Besides moi, of course (haha! couldn’t resist that one). A vintage alligator/crocodile handbag–bien sur!
Found: not one but two vintage alligator handbags at Goodwill this past week.
The elegant, glossy brown Bellestone:
AND
the timeless black, flap-style bag by Casa Lopez (high-end maker from Argentina):
These bags are true beauties and absolute essentials in a vintage /chic wardrobe. This is not just my opinion. Others agree. Brooks Brothers, for instance, has been offering vintage styled alligator bags for a few years now. Take a look:
(via)
Gorgeous but out of my price range (currently $4125.00).
Hermes alligator bags are sought after the world over. I see the vintage ones on Ebay going for, at times, tens of thousands of dollars. Again, pass my price point.
But vintage ones can be had for a minimal investment.
Gabriala at StyleHigher knows the value of such an elegant staple:
And the gals that have written the new book, “Paris Street Style (a guide to effortless chic)” agree by stating, ”The real thing: a vintage crocodile bag”, when making a case for the importance of carrying a quality handbag (note: quality does not necessarily mean an “It” bag either).
Finding these two bags at Goodwill was a rare score indeed. I can’t even tell you the price I paid because I plan on listing them in my Etsy store for much, much more–but they will still be way (WAY!) less than what one would pay new (well, I plan on listing the brown one; the black I may keep for now.)
Quality accessories, in this case handbags, are essential to jazzing up your wardrobe. Buy the best you can afford…sometimes you can buy “better” if you are willing to thrift shop. But if you are someone who has been rather indifferent to her accessories and the important role they play in your wardrobe, let me share this quote from the book “Paris Street Style”:
(In answer to the question: What are the absolutely indispensable items for any woman’s wardrobe?)
“… as many accessories as you can get, because accessories have the chic to reinvigorate your wardrobe, remodernize it, and retell its story…Without them, any wardrobe is so much the poorer.”
~~Dauphine De Jerphanion, accessories stylist, Le Bon Marche, Paris (pp 148-9).
So be it.
~~Heather~~