For me, it was love at first sight. I had long admired the Proenza Schouler PS1, but I hadn’t yet found a version that seemed meant to be mine. It was 2011 and I had just moved to New York City and eBay’d my Céline Luggage Tote after realizing it was an impractical choice for a woman no longer traveling everywhere by car: too heavy, not meant for shoulder wear, impractical to keep zipped shut all the time. New place, new bag.
I had moved my attention to designs that could be carried crossbody and that could shut out intruders on the subway without requiring both of my hands to manipulate the closure. I wanted a pocket where my phone could sit so that my headphones could still snake out while the bag was fully closed–I had to walk around a lot in my new life, after all.
When we founded National Handbag Day (which is tomorrow!) four years ago, it was for the same reasons that my new home immediately launched a search for a new bag: the things we carry with us are never really just things. Our choices and preferences reflect our selves and our lives in ways both big and small, and we think that’s one of the things that makes bags so special: because they’re functional, everyday necessities, what we choose is a part of who we are.
Once I had decided on the PS1, I waited for one to inspire me, and thankfully, a blanket-print jacquard textile version from Fall 2011 did just that. Because I was 25 and new to New York, I decided to take a little risk and hope for it to go on sale, and thankfully, it did. I carried it nearly every day for two years, and although it eventually relinquished the top spot in my everyday rotation, it’s still my favorite bag of all time.
Now we want to hear from you–which bag holds the fondest place in your heart and why?
