This Bamboo Bag (Which Is Not That Bamboo Bag) Costs $37
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I see these1950s fan-shaped bamboo bagsin vintage stores all the time. They’re often called birdcagebags, and the going rate is usuallyaround $50, though they’re usually in rickety shape from being decades old. Lots of them even come with some kind of fabric lining to keep the secrets of its contents from being exposed to the world. It’s a lovely style, adding architectural structure to abreezy spring outfit, and I’ve often admired them, so I was thrilled to find a brand-new version online madeby the brand Vintgathat costs only $40.
I know what you’re thinking — that it’s a Cult Gaia knockoff. The brand’s adorablebamboo Ark bagwas introduced in 2016 and became the hottest summer bag of 2017; it’s also more than a hundred dollars, which is not expensive for a handbag, necessarily, but certainly more than the bamboo bags coston Etsy. And while Cult Gaia has becomeproprietary over the designof the bag, the truth is that it’s actually existed for quite some time (and formuch less than $158).
So in fact my “ripoff” isn’t a ripoff at all, but a well-priced, well-made iteration of a long-standing design. The major caveat of the Vintga bag is, of course, the word “VINTGA” etched into the side of the handle (for what it’s worth, it’s only on one side, so you can turn it inward). I’ve taken to accessorizing mine with asilk scarfto add a spot of color that matches whatever I’m wearing (and somewhat obscures the letters). If you’re feeling self-conscious about whateverlipstick(orunmentionables) you’re carrying, you can use it as a makeshift lining, too.
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Writer Hannah Goldfield gotthis Baggu bag as a giftand hasn’t stopped using it since: “I’ve worn this bag almost every day: to work, on weekends, even to the occasional wedding, dressing it up and down. When circumstances demand —air travel, or an after-work event that requires a change of shoes — I carry a large tote or a backpack, and I simply tuck the Baggu, essentials undisturbed, inside the bigger one. It always fits.” —Hannah Goldfield, writer
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Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchentold us about her favorite leather tote: “I do not have very exciting or expensive tastes inhandbags; I just need a bag with a handle drop length, so I can shove it over my shoulder while wearing a puffy jacket that holds alaptop,water bottle, and all the toys my kids swear they want to play with that I get stuck carrying home. So basically, I need a black garbage bag. I’m on my second or third Madewell Transport Tote, but this most recent one, in pink (sorry, “antique rose”) — but, like, the perfect pink — is definitely helping offset the winter doldrums.”
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If you’re looking for a different kind of leather tote,Biz Lindsay of Outdoor Voices likes this Everlane version: “When it comes to versatile work bags, I always prefer the simplest option. To avoid carrying multiples, I like a large leather tote — roomy enough to carry a change of clothes and sneakers, and versatile enough to take me from the gym to the office to any plans I have afterward. Everlane’s Day Market Tote is all the right mix of things.”
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