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Purses for leather snobs?

Fendi Selleria line.
Soft but not fragile, and very lightweight. I find Vintage Coach buckets too heavy.
I have a hobo bag from 2006, still going strong and a bucket from 2016 which I use less. Both are hand stitched, have practical inside pockets and aren’t froufrou.
Hobo
Bucket

I’m not a purse snob at all and don’t really like “designer” anything. But I appreciate good leather and tend to carry the same purse for all occasions until it literally falls apart. I’ve found Fossil does the job and is a decent quality for a not outrageous price.

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i think it needs to be kept in mind that many maker handbags are counterfeited. I suspect there are web sites on how to detect fake from real if shopping via Ebay etc.

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Not mentioned yet that I know is Fossil. I love my leather Fossil bags and have one that is so buttery soft. I get lots of compliments but with anything leather, it’s going to have some weight to it so I only use one in particular on occasion. The other one I have is my every day bag. It’s at least 15 years old and still going strong. I think I needed a seam restitched once and the zippers never failed.

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My husband read about a woman in his Western Horseman magazine who worked in the fashion industry in NYC then moved back to her native Texas and makes handbags from leather used to make nice chaps. He got me one (The Rebecca in a dark cordovan) and it is really a great bag. Great leather. I might have had it ten years but still use it and it has held up on numerous travels. Kinda pricey.


That being said, I am also an Ebay coach enthusiast and love my vintage Willis!!! Much, much better than the new ones.
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I hate to say this, but unfortunately I disagree. I have a wallet of theirs, and while I like the look, the edges where it rubs against my purse going in and out are peeling. It’s clearly a coated leather of some kind, and if what you are really looking for is a high-end tack type feel, this really doesn’t do it for me. I was hoping for the same. It’s fine…but I would not say it’s what you are looking for.

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This is great info! I just want my edges folded and stitched or rubbed! :sob: No more peeling plastic.

I’d rather have a bag start out a bit rustic than get tattered looking after 6 months with me. I’m hard on things. The only dry clean only clothes I own are second hand because odds are great that someone already washed that wool skirt and it still exists. Even vintage bags seem to have that plastic coating on the edges though.

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Fossil used to make quite acceptable quality, cute, leather bags at an affordable price , but the quality plummeted about a decade ago.

I agree - you can’t go wrong with vintage Coach.

You specifically want what are called Coach New York bags (the ones originally made in New York, by hand, with serial numbers). I own two, both thrift store finds, and the leather cannot be matched by anything produced today. My small satchel looks brand-new; the leather is scrumptious and soft; the bucket bag is natural leather, heavy-duty, but still scrumptious. The best part? The bucket bag was $27; the satchel was a whopping $1.95. :slight_smile:

I also own two other Coach bags; one I bought new from the Coach outlet in 2019, and though it’s cute, it’s not remotely in the same league as my others. Not worth the $345 price tag (hence, why I bought it at the outlet store). The other I got on shopgoodwill.com for $35 - it’s from the late 80s, a huge roomy tote-type bag, natural leather, great finish. I’ve carried it in the rain, it’s been scuffed and scratched, and it’s held up well. So I think as long as you get anything from the early 90s and older, you’ll love Coach.

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Roots. Made in Canada of Italian leather. I stick to stuff made of the Prince (soft) or Box (stiff) leather, and it’s just lovely. Quality far surpasses the price.

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I’d forgotten about the Goodwill site. Damn! Lots of bargains there. I’d say I don’t need any more Coach bags but they are cheaper than saddles.

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I go to the local consignment stores and buy used Coach bags. I have 3 at the moment and haven’t spent over $75 on all three, they were in good shape when I bought them and they have held up beautifully to my neglectful abuse.

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Right? I still look, even though most of them are newer and not what I want.

I have a Dooney bag that my friend found at a pawn shop. Not sure if it’s authentic, but I think it is. It isn’t their typical model; it’s a much softer leather. It’s lovely. I have a couple of other Dooney bags I’ve found at second-hand stores that I change out for. I have a white sort of small doctor bag with tassels that I use in the summer. Love it!

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Another vote for vintage Coach. My great aunt and great grandmother both collected vintage Coach bags. They gave me a couple as gifts over the years and they’re very high quality items. I’m not a purse person and like everyone else I’m a leather snob so I was really surprised at how much I liked them. I appreciate how simple they are because they go with literally any outfit. And not too expensive either!

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If you want to buy some good quality leather bags in affordable prices. I would suggest you to have a look at leather totes and handbags by Parker Clay. My personal recommendations for you is Eden Carryal and Entoto Zip Tote.

Bags made out of actual tack – Calyse

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Another vote here for Dooney and Bourke; Definitely the pebble grain leather. Had a butter yellow one for quite a long time, unfortunately a leaky pen did it in…Now sporting a red one, love love it. In addition to their regular website, check out I Love Dooney website also. Worth noting: the unstructured shapes - hobos, sacks, etc seem to be softer to me. They have great colors.

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I just bought the loveliest tote from GoForthGoods. It’s an unlined tote with beautiful supple leather. The bags are made in Georgia, which is a plus for me as I really try to buy things made in the USA if possible.

wow those are some nice items, The overnighter / carry on calls me

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