Studs. Where do we stand?
I’m always a bit prone to liking studs because I grew up listening to punk music and going to underground shows in high school, but even a devotee like me who has an emotional connection to a the motif can feel a bit of fatigue after every label under the sun produced a stud-covered bag for last fall (and this spring, and now this fall…ad infinitum).
Personally, I need a little bit of obvious ingenuity in a design to get my motor running for a studded bag these days, but if you’re just now warming to the trend or if you’ve been in jail for the past year and want to carry studs before they’re completely over, the ROMYGOLD The Drew Bag is probably as good an option as any.
I do have a couple of nice things to say about this bag, although generally I think black + studs = you need to find a new bag. First, the studding is only along the gusset. More designers need to take advantage of this underutilized bag real estate in their designers and make it an active part of the bag’s aesthetic appeal. After all, when you carry a bag on your shoulder, the gusset is very visible to anyone in front of or behind you.
The design also looks structurally sound. A flat hobo strap is comfortable on almost anyone’s shoulder, and the drop looks big enough for the bag to sit comfortable by your side. Also, the leather looks smooth and tough, which probably speaks well to the bag’s durability. Still, I wish the designers had gone out on more of a limb with their implementation of the studs – there are still interesting ways to use them on a bag, designers just have to get a little more creative since the trend’s peak has passed. Buy through ShopBop for $640.
