My wishlist of handbags is ever-changing—there’s always a classic that I’ve been lusting after forever or a new, trendy bag that I can’t get my mind off of. I change my mind and find a new handbag to obsess over, like, every ten minutes, so I’m not kidding when I say it’s ever-evolving. Some people save to buy a house, some may save for a nice dinner: I save for handbags and I pretty much always buy pre-owned.

Qualifications to make my super-prestigious handbag wishlist:

Easy to open, easy to carry
Durable, scratch-resistant leather that’s easy to maintain
Classic, not super trendy, and easily recognizable to handbag lovers
Usually black

Handbag Wishlist | January 2018

Chanel Caviar Leather New Mini Rectangle Classic Flap Bag

chanel-caviar-quilted-mini-rectangular-flap-black-00RR — photo by fashionphile

There’s a thing in the handbag community called your HOLY GRAIL bag, which is basically the #1 bag you want forever that you dream about and can’t stop thinking about and, well, it’s your holy grail. This is MY holy grain.

I’ve been wanting a goddamn Chanel bag since I was a little girl. Alas, they are very, very expensive. Like many handbag addicts, I have been known to impulsively buy bags, then sell them when I fall out of love. Years ago, I purchased a vintage Chanel camera bag on Yoogi’s Closet. It was beautiful, but something about it wasn’t perfect. I cleaned it up and sold it for the same amount I bought it for on a Facebook group for designer handbag lovers.

As you might recall from my YSL WOC review, I have a hard time with the Chanel WOCs because of the strap length. I’m only 5’1″ and I prefer to wear bags as crossbody style, so I need a shorter strap. I also want a bag that’s not fussy to get into (i.e. NOT a double flap). Even though I LOVE the Boy’s look, I tried on Boy bags and found that the press/pinch lock was hard for my little hands to get into.

The New Mini just seems like the perfectly little crossbody of all the Timeless Classic bags. The single flap style opens with just the turn of the iconic CC lock, and it has just enough space for the things I need to carry (keys, phone, card case, 1 or 2 lipsticks, and my Port & Polish pill box). I also really like the crossbody only option. Ideally, I want Caviar leather, because sometimes I’m kind of rough on my bags and pebbled is much more durable than lambskin.

Maybe for my 30th birthday…

Givenchy Mini Antigona Bag

This adorable structured crossbody has been on my mind since the Antigona first came out. I love the small Antigona, but I think the Mini is more practical for my lifestyle (I love a crossbody–I like to have both hands available and to travel light at all times). Plus, the grained goatskin leather is so beautiful (and scratch resistant).

Gucci Mini Antigona in grained goatskin leather, available for $1790 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Valentino Rockstud Grain Mini or Small Tote or Crossbody Bag

I’ve always had a thing with studs from my adolescent obsession in punk rock (and punk rock fashion). I honestly can’t believe I don’t own one of these bags already. I just want a simple black bag with metal studs–that doesn’t seem like too much to ask for, and it’s something that Valentino has mastered.

Gucci Black Leather Dionysus Bag

For those of you that have an interest in weird handbag facts and history: the Dionysus is most well known for its giant metal horseshoe looking emblem, which is actually supposed to be a tiger head. The tiger head apparently references the Greek god Dionysus, who is said to have crossed the river Tigris on a tiger sent to him by Zeus. Obviously. It also has Swarovski crystals for a lil extra bling. The Mini or the Small Dionysus in black leather is on on my list, since I obviously have a type.

Gucci Dionysus Mini Chain Bag (style number 401231) available for $1450 at Gucci
Gucci Dionysus Small Shoulder Bag (style number 400249), available for $2650 at Gucci

Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini Bucket Bag

Full disclosure, I already have two Mansur Gavriel bucket bags, that’s how much I like them. I went on an obsessive hunt for a black with Argento lining (so far as to track someone down on PurseForum and buy it from her), and now it sits lovingly in the corner of my room, waiting for me to take it outside. I’ll do a review of it soon, but for now I’ll just say that I want ANOTHER ONE in a smaller size.

Accessories + Small Leather Goods Wishlist

My obsession with handbags was handed down to me by my grandmother. She once told me that the more organized your handbag was, the more organized your life was. I’m not sure if that statement is true, but I took it to heart.

I’ve had large handbags that turn into a large abyss of lost candies and pens with no caps, but in the last few years I’ve started to acquire small leather goods (zip pouches, mostly), to organize my chaos and indecision on what lipstick I want to wear. I have a Louis Vuitton Black Leather Simple Card Holder for credit cards and IDs, a Louis Vuitton Black Epi Leather Key Pouch for coins and cash, a Pine + Boon mini pouch for tech accessories, and my Port and Polish pill box.

But, because of capitalism, there’s always something else I want. Here’s the list of small leather goods I’m currently coveting: