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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 35 Comments · by

The Hunt: Basic Black Bags

Bags· The Hunt

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black-bagsSure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you're buying one for the first time or replacing one you've worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have. I'm a huge fan of colorful, bright bags — but that said, if I didn't have a few simple black bags in my closet I'd be majorly on the hunt right now. They can be a bit boring, for sure, but they're classics for a reason — they're major workhorses. We haven't rounded up some simple black bags since last April, so I thought I'd do a round up today… Readers, which are your favorite simple black everyday bags? Have you bought any great ones recently?
black-bagsI'll be honest: finding a simple black bag on a budget is hard for me — I'd usually rather spend my money on leather rather than a synthetic, and the details on a lot of them just aren't my taste. That said, this Olivia + Joy satchel looks great for the price — I like the zippers, and the size (15″ x 5″ x 10.5″) looks perfect, even if it is faux leather. It was $92, but is now marked to $49.99 at 6pm (available in black, green, brown, yellow, and orange). olivia + joy Zoie Satchel (Also in this price range, this BCBGeneration satchel looks nice for $65.)
black-bagsI really like the look of this quilted hobo by LAUREN Ralph Lauren. I think the texture adds an interesting element without sacrificing durability or versatility. It was $348, but is now marked to $209 at 6pm in black and white, while Zappos has it in red. (This satchel from Lauren, full price at $328, also looks great.) LAUREN Ralph Lauren Banbury Quilted Hobo
black-bagsOoh: pretty. I like the pebbled leather, the singular shoulder strap, and the feet on this bag from DKNY. For $325 I wish it had a zipper, but hey. It's $325 at Bloomingdale's. DKNY Hobo – Crosby Large
black-bagsI actually posted a link to the Kate Spade New York Cobble Hill Little Minka as part of the Deal Alert on Friday — the hot pink version was on sale — but the plain black version looks too great to not include in this roundup. I like the zippered closure, the rolled top handle, the removable shoulder strap, and the soft pebbled look. It's available in beige, black, and almost neon green and blue at Zappos Couture for $378; the hot pink leather and a fun stripey fabric version are still on sale at Kate Spade. Kate Spade New York Cobble Hill Little Minka Update: Amazon has the Little Minka in black leather for $356.
black-bagsIn general, I always wish that Rebecca Minkoff made her straps just a leeetle bit longer — but she always has great looking bags, and this new(ish) Cupid is no exception. I like the fun lining, the outside pockets, and general rocker vibe. It's available in a zillion colors; Amazon has it in black for $495. Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Shoulder Bag
black-bagsLe sigh. I've written before about how I'm not 100% happy with my LV Alma bag in Epi leather (primarily because I prefer shoulder bags to satchels), but that doesn't make me stop lusting over all things Epi. This Pont-Neuf GM bag looks gorgeous, and I like that it's designed to house a laptop. It's $2,810 at Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton Pont-Neuf GM
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Comments

  5. Veronique

    TJ Maxx is a great source of budget black bags. Obviously some stores have better options than others, but most stores sort by color, which makes the hunt a lot easier.

    • Sue

      I second the TJ Maxx tip. I have also seen some really nice leather options in other colors, variety depends on the store I think.

    • naijamodel

      Thirded. That’s where I buy all my bags. I bought a LOVELY grey leather purse from there last year. Endless compliments. And it was on clearance for $75.

  6. TO Lawyer

    I’m a big fan of the Pippa – it comes in black and is super handy because it has pockets. But I recently bought this MBMJ bag in a moment of weakness and love it so much. It’s a nice size, and the leather is so soft and I like that the handles and the snap closure are lighter colours so I feel like it’s more versatile in the spring/summer.

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/marc-by-marc-jacobs-flipping-out-leather-tote/3474072?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=5164

  8. Anonymous

    Has anyone ever transferred from the Fort Lauderdale Airport to the Miami Airport? I am taking an international flight from MIA and need to leave from there (coming from the northeast).

    Flights to FLL are like, $100 cheaper, but I’m not sure how much it would be to transfer (public transportation? Cab? Super shuttle?) to the MIA airport or how much time it would take.

    • floridian

      Tri Rail goes between the two, but you’ll still have to get to and from the stations. Personally I don’t think it’s worth saving the $100 (which is about what a cab would cost) unless you’ve got time on your hands or are planning to spend a couple of days here anyway.

    • flies to MIA and FLL often

      It would cost you almost $100 to do SuperShuttle or over $100 for a cab. To take public transit, you’d have to somehow get to a TriRail station in Ft Lauderdale (bus? cab?), take TriRail (Broward County) to the station where you can switch to MetroRail (Miami-Dade County), then take MetroRail to MIA (at least the rail station at MIA is open now, as of about a year ago).

      If you’re getting on an international flight at MIA, I would make sure I was landing in FLL 5-6 hours before my MIA flight.

      All in all it’s not worth it to save $100.

      • ABC

        Totally agree with all of this!

        I was meeting a friend in Miami last year for a girls weekend (we flew from different cities). She flew into FLL and I flew into MIA. She said that the cab from FLL to South Beach was $80, so I would imagine that it would be about that much to get from FLL to MIA. Not worth it to save $100 on flights.

  9. anon

    Excuse the early (and lengthy) TJ: looking for some relationship advice/input.

    Here’s the background information: I finished law school last May, passed the bar last summer, and since the job market in my state is practically non-existent for newly licensed attorneys, I made a last-minute decision to move back to my hometown to save money while I look for a job. Shortly after moving back, I found out that an ex had also just moved back from out-of-state to start a business. We had dated for a few years, but broke up about five years ago when he went to law school a few states away. I had never contemplated us getting back together, but we were inseparable after a few weeks.

    The problem is, we are from a very, very small town. The nearest remotely urban area is more than two hours away. When we first got back together, he was very receptive to the idea of moving wherever I got a job, but as his business got off the ground, he decided he couldn’t move without sacrificing the business. I spent a few months trying to adjust to the idea of living in a small town, but I just cannot do it. He is one of those people who would be happy living just about anywhere, but I get claustrophobic even imagining living in such a small town long-term (we’re talking an-hour-to-the-nearest-target small). I explained this to him and we decided to end things because there was no point delaying the inevitable if I’d made up my mind about moving and neither of us is interested in a long-distance relationship.

    A week or so later, he told me he had thought about it a lot and thinks he has figured out a way that he would be able to move in the fall without it affecting his business. But now I can’t get past the fact that, knowing he wouldn’t be able to move, I was still willing to give up our relationship to avoid living in a small town. It doesn’t feel right to let him relocate for me when I was clearly not willing to do the same for him. That said, if he had asked me to relocate to another city (as opposed to our one-stoplight hometown), it’s very likely I would have.

    So, am I over-thinking this? Should I accept his selfless offer, or is the fact that I’m not willing to do the same for him an indication that we shouldn’t be together? I know it’s hard to give specific advice since you don’t know me personally, but if anyone has been in a similar situation, I’d love to hear your input.

    • goldribbons

      It sounds like you both had the same line of thinking – you were both willing to give up the relationship for personal reasons (you: desire to live in a larger town; him: desire to grow his business). Now, he’s figured out a way to be happy, grow his business, and stay with you. To me, it just sounds like he needed more time to think about it and you both needed to see how serious the other person was. Since you’re not married, you need to make sure you put YOU first, your happiness/sanity, and you knew that staying in your tiny town would eventually make you resent him. It’s great if you’re willing to move anywhere for him, but it’s fine if you’re not. Even if you were married, that doesn’t mean you have to be willing to make a life choice that you’ll hate. The other person shouldn’t ever request/require you to make a life choice that you’ll hate, because they should love you and support your happiness just as much as their own. If you’re really crazy about him, be happy! And get the h3ll out of dodge!

    • saacnmama

      You’re different people. You couldn’t do it. He can. Just remember that when something else comes up, like you being able to handle waking multiple times in the night whereas 3:00am feedings turn him into a zombie or whatever difference you find where you have to do the work because it’s 99x harder for him.

      • anon

        Thank you for the advice–I should have asked this weeks ago! I’ve never thought about it that way. I felt like my selfishness on this one issue meant that I didn’t care as much about the relationship as I should. But when there are issues that are more important to him, I’m certainly willing to compromise. Thanks again–I appreciate it.

  10. wintergreen126

    Boston ladies!! I hope you’re all okay!

    There were 2 enormous booms from the back bay area. Apparently there has been “criminal activity” by Boylston Street, near the marathon finish line.

    I work by the Prudential and we’ve been told to shelter in place.

    If anyone is in this area, it’s going to be a hell of a time getting home. Stay safe!

  12. Lauren

    I have a version of the Cobble Hill Minka, mine is called the Leslie. The only difference is mine doesn’t have that long strap and it has 2 handles. I really love it, it goes with everything.

    • Expat from Toronto

      Me too! Same bag as you (no strap, Leslie), and absolutely love it. It was my first “real bag” purchase.

  14. random

    I love the random posts that are unrelated to the black bag topic.

    It’s great that people will respond with real advice for people looking for some “wisdom” in their lives. =)

  16. M-C

    I love the Groom bags that are almost impossible to find in the US. But http://marcytilton.com/index.php?cid=107 has some, including in black.. The original website is http://groomparis.com if you’re planning on going to Europe soon..
    For reference I’m hard on bags, and tend to wear them every day till they die, carrying heavy loads of books/groceries/whatever. I found that one of their nylon bags lasted at least 3 years before showing any sign of wear, and I haven’t made the slightest dent into the leather one – excellent quality hardware..

  18. C

    I just spent months looking for a new black bag, and ended up with the L.K. Bennett Emma bag. I am absolutely in love with it. Beautiful leather, long enough straps to wear on my shoulder, and it is just large enough to fit a legal-sized pad/files. Link to follow.

  19. RCC

    Just had to chime in with a shout out for the McKlein bag: http://www.mckleinusa.com/94365.html It is bigger than just a purse, but it looks small enough to be a bag that I carry to meetings or to court, but it also attaches to a cart which is great when I have to bring files and my laptop somewhere. Cute shape, plenty of space – I love it.

  20. Tiffany

    Not cheap, but given that this is a bag that can do it all it’s more than worth the money. The MZ Wallace “Kate” is a fantastic bag. I carry it as a work bag and can put my laptop and/or ipad in along with wallet, cell, bottled water in the elastic side pocket…you name it. This bag also doubles as a weekender/carry-on, a gym bag or diaper bag. I wear it crossbody for hauling tons of stuff then take the crossbody strap off and carry on my arm as a satchel if I want to wear as a “handbag.” MZ has lots of really good bags, I highly recommend many of their bags from the Bedford collection. The gold-tone hardware + red piping/accents is really striking, looks better than pics on their website and I get compliments everywhere I go.

    http://mzwallace.com/mzwshop/product.php?products_id=881

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