It’s very hard not to fall in love with a bag every season. But if you want to find the one that is perfect for you, you need to consider a few things. I’m not the buy-a-new-bag-for-each-trend kind of girl. When I’m looking for something, I usually have very specific expectations and I usually take quite some time to find it. But I have never made a bad buy that I regretted or that just laid around unused.
So, before you swipe your card, think of the following:
Budget, Design, Size, Material, and Sustainability.

1. Budget

I often hear people say that they do not have the means to buy a luxury bag. So instead they buy a lesser quality product that inevitably breaks down after a while and they replace it with yet another cheap bag.
Might seem like a good idea to have a new bag every couple of months? Remember that in the long run, you have spent more money and have nothing to show for it.
So when you decide on what you want to spend, think for the long term.
This doesn’t mean you can’t find a good quality bag at a reasonable price! And not all expensive luxury bags will last a lifetime.

2. Design

Trends come and go. But good designs are timeless. Well-made and well-designed bags from your grandma’s time will look stunning even today. Designs, decorations or even colors that are super trendy now, will look very dated next year and definitely in 5 or 10 years from now.
If you are going for a stylish and classy look, steer away from:

• contrast stitches or applications; good design is subtle. Showy and loud finishes or add-ons seldom stand the tests of time. In addition, they are distracting, make flaws visible and often show dirt better. In short; it is never a good idea.
• flashy colors; although there are few good examples of bright coloured bags; 99% of the time, poppy colours are quickly outdated and mismatching your wardrobe.
• excess hardware; you don’t want chains rattling as you go. Decorative chains, rings, clasps and the lot are best kept minimal.
• all-over print. Yes even when it’s an expensive logo printed all-over. Yes, definitely when it’s flowers or animal print. That you can’t see stains on them is not an excuse.

3. Size

Obviously, depending on when you’re planning to use your new handbag, you will need a different size. Too big and everything will get lost, too small and you’ll need to carry a second or even third bag. For me personally, there are only 3 different sizes of bags that I would need for all moments of use.

• Daily essentials: would fit my wallet, keys, phone, charger, a lipstick.
• Off to work: this would carry my daily essentials as listed above + notebook, maybe something to eat, small (refill!)-bottle of water and a make-up pouch
• Going out: I don’t need much when I go out, just a smaller version of my daily wallet, my keys, and phone. 

Select which of these three you need and stick to it. If you find a bag that looks good but is either too small or too big, you know you’ll never use it. Put it back.

4. Material

The material of which your favorite handbag is made of is not only determining the look, it is very important when you consider durability and sustainability for our planet. Some bags are made from textiles or materials such as tarpaulin, paper or cork. Even though these materials might be good and sustainable alternatives to leather.