with too much stuff.

2) Loewe Hammock bag (reviewed here): When I got it, I just really loved the unique shape of the bag.  But because it doesn't close very securely (which my mom demonstrated to me once by pick-pocketing me without my knowledge), I was hesitant to use it as much.  You could clasp the inner hooks together but then it becomes a really awkward shape to carry. The flat handles were also not that comfortable if you were carrying the bag on your arm (and the handles were a bit tight so that if you were wearing a coat, you wouldn’t be able to really carry it in that way). Also, if you aren't careful with how you store it, the leather starts to bend in weird ways.  I sold it for about a $200 loss (for about a year of use).

3) Celine Small Trotteur bag (reviewed here): The problem for me is that it was just too small for my needs.  If I wanted a small going out bag, I’d reach more for my Chanel, so this Celine didn’t get used much.  Plus the metal hardware as a closure isn't as secure as I would like. Looked cute but not super functional in the small size.

4) Valentino Glam Lock bag (reviewed here): Sort of the same problem as the Celine small Trotteur, this Valentino bag was just too small.  Also the leather on this is super delicate and fragile, while the studs would poke and damage my other bags adjacent to it in storage (so it had to be stored separately—what a pain).  Also the look of the bag is so specific to a certain time that it can look outdated fast. I ended up selling it through Fashiophile and got a trade-in bag that made the “Best List” below!)

5) Gucci WOC (reviewed here): I was following the crowd on this one, getting the newest "IT" bag.  The construction was meh and I regretted it pretty much as soon as I got it.  I'm glad I sold it fairly quickly so there was still a lot of buzz around the bag, so I didn't lose much money on the purchase.  I think that was the last trendy bag I've purchased and I'm glad I'm finally starting to learn to buy bags for their quality and not for their name.

Best

1) Celine soft Cube Bag (reviewed here): This is the bag that I traded my Valentino Glam Lock Bag for and it was the best bag decision I ever made (I did the trade over at Fashionphile, which sometimes has a soft cube bag now and then). I used this Celine soft cube bag so much that it was my number 3 most used item in 2018 (and I only got it in September). This bag has held up like a champ and you know how I abuse my bags (case in point). I can throw all my essentials into this bag and then some. It’s the perfect size between a small bag and a mid-size one. The top handle straps are easy to use when carrying the bag on my arm and the crossbody strap is convenient for carrying the bag over the shoulder but it’s thin enough to not get in the way.

2) Celine Small Cabas Phantom (reviewed here): This bag was also one of my top 20 most worn items of 2018. This is a really well-made high-end leather tote. The leather is soft but not floppy and it can stand on its own base. I like that you have the option of pulling the straps and tying them to make the bag smaller and more secure. The small size is the perfect size without being too big and the bag itself doesn’t weigh a ton. Hands-down my favorite luxury tote ever. You can usually find a great selection of authentic used Celine Cabas Phantoms at my favorite consignment site, Fashionphile here. If you’re looking for a more affordable but similar option, I recommend Cuyana’s Classic Structured Tote.

Celine Micro Belt

Celine Nano Belt

3) Celine Micro and Nano Belt bag (Micro reviewed here and Nano reviewed here): The Celine belt bag is so nice I bought it thrice, lol. Yep I started with the mini size (the first size to have the crossbody strap—the small size has just the top handle). And when the Micro size came out, I got that one new at the Celine store in Hawaii (that’s the black one in the pics above). As much as I love that size, it still was too big for my everyday needs and ended up weighing a lot more than I wanted to (mostly because I would fill it up, but also because it was just bigger, had more leather to it and thus weighed more). So the following year I upgraded by downsizing to the newest smallest size, the Nano, and I’ve finally found the right belt bag size for me (that was a classic goldilocks story right there lol). As I stated in the review, I love the Nano size because it’s lighter but also because it has a regular clasp for the front (instead of the finnicky hook thing that all the other belt bags have) and the crossbody strap is adjustable. The Nano is harder to find on any consignment site, though Fashionphile usually has a pretty good selection of Micro belt bags here.

4) Fendi By The Way Bag (reviewed here): This is currently the oldest bag in my collection and is probably one of my most practical bags. I love the foldable handles for when I want to carry the bag crossbody and the three compartments on the inside that make finding things super easy. Even though this was never a popular style, I’m never going to give this bag up. And since this was never an It bag, you can find them for really good prices used.

5) Hermes Lindy 30 (reviewed here): This was my “holy grail” bag for a long time even though it’s such an obscure bag (at least for Hermes). I first heard about it through a purseblog or bagsnob post in the height of my bag obsession days. But ever since then I’ve always thought this would be the first Hermes bag I buy. And so two years ago, when I saw a used one at a decent sale price at the Fashionphile I bit the bullet and have no regrets. I love the way the bag slouches like a duffle (thanks to the soft Clemence Taurillon leather). I also love that I can carry it by the handles or sling over my shoulder. It’s surprisingly roomy and can fit a lot of things if I need to. This was the bag that made me realize that even though the Loewe hammock bag above had a similar concept, it just wasn’t the same (and whenever possible it’s best to go with what you really want over some kind of substitute).

So I should note that I obviously have a favorite type of bag and these kinds of bags make up 4 out of the 5 on my “Best” list: it’s the bag with both top handles and a long shoulder or crossbody strap. I love the convenience of these bags because it makes it easy for me to grab things from my bag by holding on to the handles or I like to sometimes carry it on my arm by the handles, but when I want to go hands-free, I can sling the bag over my shoulder. I have other favorite bags, like my classic Chanel flaps (which I use only when going out or special occasions), my Balenciaga work bag (for when I need to carry a lot of stuff), and my Longchamp nylon bags (for travel). But these bags are not my most used bags, instead they each have their specific use case scenario. So of course take this best and worst list with a grain of salt but in general I can attest to the quality of Celine bags (or at least old Celine bags), and would not recommend the Goyard totes, trendy Gucci bags, or delicate Valentino bags.

{Januaury 2022 Update: Here are my best and worst luxury purchases as of 2022, and I also did it for 2021.}

Fendi Small By The Way Bag Review {Updated August 2022}

I’m not really a fan of Fendi. I’ve never liked their fashion/style (ick their F logos) nor their traditional specialty (fur). But 4-5 years ago, when this By The Way Bag was introduced by Fendi I fell in love. It didn’t matter what the designer brand was, I loved the style and simplicity (it almost look like it could be a Celine bag no?). Anyway I purchased this bag back in 2015 (at $500 off retail, but still at about $1300). A lot, I know but I loved that bag and waited for a year for it to finally go down in price. Also I should mention this is one of the few bags I’ve ever purchased new (that’s how much I wanted it).

And I’ve carried this By The Way (BTW) bag consistently for 3 years now and it’s probably the most used bag in my arsenal. It’s also one of the oldest, and it’s a testament to how great of a bag it is considering how quick I am to sell bags that I don’t find useful anymore.

So it’s a surprise that I’ve never thought about reviewing it on the blog yet. It’s probably because this bag never really took off and became a trendy “it” bag (but that’s also why I love it so much too—it’s obscure). Also when a bunch of new things are constantly entering the closet, the really old stuff sometimes get forgotten. But I would be doing a disservice to the bag if I didn’t review it and let you guys all know about it (especially now that it’s been out for so long and you can find some really really good deals on this bag used like the one linked above).

Some of the things I love about this bag are:

~ (ok this is the best thing about the bag) The handle straps that can be folded down flat against the bag to give it a sleek shape when carrying it crossbody. I usually carry my bags over my shoulder or crossbody but I like having the option of top handles, especially when I need to peer into the bag to get something. Most of my crossbody bags like my Celine Nano Belt (reviewed here) and Celine Soft Cube bag (reviewed here) have handles that stick out or flop down, which isn’t a problem. But this BTW bag handles are so discrete and yet so useful!

~ I’ve always loved the boston bag shape (rectangular bottom with a simple shape and two top handles). But this bag doesn’t look like your classic boston bag (think of Gucci’s Boston Bag or Dior’s Boston bag).

~ That classic shape also allows it to hold a lot of stuff. The top is slightly narrower than the base so the bag feels unobtrusive, yet because of the great rectangular base it can way more than you think! This is probably one of my larger crossbody bags that can fit the essentials and then some.

~ The leather is super durable (well the one I have is the smooth leather) and this is the bag I take on rainy days. No water spots ever. Plus it’s fully zippable so nothing inside gets wet.

~ Speaking of the inside, the bag is separated into three compartments. There’s a middle zipper one, perfect for small items and things you don’t want to lose ever. And then there’s two larger compartments that can hold your sunglass case or your larger wallet. One of the side also has pockets in the lining (though it can’t fit your iPhone). And then the whole thing can be zipped up securely with the main zipper compartment.

~ Because of the adjustable crossbody strap and the flatable top handles, there are a lot of ways to carry this bag. Over your shoulder with a shortened strap, crossbody with the longer strap, hand held, or push one side down flat and pop the other for a cool clutch (like the runway models below but I have to say I have never once carried it this way).

Large size

small size

After three years of using and owning this bag here are some of the negatives I’ve learned:

~ The strap that the BTW comes with is great because the snaps make it fully adjustable. But for me, my hair kept getting stuck in them and it would end up pulling my hair out. No thanks, I need all the hair I can keep! So I ended up switching it with a different strap and it was no big deal.

~ There are no feet on the bottom of this bag so you have to be kind of careful where you set it down. Seriously feet would have made this bag near perfect in my eyes.

~ After 3 years of use and abuse the corners of the bag have started to indent in. But that doesn’t really bother me, it’s just a sign that this bag has been well used (plus have you seen the corners of my Everlane Day Market Tote? If I can handle that, I can handle anything. Well except when the corners start getting holes in them—ahem I’m looking at you Goyard St. Louis bags and Longchamp Le Pilage bags. The flatable handles of the BTW bag will also start bending with use but there’s no popped stitching or other wear on them.

So if you compare my pros and cons list, you can see that the pros far outweigh the cons (even 3 years later). So now you can see why I’ve kept this bag around as a workhorse. Seriously there couldn’t be a more practical crossbody bag for me out there, so I’ll excuse the fact that it’s a Fendi, lol.

As I mentioned above, because this style was never super popular and because it’s 4 years old you can find some major deals on this bag at my favorite online consignment store: Fashionphile. Here are the current ones available. Like I said in the beginning I currently have the black one in a small but I’m really loving the larger one in dove gray, which is priced at less than half of what I bought my black one for! So tempting but I will wait for now.

Anyway this bag really lives up to its name. Not flashy and almost an afterthought. Like “by the way, this is an awesome, minimal and useful bag!”

{August 2022 Update: This Fendi By the Way bag is officially the oldest and most used bag in my collection. I first wrote this post 4 years ago and by then it was already 4 years old. And this 8 year old bag still looks good and functions great. In fact, it made it to the number 6 position in my bag rankings (6 out of 23). It’s funny I love this bag so much since I’m not really a fan of Fendi, but I plan to never sell this bag, ever!}