Corporette.com

Updated: Aug 4, 2022 107 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Musubi Midi Knotted Shoulder Bag

Coffee Break

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Oooh: I love the looks of this knotted shoulder bag from Acne Studios. The smooth, matte leather seems really lux, somehow, and something about this caramel/tan color is calling to me. (It also comes in black.)

According to Net-a-Porter, the name of the bag comes from a snack that's popular in Japan and Hawaii (this Oregon shop has some interesting notes on the history of musubi), “while the knots on either side are modeled after artfully twisted obi sashes. This structured version is made from leather with a divided interior to organize your phone, wallet and planner.” Lovely.

It's $1600 at Net-a-Porter, Nordstrom, and other department stores.

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 9.10.24

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Anon

    Musubi is amazing. I see no connection to musubi in this bag, but now I’m very hungry.

  2. Anonymous

    I am lusting after a cream colored J Crew going out blazer (actual color is dusty shell). Is this something I can wait out for a sale? This is not included in their current sale. I don’t usually shop at J Crew so I don’t know how often they have sales.

    • Cat

      their promos rotate around what types of things are included. If it’s still looking plentiful (all sizes available etc) hold out for a week or so and check back.

    • Vicky Austin

      I did just snag a black one on Poshmark so new the pockets hadn’t been ripped open yet for less than half the current J. Crew price. Worth a look?

  3. Anon

    My inlaws are very active in their charismatic church. They are also very holier-than-thou. They have been as long as I’ve known my husband. They don’t live close, so I hadn’t really given any weight to how different they are from most people I know in various more mainstream branches of Christianity. We are moving to a new city, still 8+ hours away from them. BUT the kicker is that my FIL had an affair and left my MIL for a year and in that year had a child, which my MIL mandated that he have no contact with (and like a schmuck, he went along). You know where this is going: that child (now an adult, birth order is sort of smack in the middle of my husband’s siblings) lives in that city. About half of the siblings (the girls) are in touch with the half-sibling (my understanding: kid grew up with no $ or other support from dad and had a Very Hard Life, recently turned around for the better). The others have nothing to do with the situation (some, as “it is too hard on Mom”). I know: not my circus, not my monkeys. But if husband wants to meet this person, I will go along (and if we don’t click: also fine, probably easier). Any other advice? I’m sure I will find a way to step in it — I am usually good for something like that.

    • Anon

      I had this sort of situation in my extended family – basically due to online DNA matching I have a new cousin at age 50+. Cousin grew up as an only child and was very very excited to meet everyone – two half siblings and . But after a while it just wasn’t the instant family I think they and all of us expected and it just sort of faded away. We are just Facebook friends now.

      • Anon

        “Two half siblings and three first cousins” sorry not sure what happened to that!

      • Anon

        +1. It’s not an instant connection like you might think it would be from seeing reunions on tv or what have you.

        I am an only child and have an assortment of half siblings close in age to me from a number of different women, all who swore my dad only had eyes for them. (My dad, who died when I was a toddler, must have been The World’s Most Charming Man to pull this off.) Anyways, because the women all hated each other, we kids have only found each other as adults. We were each raised so differently by our respective moms in our respective states that my half siblings and I have nothing in common other than DNA. Family really isn’t DNA; family is shared experiences and values and a million other things that have nothing to do with genetics. I live in the same city as one half-sister, and we try to hang out a few times a year, but we have nothing in common. It’s like hanging out with a neighbor – pleasant, but there’s nothing more there.

        • Anon

          Your dad sounds sort of amazing!! All the moms hating each other but feeling like they were each individually the one true love is hilarious – you should write a screen play.

          • Anon

            He actually sounds like a bum in my book. How someone can have so many kids and then not be involved is beyond me

          • Anon

            He sounds like a cad. I have known men like this – they convince women that it’s forever and special and only them, and that just leaves their victims ton to pieces when it inevitably does not then into a wonderful, happy, exclusive relationship/marriage.

    • Anonymous

      No advice just commiseration, my in laws are the same type of judgy religious.

      • Anon

        Nothing like Judgy Judgersons with their abandoned affair baby. I’d have a hard time behaving in this situation (tempered only by not wanting to make things harder for the spouse — spouse and affair baby obviously not consulted on this by the inlaws).

        • Anon

          +1 million to your first sentence. If you’re going to judge, you better be beyond squeaky clean. Except that the judging is often an offensive shot to keep anyone from looking too closely at their own disasters.

    • Anonymous

      I think if you’re worried about stepping in it, say less. The situation is pretty simple. Your husband has a half sibling who he didn’t know as a child and maybe they will meet up as adults. That’s all! It’s just like meeting a random cousin. You just be pleasant.

      • Senior Attorney

        Agree with this. My former husband was adopted as a baby and met his birth mom and her kids just before we were married. It started out fun and exciting and ended up disappointing. I mostly kept my mouth shut and smiled and nodded or made sympathetic noises as appropriate, and that ended up being the smart move.

    • anon for this

      A similar situation occurred in DH’s family, although it was MIL who had a baby during a separation from FIL. Baby was adopted by an acquaintance and no contact was mandated by FIL until about a dozen years ago when the adoptee reached out to MIL & family. The 2 siblings who were already around when the baby was born were in touch for about 5 years; my DH and another sib who were post-baby didn’t care to engage. My advice is give everyone space to deal in their own way. Be respectful, but it really isn’t your circus or monkeys.

    • Anon

      I’ve seen it work out almost “Hallmark Movie” perfect, but the larger family was already giant (think “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” huge), close knit and adding two more siblings was pretty seamless. I think major reasons why it worked so well is that everyone ended up at about the same education level and socioeconomic position, so there were no agendas to be had on either side. Additionally, the newly found siblings were younger and, I think, reminded some of the nieces/nephews of their own parents who have since passed. The resemblance in looks, interests and mannerisms is so strong.
      I know everyone went into it with an open mind. They are close with some of their new siblings and nieces/nephews and FB friends with others.

      • Anon

        I posted at 3:02. I think part of the difficulty in my instant family situation was that the father never really wanted to be found out. My cousin is the child of a woman he had a relationship with before he married my aunt, he fully knew about this child but never even told my aunt and his now adult children with her. So it was kind of messy, and we the first cousins were involved because the DNA match on ancestry happened through one of us. New cousin was at first happy to have any family at all but then found out that we are far from a perfect family, and in particular, his long lost bio-dad was not very welcoming at all, sadly.

        • Anon

          In this case, both parents were deceased and the older siblings always knew they had more out there, but the mechanisms to find each other weren’t in place until recently.

    • Ellen

      I am confused on how some people who are very religious and follow the ancient scriptures can knowingly cheat on their spouse and even have illegitimate children out of wedlock, then tell others either directly or through their Vicar not to do what they have done. It makes no sense to me. That is why I am so glad I never married Alan, and we never even came close to having children together, which is yet another blessing in disguise. Men who cannot keep their winkies in check are the source of the problem, though it also takes women who let them into their nether regions, and that is also a big problem if they know he is already married or steadily dating another woman. I say FOOEY on both of them!

  4. Anonymous

    I’ll have a Saturday before a wedding to myself in center city Philadelphia (husband is in bridal party and booked all day). My hair will already be blown out so I don’t want to get a massage or a spa service, but was thinking of walking to Reading Terminal market, getting a manicure somewhere, maybe walking around shopping- any other suggestions or thoughts? Basic mom from DC, has already done the historical sites in Philly.

    • Anon

      When will this be? If the weather will still be hot, your blowout may be overwhelmed by the weather if you are walking.

    • Cat

      when is the wedding (like, if it’s this weekend, you’ll want to stay indoors if you’re preserving a blowout) and where are you staying?

    • anon philly

      I would go to the Art Museum or the Barnes Museum. If you don’t feel like a museum, I’d walk down Walnut Street for shopping, walk though the Rittenhouse Farmer’s Market, then get my nails done. For food I’d recommend coffee from La Colombe, a pastry from Vibrant Coffee, and lunch at K’Far, Federal Donuts, or Goldie for a quick bite. Or Parc if you want to people watch.

      • Anonymous

        I know you said you have seen the sights, but can you ever really be “done” with the Barnes Museum? I’d go there.

  5. Trish

    It seems the only choices for handbags is a small crossbody or large totes! I am on the hunt for a beautiful medium size shoulder bag in black! I like the look and design of the Michael Kors Raven but it is about two inches too bag in both height and width for everyday use.

  6. Color

    Does anyone have any favorite products for color treated hair? Also, when you color your hair at the salon, does the stylist pull the color through? I just got mine done yesterday for the second time and was asked that.

    • Anon

      I use Madison Reed at home all-over color (love it) and they no longer recommend pulling the color through.

      For the other poster, this generally means you apply the color to the roots where you have no color/your new growth for the full time (in my case, 35 minutes) and then comb that color all the way to the ends (that’s pulling it through) for another 5-10 minutes. The idea is to not over-process your already died hair, but to give it a little refresh of color to match the newly dyed hair, as the old dye may have faded a bit.

      Since I stopped pulling it through I have not noticed a color difference. I’m not lifting color though, just depositing.

    • Anon

      I really like L’Oreal’s EverPure “for color treated hair” product line.

    • Anon

      My comment is not getting out of m0d so trying again

      My home hair color provider no longer recommends pulling the color through.

      this generally means you apply the color to the roots where you have no color – your new growth for the full time (in my case, 35 minutes) and then comb that color all the way to the ends (that’s pulling it through) for another 5-10 minutes. The idea is to not over-process your already died hair, but to give it a little refresh of color to match the newly dyed hair, as the old dye may have faded a bit.

      Since I stopped pulling it through I have not noticed a color difference. I’m not lifting color though, just depositing.

    • NYNY

      Pulling color through is good for single-process color touch-ups when your color has faded a little. Color is applied to your new growth at the roots for the full processing time, and then combed through to the ends for just the last 5 minutes or so. You don’t want to put the color on everything for the full processing time because too much color will build up on the ends – have you ever seen someone whose dark hair is a dull black at the ends? that’s what happens – but the 5 minutes deposits a little color to freshen it up. Red and rainbow shades fade a lot, so the technique is most helpful for those. Blonde and brunette colors can vary, so you may or may not want to do it each time.

    • Formerly Lilly

      As per usual when someone mentions hair color, I am popping up to plug Aveda. The Color Conserve shampoo and conditioner work wonderfully well. The Oribe “Signature” line works well too, but geez the $$$$! If you heat style colored hair be very sure to use some sort of heat protectant product first.

  7. Ribena

    I just finished the first draft of my novel!!!! Lots of work to do but this feels like a big milestone

  8. Anon

    Do any of you have one of those “wallet on a chain” bags? When/how do you use it? I love the look but I’m having a hard time imagining where it would fit into my life, except the very rare occasions that I go out in a dressed-up way

    • Anon

      I used it a lot as a small cross-body bag (chain out all the way) and have used as a dressed bag (chain doubled) for Fancy Events. I had to upsize a bit when my eyes started needing me to cart reading glasses with me everywhere.

    • Shelle

      I’m trying to ditch purses altogether but not all my outfits have pockets. I love how free I feel without a purse!

    • Anonymous

      I use it a lot. During the week I slip it into my business bag with my laptop and other stuff. Then I only have to carry one bag. When I go to lunch it’s much nicer than just bringing a wallet and it leaves my hands free when I walk around.
      On the weekends I can drop it in another handbag or just wear it to a nice dinner. I love it.

    • Coach Laura

      I love my small bag or wallet on a chain. I’ve used one version or another for the past 10 years. I got tired of leaving something important in my other purse or at home, so I pick one that has room for keys, AirPods, lip gloss and cell phone. It goes in my backpack for commuting or traveling, into my purse for dinner out or a concert. I use it alone when running into a store. There are tons of different styles – my favorite is one with a nice leather strap but sometimes they are hard to find.

  9. Anon

    Thinking of going to Mexico City, love a luxury, boutique hotel – any recommendations?

    • SDCityGirl

      Zocalo Hotel Mexico City. Loved it! Get a Zocalo view room so you can see the action. And the croissants in the AM are to die for. Make sure you use the subway – $0.25 a ride, and it’ll take you nearly everywhere you want to go. Enjoy!

  10. Anon

    DH finds out if he’s getting to the next round for partner (big law) today. Fingers crossed he gets the news he’s hoping for!

  11. Anonymous

    Where was the last “new” place you ordered clothes or shoes from – and how’d it go?

    For me: Osei Duro after the Wirecutter called it the best dress – it was hideous and way too long on me (5’4″)

    Able Clothing oversized white shirt – kept the shirt and the company had some good policies noted in the packaging (I forget exactly what but environmental/women-owned/fair wage type stuff).

    Quince – Sent everything back, too small. (I’m a 16.)

    Grana – kept PJs, sent everything else back.

    • Anon

      Birkenstock. I ordered some coral colored Mayaris and when they came I didn’t like the color so I sent them back, and it was nice because they offer free shipping for returns as well as free shipping for purchases. Then with my imaginary new free money, I bought another pair of the shearling lined Boston clogs I wear as slippers (which is often all day as I WFH) in navy blue, because last fall/winter the navy blue sold out before it could snag a pair. I know I’m going to like these because I already own and have basically worn out two prior pairs on the same style.

    • joan wilder

      A lot lately to pull together a new work wardrobe…

      MM La Fleur– I’d admired the clothes but was very unsure of sizing so I went and tried stuff on in person with a Stylist. Then most of what I liked was out of stock on the website and the showroom doesn’t sell stock so it was sort of a bust.

      Amout Vert– beautiful prints and am keeping a few new items in their washable silk. Also great customer service!

      Downeast Basics– I fell for the Insta adds and the items were awful: a wildly too big and cheap fabric dress, and a sweater with a neckhole so tight I couldn’t get it on over my head

      Buru–skirt on the way, which looks gorgeous in photos and I hope fits. Customer service was very helpful on sizing questions.

      Sezane–shoes on the way, thanks to a recommendation from someone here.

    • NYNY

      Pact for a casual dress, a pair of pants, and a few t-shirts. Love them! Shipping is via DHL, which was slow, but the service was fantastic and the clothes are really well-made, especially for the price! I’m 5’4″, and the dress that looked knee-length on the model is a perfect midi on me, which means the midis would sweep the floor.

    • Coach Laura

      Eileen Fisher. After hearing about her pants for years, I finally pulled the trigger. Got slim knit ankle pants and slouchy ankle pants. Not too short, not too long on me at 5’3″. I love them for summer except that they don’t have pockets.

    • Anonymous

      Next UK. Worked out really well. Super quick delivery by DHL, just a couple of days, and very happy with purchase.

    • ArenKay

      Fluevog shoes! Pandemic me is DONE with uncomfortable or cheaply made shoes, and I bought the Chris and Aiden shoes. Really pleased; I get a lot of compliments on them and they are great for walking.

  12. Anon

    I’m hitting an afternoon slump. Anyone else?

    Help me get out of it with your favorite snack and Spotify playlist suggestions!

    I’m omnivorous when it comes to food and music, so all suggestions welcome.

    Right now I’m snacking on blah string cheese and listening to the new Maggie Rogers album, which I’m still deciding how I feel about. The music is better than the snack!

    • Anon

      We listened to Elvis singing “Teddy Bear” this morning because we wanted to sing it to our dog and couldn’t remember the words, and that launched into a whole 50s play list including Ray Charles which was super fun and uplifting.

    • Emma

      The new Beyonce album is incredible! Have been listening to nonstop. Also the new Bad Bunny album feels like a summer getaway.

      I also like the “Van Life” playlist on Apple Music if you enjoy Haim / Maggie Rogers type artists.

    • Vicky Austin

      I like Eurovision type music for a mid afternoon slump. (If you have a private office, dance party!)

    • Coach Laura

      I’m listening to about 150 of songs from this Spotify playlist. The article explains the chills I get with some of my favorite songs – Zeppelin’s Kashmir, One Day More from Les Miz, Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright and also Lenard Cohen, Springsteen’s Born to Run, Pavriotti and Friends Turnadot and No Woman, Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton, No Cry by Bob Marley. The spotify playlist has 700+ songs and ranges from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, Beatles and Stones, Puchini and Sibelius and jazz and blues and…

      I always thought the frission was due to the memories of the songs – first time I heard them and where, playing them in orchestra and jazz band and piano, high school dances and college parties.

      https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/frisson-song-playlist/

    • KS IT Chick

      Music: Home Free. Acapella, theoretically country, but they are branching out a lot more. They are great guys who do a lot to support emerging artists. And they have a fantastic YouTube channel.

      Snacks: grape & cherry tomatoes.

  13. Anon

    I’m super burnt out. I have next week off – what are your best tips for recuperating?

    • Emma

      I was a mess last week and committed this week to trying to be as zen as possible. I’ve been trying to spend 90 minutes doing yoga and strength classes and then spending 20 minutes in the steam room or sauna, and it’s made me way more relaxed. If you don’t have a gym membership, going for a run and doing yoga + then taking a hot bath or shower would be a similar experience. Things that get the tension out of your body are huge.

      Also: meditating, journaling, reading novels wrapped in a blanket with chamomile tea, watching movies or tv shows. Taking a break from anything toxic that stresses you out, no matter how small. For me, this is caffeine, social media, negative thoughts, anxious spiraling, and alcohol. It’s helpful in trying to quiet the mind.

      Hope you have a lovely week off!

    • Anonymous

      Stay off screens and spend more time in nature.Get up very early at least once of the days you are away and watch the sun rise, then get a yummy breakfast treat. I always feel like it’s bonus vacation time. Plan to get back at least one day early and clean the house/prep for the next day so you don’t feel like you’re starting in chaos. Spend an hour or two (but no more) on that day you get back thinking through what had you burned out so much before and what you can do about it. If it is real, real burnout, come back an extra two days early and spend one of the days applying for new jobs.

    • eertmeert

      I did the following on a recent vacation and it was great: favorite workout classes, a couple easy home improvement things that had a big impact on my living space, happy hour with friends, a few shopping trips during weekdays, a day trip to a nearby town I haven’t been to in awhile for a change of scenery. Mostly stuff that was mildly active but enjoyable with no due dates or pressures. It was lovely.

  14. Debbie Downer

    One of my clients just died. He was 51. He and his (now) widow had built up two good businesses together and had two lovely children. He “took care of” all of the business stuff in one business, and now she’s drowning trying to figure it all out.

    Please talk about these things with your spouse/business partner/other! Luckily he had life insurance, but some people think they don’t need it or they’ll do it “some day.”

  16. anon

    I’ll admit that I haven’t been following the Brittany Griner situation very closely. But it seems to me that she definitely messed up. Is she really being wrongfully committed?

    • Anon

      She’s clearly being punished excessively and I’d like to see her released… but she was happy to profit off working for an authoritarian regime for years, so I only have so much sympathy when she’s abused by the Russian government just like all sorts of other people have been. She never seemed to have trouble with it before. It seems hypocritical to demand that American businesses stop doing business with Russia but be okay with basketball players working there.

      • Panda Bear

        I feel sorry that her best paid option as a female basketball player is to go to Russia, while her male counterparts make millions in the USA. It’s just a bummer.

    • Formerly Lilly

      Unless she was bringing in bales of the stuff, nine years seems awfully harsh. Then, on the other hand I think it’s a big “Duh” to not take drugs into Russia, or any foreign country for that matter. If you’re willing to risk that then you probably have an addiction that needs to be addressed.

      I think they gave her a harsh sentence to make it more likely that we will swap one of theirs that we have got for her.

    • Anon

      Personally I’m more upset about the large number of Americans still in prison in America for basically the same low level drug offenses.

      I think Russia is being excessively harsh but I also don’t understand why Russia being harsh is surprising.

      • Anonymity now

        Because she is being sent to a prison camp where she will basically be tortured. Despite your criticism of the US system, we do not have prison camps.

        • Anom

          She chose to work and break the law in that country. There was no need for her to live in Russia. She was fine up to now profiting in Russia despite knowing it’s a totalitarian regime with prison camps.

          • Anonymous

            It’s amazing when kindness at a big scale can’t also translate to kindness at a small scale.

  17. Anonymous

    She plead guilty to having the drugs in her luggage. Sentence seems harsh, but they don’t measure by our standards.

  18. Stag

    Looking for commentary on what academics and librarians in Kentucky wear. I’ll be doing archival research at a historical society in the state capital next month. I’m a former professor, and this is my profession, but it’s been a decade since I’ve worked in it, during which my sartorial habits have changed a lot, so I have no idea what to wear. Highs will be in the upper 70s. I assume that means AC will be cranked (but it can’t go too high because of fragile documents).

    Specific questions:

    Is hosiery expected?

    Are open-toed shoes fine (as long as they’re more like Sanitas than Birks)?

    Spaghetti straps under a cardi/jacket?

    Loose-weave cardis?

    Knit linen, cotton or silk tank tops/camis?

    Thanks so much! I’m excited about my reappearance, want to get it right.

    • Anonymous

      I work with state governments all across the country. Nobody wears hose anymore anywhere, not even in state capitol buildings. (I do not appear in federal court so that might still be the exception.)

    • Anon

      No one in the SEUS is wearing hosiery any more, even in pretty formal spaces (court may be an exception–I don’t litigate). I have not spent any time in research libraries, but I have been on many college campuses over the last few years in the Deep South, Midwest and Texas , and what you’ve described would be acceptable faculty wear at all of them.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions