Issue 25: Four Handbags You Should Consider Buying (So I Don't Have To)
Something old, something new, something under £20 and something pink.
Handbags at Dawn (@h4ndbagsatdawn) is trying to be a fortnightly newsletter dedicated to those who (want to) know what a minaudière is.
I’m emerging out of what feels like a months-long haze, a time that was spent on contemplating, sorrowing and shopping in an attempt to turn that frown upside down. And in that process, I totally lost any will to write, entertain or tell stories on the internet, instead turning insular while I wait for something to change. And here we are, over a year has gone by since the last newsletter and not much has changed – except I’ve now seen every season of US Survivor and consumed all compilations of best moments from old RHONY known to man. Oh, I’ve also continued collecting (khm buying khm) more and more handbags. So much so, I’m at a point where my loving boyfriend is seriously considering moving out as the towers of handbags scattered around our flat await their collapse. And who can blame him?
I know it’s been said so many times (including this riveting yet stressing-me-out piece on The Cut), but shopping should not anyone’s main source of joy – even when it feels like it’s the only thing that can bring a bit of excitement into one’s life. And I write this while trying to resist the 25% discount on Chopova Lowena’s online store by refreshing this gorgeous cardigan in the hopes it sells out before I press purchase.
However, I’m not here to stop you from shopping. I’m here to stop myself from shopping. So I thought, what feels almost as good as buying a bag? Sending a link to your pal who shares the obsession and then seeing them wear that recommendation IRL. While I let my career as a personal stylist marinate a bit more, Handbags at Dawn has always been a platform for releasing my own obsessions into the world. But instead of me spending my own money, I’m giving an opportunity to you, the lovely reader, to spend your own hard-earned cash and bring both of us some joy. Honestly, if I could get a penny for every time a friend gave me a loose description of a bag they wanted and I sent back a Google Doc spreadsheet filled with links… well I’d have enough pennies to get something fun and vintage on eBay. SEE! I just can’t help myself. So can you please help by indulging in my recommendations as I share with you the four gorgeous girlies worth investing in. Some are a bit spenny, others are a real bargain – but please just buy them so I don’t have to.
HAPPY SHOPPING!
Something old: vintage Miu Miu, £195 (or Best Offer) via eBay
The resale market is rife with extortionately-priced Miu Miu bags – especially if you’re attempting to head into the sporty, Oakley-esque direction from the mid-1990s. But there are still some deals to be made in the Miuccia-verse! For those of us on the hunt for some sparkle, Miu Miu has you covered with a whole generation of classic shapes embellished with glitter. The mini shoppers and shoulder bags that are part of this shiny subculture are as unassuming as glitter gets, dating to a time before oversized logos and the somewhat cumbersome Matelassé fabrications that became standard for Mrs Prada in the mid-00s and still rule her roost today. A prime example of Miu Miu’s handbag heyday is this black patent leather baby with a single acrylic shoulder strap in glitter-y silver. Consider this my idea of being minimal – a soft trapeze silhouette that doesn’t have a clear timestamp, but carries some deliciously mid-to-late-90s references. And for under £200! I tell you, I’m struggling to keep this one out of my eBay cart.
Something new: Martine Rose, £650
When I stumbled into the fashion angel (and designer behind one of this year’s Met Gala’s best looks) Martine Rose back in 2022, she was carrying a Phoebe Philo-era Chloé bag: a perfect cross-body length and a size that fits all your daily essentials without coming across as a heavy work bag. Martine’s was in black pebbled leather, embellished with some solid hardware; I ended up sourcing a red one that quickly became a real favourite of mine. And while that baby is currently on hiatus due to a broken zip (the Handbag Clinic quoted me a whooping £200 for a repair), I found a strong contender for a new replacement. Evidently, Martine was just as enamoured with the bag as I was, because the Chloé from AW03 somehow found its way to her moodboard for SS25. Cue, the Bondage Bag – a wonderful rectangular silhouette with an adjustable strap that can easily transform from shoulder into cross-body. Adding her own subversive twist, Martine’s take features c*ck-ring-esque loops and a chic bottom compartment that will hold all your secrets. Considering all the fine design elements and the evergreen nature of this future classic, I’d say its pricepoint is pretty competitive in the context of designer handbags.
Something under £20: vintage Barratts, £10 via Vinted
As someone who is always on the hunt for a bargain on the resale market (i.e. a seller not knowing what YSL stands for), I squeal when I find a bag that feels like a vintage dupe of an iconic piece. You know, we might critique fast fashion brands for shamelessly copying designers today, but the high street has always found ways to reflect high-end brands with a heavy signature. The aforementioned squealing hit its peak when I scrolled past this darling, clearly reminiscent of Prada’s legendary bowling bags from the 2000s (debuted in SS00, reimagined as travel bags for their men’s AW25 show). Labeled as ‘Barratts Handbags’, it’s a piece of British high-street history, executed in an unexpected colour combo that feels quite representative of Miuccia’s essence. Similarly, the mix of satin and pleather (or is it leather?) builds on this idea of eclectic luxury. I wouldn’t be shocked if a similar mini version ended up on Prada’s catwalks sometime soon so why not invest £10 into this one before someone else does?
Something pink: Camper, £545
In case you’re not an avid Handbags-at-dawner (let’s workshop a name for all the millions of fans that are/will be reading this newsletter), my IG has been recording a gruesome process of deciding on which from my closet is the perfect work bag as I take them out for a spin on my teaching days at LCF. The only prerequisite for a piece to enter this tight competition is that it has to fit a laptop – someway, somehow. With my last lecture coming up this Wednesday, I will soon be collating all the data and releasing a much-anticipated research paper aka an issue of this newsletter dedicated to ranking them. But for now, I present to you a potential future contender in the form of the Camperlab Spandalones pink pony (club) tote bag. In my eyes, it pays homage to Chappell Roan and you can even match it with a pair of boots, which yes, I already own. The bag’s square shape feels like an evolution of the Telfar shopper, with a shorter shoulder strap in place of a long cross-body. There are also no closures, beyond the single inside pocket, which I’d usually find annoying but in this case it somehow works. Clean and simple, if a tad overpriced. Bare in mind that Camper is notorious for its frequent flash sales so add it to your favourites and keep a close eye – it was already on 50% off during the recent Camperlab archive sale which would make it an even easier purchase.
where is that chopowa lowena sale <3333 please send link!!
Please, no more!