This Is The Best Everyday Bag On This Earth If You’re Over 40, Very Practical, But Also Very Chic
It only took us three decades to find.
by Carolyn Firestone
Wanna try something fun?
Take a guess as to why all these very simple outfits look soooo good.
Ok, now why do all of these look less good and more frumpy?
Image from Joom
Image from Pinterest
It’s the bag. Right?
But not just the bag – the crossbody bag. There is something about that crossbody that is just PART of the outfit. And 99% of the time, it’s the best part. The most flattering part. The part that makes the outfit.
And I’m not one to typically go off on designer bags. I always thought either you buy a staple one that’s cute and sensible and matches everything, maybe on sale somewhere like Madewell. Or you splurge on something stand-out and gorgeous and not super practical that you carry like 6 days a year.
This is probably why, most days, my outfits end up being about 20 degrees less chic and 20 degrees more boring than I hoped for.
Doesn’t matter how many creamy sweaters and meticulously selected jeans I shuffle myself into, it all kinda falls flat on my way out the door. I’ll even show you what I almost wore out the door today.
But notice how I said “almost.” The reason I’m not sporting my usual lost-in-a-crowd ensemble is because I recently found a bag that sort of, let’s say, saved me from myself.
And here it is:
Of course, it’s crossbody. Of course, it’s soft and spacious and supremely comfortable. Of course, it’s stunning all on its own. And matches everything, etc. etc.
But here’s the part that made this a bag I actually talk about to friends and pitch articles about to my editor, that’s right, no brand is paying me a penny to write about this. I bought it with my own precious dollars. And unlike with some stupid things I’ve splurged on, I have no regrets.
Here’s the entire reason:
It makes every single outfit I wear look 300% better. Every. One.
Just look at my sad schoolmarm outfit from above but with this bag.
Better?
So the details are that it’s called the Moyen Messenger from a brand called Clare V. Maybe you know about them? They’re sitting in this totally in-between spot for women who don’t want another boring, cheap bag and who actually have good taste, but who also aren’t willing to spend $2k on designer.
Clare V. makes many artful, surprising, and very beautiful things, but their bags also feel a bit like magical little “solutions.”
They’re sort of like clothes in that it’s more like you’re wearing them than just dragging them behind you. They wrap around you and are comfortable, which is a weird way to describe a bag, I know, but it’s true, and it matters. In fact, I’m officially announcing (to myself, cause no one cares) that I will no longer buy a bag with stupid short handles that I can’t swing over my neck and have complete and total use of my two hands.
This one swoops across your body and sits on the hip for the most glorious hand-to-wallet reach.
The soft slouchy shape almost curves along my side, which makes it feel like I’m not carrying anything at all. My personal dream. Also, it gives me a bit of a waist when I wear slouchy things, which is pretty nice.
The body is made of a soft buttery leather, but it doesn’t feel at all flimsy or like you’re gonna knick it the second you toss it into your passenger seat. I feel like I can be my usual sloppy, heavy-handed self, plopping it all over the place, and it will carry on lasting and looking new.
Also, because the design is sort of trend-proof, I don’t worry about it going out of style. And it’s almost like an optical illusion the way I can cram my copious amounts of crap into it, and it still never looks full.
It’s basically a really chic clown car.
Here is mine with a good 4 inches of depth left after being packed for the day.
There is also a petite version that’s surprisingly spacious, but more suited to be a special event/ occasion bag.
The messenger comes in too many colors and textures to make a rational decision about which one to buy. But I will say this: while the idea of owning 37 bags to perfectly match to my outfit each day sounds nice in theory, in the cold, hard reality of my rushed life and inner laziness, I’d really rather just own this bag in 2-4 colors and never have to think about it again. In fact, I ended up buying it in black and tan, and they’re now the only bags I reach for. I switch them out daily, using this life-changing technique. But I mostly do so just for fun because the colors are practically interchangeable and match almost everything I wear. For example…
Spot the difference?
And look, I realize you’ll have to take my word on this, but I am not one to spend a small fortune on a bag. Any bag.
But then I thought of how often I’ve scooped up some $60 purse that turned out to be made from some peely plastic and that never brought me an ounce of joy or improved my wardrobe in any way. After 35, I started to make more thoughtful choices when it comes to the things I wear EVERY SINGLE DAY, unlike splurging on a dumb skirt I wear 4 times a year. I did the math, and this bag cost me $1.32 a day to have by my side for a full year. And within that year, I haven’t even thought to buy another bag. And I plan on wearing it for years to come. So for me, it was all worthwhile.
Ultimately, finding one bag that did this much to improve how I dress daily made it suddenly make sense to me why all those fashion editors (ours included) always say that a bag is one of a limited selection of things we’ll actually feel good about investing in.
It swings and settles itself alongside us through frantic airports and cramped coffee lines and fancy restaurants and stale doctor’s offices. It’s basically a chic sidekick that brings order to all our precious garbage and makes us look styled on days we don’t feel like putting in an ounce of effort.
And this is definitely the best sidekick I’ve ever invested in.
Word of warning: everything sells out constantly, so if you see your favorite, snatch it up. Some colors just never come back.
Price: $435 - $485
CAROLYN FIRESTONE
Carolyn is a freelance writer and editor. Her favorite thing to do is to write about her favorite things, especially when they have even the slightest chance of making someone else’s something (mood, relationship, travel plans, or toiletry kit) a little better. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
