When it comes to new handbag purchases, I am very methodical in my shopping habits. With the exception of those rare instances where an impulse purchase happens, which admittedly has been a time or two, I make it a point to do the research before bringing a bag home. When I set my eyes on a design, I read up on the brand, familiarize myself with the bag’s materials, compare the price point against similar bags, and I always scout the PurseForum for reviews. After doing my due diligence and learning as much about a bag as I believe I possibly can, I finally take the plunge and bring it home. Buying a new bag that I’ve been wishing for is one of the best feelings there is (I’m sure as a fellow purse lover you can agree), but sometimes it can also be one of the worst. When I bring a bag home I’m not 100% happy with, I realize the things that annoy me about the design, sometimes to the point where I need to sell. I’m talking about handbag pet peeves. The feeling you get when you decide to bring a bag home, only to realize it annoys you. Maybe you realize it after one or two wears, or perhaps it takes you longer to realize, but it’s that unfortunate feeling of being irritated with the bag you’ve decided to add to your collection.
When it comes to handbag pet peeves, I have two serious offenders. The first offender is not only a handbag related pet peeve but just one of my biggest pet peeves in life, period. What could get under my skin so badly? Inefficient handbag hardware. Perhaps you know the struggle of which I speak….when the clasp of a handbag is hard to close, hard to open, or randomly pops open. Not only does it make the belongings inside of my handbag feel insecure, but it causes me to deem the bag as inefficient. If I can’t rely on the hardware of my bag to clasp my bag closed properly, then I can’t trust that my items will be secure inside, which at the end of the day is the primary function of a purse. I think that is one of the key reasons I’ve gravitated towards tote bags for so many years, no hardware to annoy me and get under my skin. The moment a handbag has hardware I can’t rely on or causes me to fumble too much, I to decide to sell it for something new, otherwise, I know it will sit in my closet building dust bunnies.
My second handbag pet peeve is when a design I love has an all-chain strap. Don’t get me wrong, I love handbags with chain straps, but it has to have a piece of leather cushion for my shoulder. Recently I fell in love with a suede crossbody adorned with a satin bow online. I realized it would be the perfect holiday party bag but sadly realized the strap was all chain, no leather padding to be seen. I loved the style so much that I decided to risk it and purchase the bag because maybe it won’t annoy me this time, it could be different. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sadly after a few uses, I realized that this is just a pet peeve I cannot let go (because yes, it was too good to be true!). I’ve been burned by an all-chain strap too many times to buy one again. After having my skin broken as the result of a bag with an all-chain strap, I think I need to put that design to rest, because the next one probably will annoy me just as much as the others. I wish all-chain straps would include leather padding, maybe someday.
I want to hear what your biggest purse pet peeve is! Do you have one too?
Bags that have to be stuffed (with contents) to retain their intended structure/shape. Bags that can’t stand up on their own (lack of structure or not designed to sit up without propping). Hardware that squeaks when the bag moves or swings.
one vote for this – can’t stand bags that flop over and can’t stand on its own
Clasps that are difficult to open and/or close in particular on clutches and smaller bags. I have a Givenchy Infinity bag in which I love the look…but that clasp drives me crazy.
Bags (satchels) with a metal zipper that scrape the back of my hand each time I reach in for my wallet, phone, sunnies, etc. Love the design, not so much a fan of those reddened areas on my hands.
Me Too!
My pet peeve is bags with cheap hardware, such as a flimsy or hollow chain. I love a good solid/heavy chain, like the ones on my Chloe bags. I once had to return a Gucci bag because the chain felt so light and plasticy 🙁
I prefer smaller bags but I still want to be able to fit the essentials (card case, cell phone, keys) without playing tetris. I don’t understand why designers make bags that are just barely too small. I’m not talking about the tiny bags, like the ones for Jacquemus, that are obviously too small. I’m annoyed by bags like the LV Boite Chapeau. I’m in love with that bag but I refuse to buy it because my phone cannot fit comfortably. An extra half inch to the diameter would have solved the issue and would not have significantly changed the design.
Bags that don’t hold their shape when empty, like tiffany stated. They’re useless after sitting in the closet and never look good again after the stuffing is out. Also bags that don’t have a long enough strap drop to fit on my shoulder in the winter when I am wearing a heavy coat here in NY. Or, bags with a hole puched strap that is STILL too long for my 5’3″ frame, even on the shortest hole.
weight-bags that kill my shoulder after a few minutes are a no go
This is mine too. A heavy bag when it’s empty is so annoying!
Other then the weight issue as mentioned previously, and is 100% on the top of my list, I also don’t like generally poorly designed bags where you can’t get to your contents. Not talking a big tote void, just a small to medium bag with too small of an opening and weird interior dimensions.
My first pet peeve is also the difficult, hard to open hardware. My second is when items are placed in the bag and it develops an awkward, ugly shape. I usually put my makeup bag and wallet in a handbag to see what it looks like; but, sometimes I get caught up with the beauty of the bag and forget. I have an extreme love/hate relationship with a bag, there is no middle ground. Once a bag doesn’t work I develop an immediate dislike for it and it has to go. I wish I could be more tolerant of imperfections, but I just can’t. My third, and completely unrelated, is when women/men place their bags on the floor in a restaurant, etc. The dirt on the ground gets transferred to the bag and then transferred to any surface, for instance, in the home. There are purse hooks, but some people choose not to use them, but idk why.
My purse pet peeve is with a bag that has 4 sides + a bottom let’s use this Real-estate. More big pockets with closure!!
I use more of the Outside of my bags than inside. Grab n go!!!!
Bags with thick heavy chains for straps. I would never purchase because I don’t want to feel a chain digging on my shoulder.
Leather that’s too slouchy and because of that the bag just flops about. Heavy hardware or hardware that doesn’t work or that has no purpose. Shoulder straps that are too short. Rolled, hard straps that fall off the shoulder. A bag that has no flat bottom. A lining that doesn’t fit. A big bag that’s so heavy on its own you don’t really want to put anything in it. Zippers that don’t work smoothly or that scratch my hand when I put my hand in the bag. That might be all. Maybe. It’s a wonder how I own one single bag.
Ha, ha! I was thinking the same thing!! ?
I have 3 pet peeves: 1. bag too small to hold all my daily essentials (my large sunglass case is bulky), 2. no outside pocket for my cell phone, 3. non-adjustable cross-body shoulder strap. When spending on a luxury bag, the strap should at lease be versatile and desired length. I really wanted the Louis Vuitton Multi-Pochette Accessoires but I was saved from myself by it’s unavailability 😉
WEIGHT of bag is so important. My stuff already makes it heavy. When the bag alone weighs a pound or more, it’s definitely a dealbreaker!
Empty weight is the worst! Yes Celine Luggage Tote, I am looking at you!
Shoulder or crossbody bags that can’t be opened/closed with one hand. I want to be able to quickly open and grab something without needing another hand!
1. No feet on the bottom of a structured bag (easier to dirty and damage edges)
2. Heavy even when empty
3. Can’t open it with one hand (needs to be set down or man handled to pry open)
4. Shiny leather that gets easily scratched.
1. Materials that are too vulnerable to stains like linen or tweed
2. Velcro anything that would ruin delicate fabrics
3. Unnecessary metal hardware that adds to the empty weight and tackiness
4. Thin strap handles on a huge tote that just dig into your shoulder when carrying anything of weight
I could not agree more! With all points. For ?chain straps I arrived to change them because they were too heavy!!! For me a bag must be: lightweight, comfortable, easy to open/close but safe, with some pockets but not too many?, crossbody if necessary.
Five pet peeves:
1. Straps that slide off my shoulder no matter what I’m wearing.
2. Straps that are too thin for a bag that should be a workhorse capable of carrying some heavier items
3. Straps that can’t be adjusted
4. Medium-to-large size bags that don’t have an interior zip pocket.
5. Interior zip pockets that are essentially useless…absolutely incapable of holding a wallet or anything bigger (or thicker) than a couple of business cards.
I also hate chain straps, but for different reasons. Mine is not a comfort thing. I don’t like the look of them at all. Why ruin a good looking handbag with a god awful chain.
Pet peeve is looking at handbags online, and they don’t show you the inside properly. This seems to be a common thing on any website. I don’t understand How hard is it?