The Black Bag

Like the "little black dress", many girls also have a staple black bag in their wardrobe. For the longest time, I sadly did not. I searched high and low, and settled for the-shorter-life-span-than-a-gold-fish American Apparel or H&M versions over the years, but could never find that bag that would be the ONE. Labels didn't matter to me. Instead, it had to have a few qualities to fit the bill: leather, big but not huge (I've found that's a fine line in the handbag world), and a classic shape with no or few embellishments.

I was finally ready to just explore the shadows of Canal Street and follow one of those hustlers to whatever glorious pile of fakes they had to show me, but I never got that far. The Oak Sample Sale was calling my name Monday- I knew there wouldn't be a whole lot left since it was the last day of the sale, but something told me to go anyway. I tried on a few things that didn't work out and was ready to leave until a black bag caught my eye. I had seen it before earlier in the season but couldn't afford it...until now. Talking the salesgirl down from its already discounted pricetag (never hurts to try), I walked out with a great bag by Boyy and paid less than 25% of its original price. It's leather AND big AND basic- I win!