Why yes, I did fall off the face of the earth, but we’ll get back to that another day, okay? (And don’t anyone text me or call my cell; the sweet Knight hooked it up to the charger for me last night, and guess where it still is?!)
Among other things, I’ve been playing with small bags. I’ve found I can’t wear them AS crossbodies, but luckily, most straps can be shortened so that they are more like wee shoulder bags.
I don’t have personal, in-use photos, but here’s a review of the most recent ones I’ve used.
Wallet on a string type, by Rosetti, a birthday gift from Ruth. As I stated above, I used the adjustable strap feature to make it a very short strap, double-thick.
Pros:
Yellow IS a neutral. Other than Ruth’s friend (Bonnie, maybe?) who assured her it was true when Ruth was shopping for me, who knew?! But this bag never clashed with anything and made me a believer that this IS a style for me.
I didn’t think I liked organizer features, but I do. I liked having a place for everything and everything in it.
iPhone fit in that front pocket happily.
Sissy-friendly. It’s a synthetic material, so drool on, wipe off.
Cons:
The window ID slot is also in that front pocket, so I still had to pull my ID out. Not a fan of that and see the next item…
My Vera ID thingee was too bulky to be an effective solution. Back in my college days, that Vera ID thing would have been the bomb. Now, it’s just a bomb, although MJ uses hers as her coin/cash purse and just grabs that to make the lunch run.
Next up is a discontinued Vera handbag that Grace gave me for my birthday. (Style name: Oliva. Other items in the fab Slate Blooms pattern can be found here.)
Pros:
The colors. Regulars know I’m a brown girl. In fact, I still need a new dressy LBD – little BROWN dress – to update my new me sized wardrobe. This is one Vera Pattern that never clashes, and since (this post aside) I am not a fan of changing bags to match my outfit, that’s important.
Along the same lines, even though it’s fabric, the pattern is such that it’s Sissy-friendly enough.
Shape. I LOVE the shorty handle. Sweaty armpits be damned… I like a bag tucked up tight. I don’t like something I have to keep track of. Despite going to college in DC and traveling enough that I’m not a total country bumpkin, I am not good about being really aware of my personal items in crowds, so best to just have things that already lend themselves to security.
The bows there where the stap attaches to the body of the bag. I love bows!
Cons:
Single pocket inside. Up until that little yellow number above, I really thought all I wanted was a slip pocket for my cell and another for keys, but I was wrong.
Fabric. Yeah, this particular pattern is more forgiving than a lot of Veras, but I still consider this a con, because I have worn Vera bags out, and despite the advertising, I’ve never had one wash well.
Dimensions. It’s not big enough for any of my wallets. It *IS* perfect for that ID set-up MJ uses and a very small knitting project though, so it will see plenty of use!
Next up is the Vera bag I bought myself with Vera’s birthday discount coupon. Lizzy, in Twirly Birds Navy is another small crossbody with some organization going on.
Pros:
Navy is a great neutral, especially in the summer.
The id window is IN the top flap on the front there.
It too has organizer features.
Cons:
No coin/cash places.
Fabric – see above.
Not Sissy-friendly, because the navy and white doesn’t break up that “pretty” sheen drool gets when it dries. (Hem. ‘Tis an ugly truth, but I try to be candid and real here.)
Too small for a wallet, but I was able to cram my currency in my Vera checkbook cover and I dropped my coins in the Vera ID thingee.
Next up is the Coach Chelsea large wristlet. Sorry for the lack of a photo, but evidently, Coach is quite proprietary about their stuff. It’s going to be a GREAT evening option. There are enough card slots that I hope to even remember to grab my insurance cards, which I never do now when I’m going stag. It’s large enough for the iPhone and a VERY small cosmetic bag within, and the strap gives me shoulder options too. It might even be a good travel option, dropped into a larger bag…
Last, but not least is the Tignanello Pebble Leather Wallet with removable strap. I just switched over last night, but I think this is the clean-up hitter. I got it in cognac. I wish that hot red had been available, but as much orange and pink as I wear, this is more versitile.
Pros:
Pebble leather. It doesn’t get more Sissy-friendly than that. I’d own shoes, bags, belts – EVERYTHING – in pebble leather if I could.
That pocket? The iPhone JUST fits in there, and being leather, even lined, it will stretch enough that soon I won’t be holding my jaw funny while I snap it closed. (But it does STAY closed… BIG plus!)
One of the zippered center compartments opens “flat” so I have TWO ID windows that display perfectly. (I slid my Junior League scan ID card in the other one. The scanner reads over lamination, so that should work, right?)
There’s a place for everything, including a pen holder.
Cons:
While the dimensions aren’t much different than the yellow version at the top of the post, this is a serious, pack the kitchen sink wallet. Actually, that’s a pro AND a con… but I know me, and I will load that sucker up soon enough.
The strap. It’s a bulky, nice-quality, rolled leather thing. No adjusting. Right now, it’s coiled up in a LARGE slip pocket in that darling fabric tote that is my summer BFF.
A bit of silliness here, but after 6 years of french and two of Latin, I still have to ask you… how do you pronounce Tignanello?
Chan Knits 