Eight Bags That Earn Their Price Tag
We tested bags for a year. These are the ones that still look good, and the ones that taught us something.
A bag is the one accessory you handle every day, and the price tags do not always reflect that. We spent a year carrying eight, and we paid attention to the things that matter in the end: how the handles wear, how the lining ages, how the zip behaves in the rain.
What held up. The ones with simple construction: a single piece of leather, a strong strap and nothing to break. The best performer, a plain tote in vegetable-tanned leather, now looks richer than when it arrived.
What did not. Anything with too many hardware details. Metal chains tarnished, magnetic closures lost their grip and one very pretty clasp snapped in week nine.
What to look for. Check the stitching at the strap, where the stress is greatest. Open the bag and look at the lining; if it is thin and flimsy, the rest probably is too. And pick it up empty: if it already feels heavy, it will be unbearable full.
A good bag should be a little plainer than you want it to be. It will thank you in five years.
Written by
Imogen Vale
Fashion director. Writes about tailoring, the economics of getting dressed, and why most people already own enough.
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