The Vine: June 19, 2018
I had to give up my absolute favorite purse I have ever had.
Purchased when I was but a young intern in the city in 2011, it was a Brooklyn Industries large H bag, a hobo bag that was seriously bigger on the inside. Two open areas separated by a full zippered section that opened up to be gigantic with extra little compartments inside (and a few on the outside). It was a tank, held up to six years of serious use, and carried everything under the sun with ease. Sadly, they haven’t made them in years, and Googling has revealed that no one has one hiding in a warehouse somewhere.
Now I’m left staring at the purses of today that are either a big empty deep bag with no compartments or dividers, or they have plenty of compartments but aren’t big enough hold a large wallet, sunglasses, tablet, notebook, iPhone, wires, multitool, etc. etc. etc. (I’m a gal with many needs all at once).
I’m looking for a shoulder bag that fits under the arm, has at least two separate sections, and can hold the size of mini-iPad but also the bulk of many other items. I don’t want to have to dig deep in the bag to find my eating utensils (don’t ask), and I’d like to keep my pens and highlighters from mingling with my headphones.
I got something that was close that’s called a Retro Hobo Style canvas bag from Amazon, but it’s a little tight, and the zippered section is an afterthought.
I’m at the end of what I can think of, and would love some input on what purses might fit this bill, preferably in the under $150 range.
Thanks!
If Only My Eye Bags Could Carry My Life
Dear Eye,
Ugh, the tote with the undifferentiated center. I always think I can make that shit work, and I always end up, like, art-tacking a file folder into the middle so I don’t immediately lose the house keys AGAIN.
I don’t know if this guy is big enough, but the price is right and it looks like the larger H bag. Failing that, Wing and I have been obsessed with Rareform’s bags lately. The Maya might be a good fit for you, as it’s quite pockety with lots of smaller dividers inside.
And while it’s not for everyone style-wise, Vera Bradley is all about pockets and durability.
Readers, can you help?
Tags: Ask The Readers fashion and beauty what do you mean I don't need two maps a deck of playing cards and extra Band-Aids
Check out what Baggallini has. I’ve been carrying their products for years because they are all about ample pockets and portable organization. They have a nifty selection of colors as well.
I’m a fan of Ogio bags!
While I haven’t used them myself, several of my coworkers swear by TimBuk2 – you can customize a lot of the styles, and I see at least one “work tote” that boasts “essential pockets.” The ladies I know went with the completely customized messenger bag and those all seemed to wear well and had many pockets.
Crumpler bags are amazing! The Moderate Embarrassment has tons of compartments that might serve your needs. Sadly, they seem to have discontinued the Barney Rustle Blanket, which was my go-to bag for more than a decade and which sounds like it would have addressed all of your needs! (But searching for that in places where you searched for your old Brooklyn Industries bag might turn up some results!)
Have you tried ebay?
My current favorite is
eBags Piazza Daybag 2.0 with RFID Security
https://www.ebags.com/hproduct/ebags/piazza-day-crossbody-bag–20-wrfid/340526
I checked Poshmark and found this one: https://poshmark.com/listing/Brookyln-Industries-Classic-H-Bag-GUC-Vegan-5a25c722522b45cd220e0222. I’m not sure if that’s the large or not.
I’ve had my eye on this Beta Brand bag, but I’m too cheap: https://www.betabrand.com/womens/more/multi-pocket-convertible-leather-crossbody-bag-handbag.
I highly recommend any Tom Bihn bags, for anyone and everyone. Of the bags I’ve had myself, I think the Swift bag might work and has many options to customize the interior organization. There’s the newer Pop bag which is a bit more structured and bigger.
I’ve become partial to creating my own compartments – I have smaller inserts that hold various items that I just transfer from one large undifferentiated bag to another. This way it’s really easy to switch bags depending on my mood, and I don’t have everything spilling into a giant mass of tampons, chargers, lip balm, camera batteries, bandaids, etc in the bottom of my bag.
This is going to sound wacky, but have you looked at diaper bags? They come in lots of shapes and sizes, have compartments like whoa, usually have lighter-colored liners and zippers tgat go all the way around to help you find stuff, and many of them don’t even look much like diaper bags (ever since companies realized, “We can sell these to dads, too!” But that’s a rant for another day…).
Not wacky at all. I have a FCUK diaper bag that I carry as a messenger and it’s rad.
I’m hard on bags the way some kids are hard on pants–I just had to replace a nice-seeming leather one I’d picked out on my birthday because the entire lining was disintegrating, but it had that middle zippered compartment separating the two sides thing!
For summer use I got this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZPT8FM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It doesn’t have the middle divider but it’s lightweight and cute; I love the lining, and it was only twenty bucks. For upcoming fall/winter I got this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072X6S6DS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which has everything!
My biggest requirement is “can hold two regular size paperback books with ease,” because I am an old fashioned dinosaur with no Kindle.
This guy looks boss as well: https://www.amazon.com/Kattee-Womens-Vintage-Leather-Shoulder/dp/B01N3X9PUR/ref=pd_sim_193_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N3X9PUR&pd_rd_r=24b38443-7578-11e8-8b6c-a104f1cb213b&pd_rd_w=CYeCf&pd_rd_wg=j6s1V&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=7967298517161621930&pf_rd_r=5FDATV9XYSYY09BT6WG6&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=5FDATV9XYSYY09BT6WG6
Do you still have the bag, it’s just not useable anymore? Or are there good pictures online that, along with your description, are enough to recreate it? Or can you get one used online that, even if worn or the wrong color or material, is the same style (a search for “brooklyn industry bag” on eBay turns up several potential matches)? Take it to a seamstress or tailor and have them replicate it in the material of your choice. If you want leather, you may have to go to a leatherworker. If you don’t have anyone suitable locally you can find plenty of people on Easy who would be willing to take on such a commission.
Alternatively, this pattern is supposed to be very close to the H bag, and is $9 on easy – you could take it to a seamstress or tailor: https://www.etsy.com/listing/72649314/quilted-handbag-sewing-pattern-with?ref=shop_home_feat_4
Finally, I saw some references online to a lifetime guarantee from BI – if you still have the bag, is going through them for repairs an option?
Nation! OP here, with the update! There are tears in my eyes as I type this, but somehow, today, I opened up Ebay again, and there was my exact bag! Same color, same design, it had *just* been put up, and I snagged it! I’ve been searching for so long, and believe you me, some of these bags are now in the Amazon wishlist for the future, but I’m just so happy!