Remember when a purse was just a container for things when you were out?

I am about to turn on most of my female friends when I post this one. When did the great American woman purse turn into an “investment piece”? I heard that Michelle Obama did not carrying a purse on her trip to London and meeting the Queen. I say, BRAVO! I would love to understand the First Lady’s thinking on this topic. I have a feeling that she and I probably have the same idea. A purse is cumbersome, it limits a woman, ties her down and as long as her kids are not around—why carry one?

Unfortunately, my female friends and well, a good portion of the females in America have become addicts to the designer bag. I really didn’t pay that much attention for a while and then I would hear conversations about someone’s bag being the latest thing or so hard to find. I gotta tell you, if you took away the logos and other hardware on these bags…well…dare I say this blasphemous statement…they look kinda like a bag my Grandma carried in the 60’s that was vinyl! They are big, not any more practical and just not that cool looking. Does anyone really think that Louis Vitton’s brown initial leather is attractive?

And before you go and say that I have no idea about how great these bags are I want to tell you a little story. I carry a normal or below average bag. I pride myself on trying to use as small a bag as I can get. I loved when the backpack bags came out because that was a purse I could use while holding my child’s hand to cross the street and guiding the stroller with my other baby inside it. Now that is practical. Until one of my friends pointed out that those were now out of style. Practical is never out of style. Wasting your money is always out of style. So I was happy to use the purse I wanted—I am that secure in my decisions.

Then, my Mother-in-Law saw my backpack purse hidden under the table at a nice dinner. It’s a nice one, Donna Karen even (second hand naturally). She subtly told me that she wanted to take me bag and shoe shopping. That’s code for: I hate your bag and what you wear on your feet. Unfortunately, recent years have our money going towards my children’s tuition at a private school rather than baubles for my outfits. I mean I still try to look put together, just on a budget. What struck me when we went to the high-end department stores is that even with budget not being an issue, I still had a hard time finding a great looking purse! They looked so matronly, so Nana’s handbag. I really had a hard time to find something edgy and high design without being garish. I needed something Ikea-ish. Great design, low cost and full of practicality.

That’s when the ugly status bag really hit me. And now I hear that some people RENT these status bags. You rent a car, a summer retreat…not a purse, people! And on some level it is recycling in a way, but I am just way to hard on a handbag to return it for my full deposit. So here is the funny thing. I have two bags, but I barely use them. I take them out for a nice night out or if I am going into a status situation—sorority alum meeting or a mom’s dinner,but that’s it. I have my daily black leather barrel bag with some buckles that I got at GW for less than $5. Goodwill is an awesome place to get a new bag. Real leather, nice modern styles at good prices and recycling too.

I think what the crime really is the money that is being spent for a stupid handbag. We talk green, we talk not wasting resources, but it seems the conversation stops at conspicuous consumption. These bags cost more than the contents inside the bag! They are often unattractive, and so we all know why people buy them really—status. But while we are all in a big keeping up with the Jones game, we fail to realize what a ridiculous waste of money all of this is. So let’s have a meeting, Women of America and beyond. Stop buying these bags that get stolen, wear out before seeing a “return on your investment” and let’s stop being the pawn in the fashion game. Go back to the normal, sturdy, practical handbags of yesteryear and let’s invest in our family, our kids education, saving the world—whatever. What’s your bag about this issue? Glad I bagged that issue.

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