My “Perfect” Purse FAIL!
So my “perfect” purse is a piece of crap! I used it once or twice prior to gearing it up for my new job last week. Pssht! The moment I walked in the door the strap broke. “No problem, I know a repair guy!” I thought, foolishly! I also foolishly thought it was leather because inside it said “Genuine Quality” or some garbage like that. UGH! Sadly, repair guy said it’s made of vinyl, also showed me other spots it had torn or were about to (I’m assuming from just the one day’s use since I’d inspected it the day before and found no issues at all). He said it wasn’t repairable or even worth the effort.
The purse was perfect because the strap was the perfect length and the pockets are just right and in the right places but the closure is so cool! The repair guy said I should contact the company who made it (Relic) and send them pictures of it. He said it was shoddily made and really cheap materials. Funny, that tag inside said, “The finest materials!” I write to Relic and explain (minus the swear words) and they want me to pay for shipping to and from plus prove that I paid for it and it has to be within the last year, which was how I began the letter, “I bought this great purse over a year ago…” UGH!
So, hey, don’t buy their stuff. They suck! Their product sucks, despite it’s looks and “quality” promising and their warranty/customer service policy, while standard, left me feeling cold and unwanted. As a customer service guru myself (ask around), I take personal offense to this type of corporate bullshit! Hiding behind policy and not caring about one customer when you have so many…I know that the companies I have worked for, even some corporate giants, they cared about their customers. All of them! They stood behind their reputation for customer service and I mine!
I may take this sad sack to someone and see if they can make me a clone in real leather or if they could recommend a better material all together. I’d rather do something sustainable and not cruel if I can, but I need it to last a good long time! Y’all know I don’t have the moolah to go back to my old obsessive handbag hunt! Whew! Because I stopped when I found this bag! I found the “perfect” bag and stopped searching. How awful that I am so devastated by it’s failure now! Ugh! *ShakesFist*
Any recommendations on affordable materials for a close of my late, though not-so-great-after-all, purse?
I admire you for admitting that the bag didn’t work out. Some of us (like me) would just slink off into a corner, cursing ourselves for our foolishness in buying something so flimsy, and never tell anybody.
I don’t know your budget or your tastes, but I’ve had some good luck buying bags at the Home Shopping Network (hsn.com). Although the shipping fees can be a bit steep, you can return an unsatisfactory product for a full refund within 30 days. Most items are reviewed, so you can tell if others have run into problems. Clearance prices are usually pretty good.
Mulberry: Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll have to check it out!
Ask my mom… she makes purses out if cloth that are very well made.
Roro: OOh! Thanks!
Purses: for me it’s one of two styles–messenger, with a fold-over flap of some sort, or a hobo bag that will cling close to me and be slouchy–I also have to have cordoura or canvas, because I put decorative pins on my bags with nrrrrrd stuff on it–yes, I know it looks like a bag that could belong to a 12 year old girl, I don’t care. My nerd flag never flies on my body because I can’t afford expensive t-shirts, so it’s always on my purse.
(also, never use 1-inch buttons on stuff like this–1-inch buttons always pop off and they’re freaking ANNOYING because they pop of so easily. I had an ex buy me a ton of 1-inch buttons then get angry when I didn’t put them on my purse. I did, and low and behold, 2 weeks later most of them had fallen off or been ripped off because they sit further away from the material than 1/2 inch pins–which are the only type I use. I usually get custom ones made with my fandoms on them.)
that said, unless it says ‘genuine leather’–and you will be able to tell, it has a very…leathery smell, like an expensive wallet, it’s not real leather. Sorry. It’s why I stick to canvas. Lots of purses say “genuine” or “genuine materials” but most leather-look stuff is just pleather or cheap plastic.
My current purse is actually a hobo bag with a short strap. I like it because it fits my journal but it’s hard to look into it, or get stuff in or out of it, it’s mostly like a bag of holding–small opening, fits lots of stuff in, but not so great for perusing what I have. It also doesn’t have much in the way of internal organizers(one zipper pocket, 2 useless ‘cell phone’ pockets on the opposite side of the zipper one), so I’m switching soon.
To a timbuk2 Freestyle—it’s meant for holding netbooks, I’m going to try it out and see if it’s obnoxiously huge or weird for everyday use–I do like it, but I know my parents will be after me about how it’s more like a hiker’s bag than a lady’s bag. I got it on sale at Timbuk2 because they’re clearancing out some of their pre-made bags that haven’t sold so well. They also had a the click messenger–that’s meant to be a sachel/purse of sorts, but only closes with velcro, which I don’t like.
Besides that I just sort of drift from purse to purse. I like hobo styles but none of them have a light-colored liner(it’s so dark in there, i can’t seee!), nor do they have a halfway decent set of pockets(timbuk2 bags come with a standard organizer on one side, not to mention they really benefit from things like bags in a bag–where you can organize stuff by use–like a journal zipcase–with pockets on the outside for pens). Some I’ve had, and the buckle slips or it just looks too large for everyday use. One–I actually loved, but I can’t justify continuing to use it–it’s a Dickies overnight bag.
Yes, overnight bag, but it’s just a huge cavernous bag–with lots of structure from the thick canvas. I’ve worn off the print in one area, but I used to use it back in college to carry books and purse stuff at the same time.
Really, I loved it, and it was probably the most expensive purse/bag I’ve ever owned until I bought a Timbuk2 bag–like $20. I still have it in my closet and use it sometimes, it’s just too large for me to use in some places(you can literally smuggle a baby in it).
I am still looking for the ideal purse, but I think a lot of times my ideal fluctuates depending on my daily activities–I know if I regularly commuted to say, a tech job, I’d need a messenger-style for lunch and clothes and things. Right now I have a bag that I use for work–I forget the brand, but it’s a big brown slouchy canvas bag with wide cotton webbing straps that holds my scanner, folders, my notes book for keeping track of hours–but I have to keep my purse in the trunk of my car anyways, so this bag is basically my essentials for work at American Greetings.
basically, my biggest problem is always size. I use a journal–and I always have a journal, that’s around 8×11″–plus other notebooks. My purse needs to fit at least that. I have a Dooney and Burke bag that I’m keeping for when I need to look professional, but it doesn’t fit my journal, so I never use it. Future bags will be required to hold a knitting-in-progress pouch for when I ride with someone else and need to keep my hands busy. Other future bags will also require enough pockets to carry my various tech charging supplies. Really, everyone is different–the best thing to do is make a list of essentials, a list of things you’d like, and start deciding the things you hate after that–purses you could never use, and maybe just bite the bullet and have one made, or keep your eyes open for a design you’d like.
A tough canvas style can’t be that much to have made. I know someone had a ninja turtles backpack made for them–to their measurements, for like $30.
I had the strap break on a perfect purse for me. It sucks. And I so know what you mean about strap length. That’s an important thing for me, too. I’m kind of a Goldilocks when it comes to purse straps: I don’t like them too long or too short. They have to be just right.
If you like the purse, see if a repair person can make a new strap of leather or other material for it, the same length as the original strap. That’s what I did when my purse strap broke. It didn’t quite look the same as the original strap, but I liked the shape of the bag so much, and it had just the right amount of space for my stuff, so I wanted to use the bag for a little while longer.
I’ll also share my purse recommendation. I love Queen Bee Creations, seen here: http://www.queenbee-creations.com/items?category_id=50 They’re handmade vinyl purses, messenger bags, diaper bags, makeup bags and wallets. They have a small selection of cloth and canvas bags, too. The woman who makes them has scaled down her catalog in the past year or so, largely due to our failing economy and the fact that it’s hard to maintain an internet business. But she still makes a lot of good stuff, a little on the pricey side, but it’s all handmade, so you’re supporting an independently owned business. I love her small tote bags, which are the perfect size and strap length for me.
thirtiesgirl: Those bags are lovely, I think I’ve oggled them before, but far outside of my price range. Thanks so much though.
I don’t have really good luck with bags either. Even when I shell out for something a little more expensive… I usually get burned!
I have had good luck with ASOS bags. Full price they are expensive, but if you keep an eye out on the clearance section, you can get great deals. $150 purse for $20? Yes please.
Old Navy has surprisingly stylish, cheap and long lasting purses too. I’ve had one that I got as a gift THREE YEARS AGO and I was carrying it several times a week. The fabric finish started coming off a few months ago, but it still looks pretty good until you get really close.