New Year’s Resolution #1: Weight Reduction
No, une femme isn’t talking about the latest Hollywood weight loss regime (rumored to be based on tequila, plankton and bee pollen) or even Oprah’s next diet. Several weeks of physical therapy for tendonitis and bursitis in my arm and shoulder have finally convinced me that I do indeed have a weight problem, but it’s the weight of my handbags that needs reducing.
I’ll never be one of those Carrie Bradshaws who can go from noon until last call toting just a Fendi baguette.
Contents-wise, the weightiest, bulkiest items in my bag are the ones absolutely necessary to my life: wallet, Blackberry, cellphone, keys, sunglasses. So it’s the bag itself that needs to be lighter.
While I could go the way of many Parisiennes and tote a Longchamp Le Pliage nylon bag,
I’m not ready to give up on some of my favorite leather bags yet. The key is to avoid heavy hardware and leather or suede lining, all of which add to the weight of the bag. I’ll be sticking to my Gerard Darel’s and Balenciaga’s (with the original smaller hardware) and my two cross-body bags.
What are some of your favorite lighter-weight bags?
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Regardless of the bag weight, it’s best to avoid carrying the bag on your shoulder. I like a bag with a handle long enough to put on my shoulder if I absolutely need both hands free, but I got away from habitually carrying my bag that way. That was advice of my chiropractor.
I fear I go with utility every time. I usually carry one of my MEC back packs. They are light and keep my hands free. I use the larger one when I need to carry indoor or gym shoes and the small one totes the essentials like wallet, date book, pens, keys, cell phone, etc. When you don’t have a car and walk everywhere (in the Winter – other times I bike), practicality wins every time.
Marsi – Oh, I love the 2.55’s, but isn’t the chain heavy?
BTW, a great solution for the “bottomless pit” aspect of Le Pliage bags are Chameleon Inserts. I’ve used them with the Pliage bags and am currently using one with my Darel “24 heures” bag, which also has no interior organization.
Rita – I’ve heard that too. Is it OK to carry the bag in the crook of the elbow, or does it need to be in hand?
Fab50Plus – Yes, anytime you can replace some of the leather with nylon it helps lighten the bags. I’ll check that one out.
Kalee – you look fabulous with your Darel! Do you love it??
JuliaR – Backpacks are certainly a tempting idea at times! I’ve seen some stylish options in recent years.
Pockets, what a concept! I can slip a small zip pouch in one, and a small lipstick in the opposite. Amazing how good it feels to haul nothing!
If I must, will carry a leather bag with very minimal gear, again in a zip pouch. A big unstructured bag is the evil temptress because I will just fill away.
I have a medium Chanel 2.55 that I keep nearly empty. The wallet situation was always a problem for me, till I bought myself a men’s money clip wallet from Coach. My husband carries the same one.
It’s similar to this: http://tinyurl.com/8q4au2
Works well for me because I have only two credit cards, my license, and a few store fidelity cards, and I never carry a checkbook since no one takes checks anyway.
My cell is small; I wear my sunglasses on top of my head when they’re not on my face. I keep a couple of lipsticks, a small tin of shea butter (good as lip balm and hand cream, which eliminates the need to carry both), a small pill case, a hanky, my fountain pen, and a small Moleskine for notes. I clean it out a lot.
My bag before the Chanel was a Longchamp Pliage. I loved it, but everything kind of gets lost in it. The interior becomes one big jumble because it’s sort of big and has no dividers. Now I use it as my knitting bag.
Carrying a smaller handbag forces you to carry ONLY what you absolutely need. I never thought I’d survive without all the junk I slogged around before, but it has made me very disciplined.
Happy new year!
All of my Pradas seem light enough to me…I haven’t really had a bad heavy handbag experience, luckily!
I’m also one of those femelle who just feel they need to carry everything they might ever need in their poor sac a main! Needless to say, it’s my shoulder that takes the beating! So of late, I’ve tried to stick to bags that can go over the shoulder but also be reasonably carried as a tote.
My current favorite work bag is my Etienne Aigner Bruckner Tote. It’s a fabric bag with leather trim which makes it lighter than a leather bag but with just the right professional polish. I love it!
I find that it is not the size of the bag that kills me, but what i usually carry around in it! So before I go anywhere I clean my purse out making sure I only have what I need. Buying the Gerard Darel bag that I love so much also made me think, “I don’t really want to wear the bag out by carrying around a bunch of junk!” Usually I have my wallet, my sunglasses, lipgloss and bandaids and call it a day.
Plum color Longchamp Pliage with patent trim, from many years ago. Yes, the interior morphs into The Biggest Cavern in the World but I have used zip pouches and will now try Pseu’s Chameleon. And it’s almost vegan.
My biggest purse weight problem is my adored dinosaur, the Filofax.
I’ll check some of the bags mentioned as I’m in need of a new one. I need to pare down the contents too.
Darla
I know that recently Coach has received a lot of flak for their overdone signature bags and leather satchels, but I find that my Coach Bleeker Sophie in leather is one of the best cross-body bags ever — amazingly lightweight and durable…
http://tinyurl.com/8bbjjc
One of the best things I did was start making my kids carry their *own* stuff in a backpack or take responsibility for their own items (in hand or in pocket). While they are only 4 and 6, they should learn to take care of their own items…mom is not a pack-mule! LOL!
DejaPseu:
Happy New Year!
You reflect in this post something that has always puzzled me. How DO those women carry holdalls pretending to be handbags on the load-bearing section of their scrawny arms?
Great resolution therefore! 🙂
I did get a chance to look at some bags though and I chose a bag of a shape that my mother once had. In dark brown which looks black. Furla. Crocodile leather (my first). Small so won’t take a Netbook or a notebook so of limited use but what the heck? I had some encouragement, I can always blame others.
I still love a leather bag, my current one is by Morris B, the Adele model in black. Made in Canada, big enough for an 8 1/2 x 11 file or report if needed, simple style, no excess hardware.
My purse has to be big enough to carry my reuseable Starbucks coffee mug, wallet for cash and credit cards, sunglasses, a second wallet with driver’s licence and my motor vehicle registration and insurances, lipstick, kleenexes and I sometimes take an apple or some such snack with me.
Last year I gave up the heavy Filofax for a Blackberry, which includes a cell phone so that’s less weight. I still sometimes carry a small notebook for lists, reminders, shopping addresses, etc.
If I’m just going out in my neighbourhood for a bit of shopping I have a simple shoulder bag that is just big enough for my wallet.
My Kooba handbags and Marc Jacobs were donated to my 23 year old daughter (and graciously accepted!) who can handle the heavy bags. I purchased a bag in Belgium which is big but light (and a wonderful yellow) and a Tracy Porter bag which was of a good weight too. Take care of your body!
I think you’re on the right track limiting hardware and checking for leather linings … believe it or not, my all-time favorite, daily-use bag is by Sigrid Olsen. And she makes some fabulous designs, generally silk-lined, in supple, gorgeous leather. Confined to eBay now, I believe, as the line has gone under.
Pseu,
How about that comment tsunami over at Amy Alkon’s blog. I so appreciated your comments but had to step out of the discussion because it was just getting ridiculous.
The whole “put out or get out” line of the commentary was just amazing.
BTW, my favorite client took me to lunch today at the Grill (yummy) and she loves your blog. So does my mere.
Daffodil – yes, definitely check out the Chameleon. They’re genius for the Pliage bags!
Duchesse – ah but finding fashionable women’s clothing with functional pockets…there’s the rub!
Darla – let us know what you find.
audball – yes, my son has his backpack wherever we go, so at least he’s shlepping his own snacks, water, books, etc.
Wendyb – that’s a good thing!
Shefaly – yes, it can be a fine line between “smaller” and “too small”. The bag you’ve picked sounds quite nice. Furla makes some nice bags!
benson – exactly! The kids can keep the gargantuan bags and the 4-inch heels. I think you can be both stylish and comfortable.
Sal – I had a Sigrid Olson bag about three years ago that I loved to death. The design was cute but funtional, and the leather was excellent. It is too bad they went out of business; those bags were a good value.
Belle – yeah, interesting (and bitter and resentful) crowd at times over there. Usually I don’t have the energy. ;-p That’s so nice to hear that people you know are enjoying the blog, thanks!
That red bag is swimming before my eyes…calling to me.
I carry a Filson small field bag, but it’s probably not as light as it could be. If only someone would buy me a Canon G10 to slim it down…
Hello! I´m so sorry to write off topic Deja. The story is that my mother passed away restfully about a week ago. During her last 4 years we made some progress in our relationship. But now I´m feeling numb. There are not many people I can turn for help. Sure there is that funeral stuff and money part. I feel that I have given her much on the emotinal section. She didn´t like my hb,me,nore my daughters. Plus she hated our dogs and horses. So sorry to talk about this during Xmas times. All I want to do these days is to sleep. There has been so much to do. All I wish is some practical help!!
Thomas – I have to say since I posted it, the red bag has been calling to me too. You can’t go wrong with a Le Pliage. Very reasonably priced and they wear like iron. Sorry can’t help with the Canon. 😉
Anon – Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss. It must be quite overwhelming. Sometimes I think it’s harder to lose someone with whom we’ve had a difficult relationship, as it feels like there’s still so many unresolved emotions rolling around. Are there any grief support groups where you live? (A local Hospice organization may be able to put you in touch.) I imagine that would be a good resource and be helpful while you work through the feelings and the more mundane practical matters. Again, I’m so sorry and hope you can find some resources nearby to help you get through this time.
Thank you for your kind words! At this time I just can´t appreciate all the kind words I have received. Maybe we are about the same age, and I´d love to meet you sometimes-maybe here in Finland or in Copenhagen,which is a wonderful town! You seem such a a wonderful person,now I feel like crying…Thank you for being around. Metscan (somehow my computer did not accept my earlier comment).
This past year, I have fallen in love with Tano handbags. My favorite is the Boogie Bucket. They are lightweight leather, easy to carry (especially if you choose a style with minimal hardware), and come in gorgeous cool colors. Like other posters, I have given up my Filofax, but I must always have a book with me.
This is too funny. I scored a longchamp bag for $3 at my local thrift a few months ago and I have used it almost everyday. And today I was just thinking about how I love how light it is. I’m thinking about splurging and buying one in black. I highly recommend it!
ive got a oversized hobo bag that is so massively heavy, that it leaves red marks on my shoulder when i carry it.
the funny part is that since the bag is already so heavy, i hardly carry anything in it, which is ridiculous since its such a huge bag!