I don’t know about you, but there’s no better Sunday activity for me than people-watching for hours on end. All I need is a cozy corner table at a cafe on a busy street corner with an oat milk latte in hand, and I could honestly sit forever. While I’m sure everyone’s people-watching motives are different, mine are strictly style and fashion related. I get such a thrill, not to mention endless inspiration, from spotting fabulous outfits, and bags, IRL.
While yes, I live in New York, where there is an endless stream of great street style, I also get a thrill out of doing this in other places too. Over the summer, I traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel, and Lisbon, Portugal, and I included some time to chill and style-watch. Tel-Aviv was giving stylish but casual, beachy vibes, and the designer bags were slim, but I did spot a bit of Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent. This May, I’m heading to Paris with my mom for a girl’s trip, and I told her that our itinerary must include at least a day or two of strolling, which for me means shopping, cafe hopping, and people-watching, of course.
Bag-Watching in the Wild
I love comparing the styles and bags I see in New York to that of other places—both major cities and not. And even in New York, the styles change from one neighborhood to the next, which is part of why I really adore living in New York. People’s differing ways of dressing and styling their bags are unique and special. It’s those reasons, in part, why we started our Bags in the Wild series in the first place.
Unfortunately, we can’t have eyes everywhere and in every city, and I’m intrigued to know which bag brands you find the most ubiquitous where you live? Personally, living in downtown NYC, I see a lot of vintage bags from Gucci and Dior. Still, overwhelmingly, I see a ton of Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga (scandal or not, the Le Cagole is EVERYWHERE). Drop us a comment from your city, and let us know which brands reign supreme in your region!
Target or Walmart bags; so cute!
They are! I wear mixed fashion, why cheat yourself!
Absolutely. It’s all about having fun with fashion at all luxury and non luxury levels and all price points. Everyone can play. 🙂
Suburban Dallas – TONS of LV canvas, lots of Gucci & YSL and the occasional Chanel flap. Saw an amazing embroidered Lady Dior last week though.
I am headed to Paris this summer too. Can’t wait to cafe-hop and people-watch!
The LV Neverfull-I see it everywhere!
Absolute workhorse of a bag that lasts and lasts and is a dependable daily I reckon. Cost per wear, its a goodie.
glad to see a fellow bag lover use the “cost per wear” theory lol
Yes, the Neverfull is very popular here too. The top 3 bags are (in no particular order): LV Neverfull, Longchamp Pliage (nylon, large size with longer handles), and Hermes Evelyne.
The most affordable entry bag?
Yes, but mostly on women over 30. I seldom see a young woman with an Evelyne (I’m in Switzerland) — when it comes to Hermes, young women here are more likely to be seen with a Picotin or Lindy.
We spend about a month in Paris every year, usually in the 7th near Le Bon Marché, and I see a lot of Celine in that neighborhood.
LV and Gucci are most spotted luxury brands. Coach and MK are the most spotted contemporary brands. (I live in the midwest).
Got to thinking about this – and the other bag I see everywhere lately (like one out of ever 5 shoppers at Target yesterday) is that darn Lululemon belt bag. That thing is everywhere! (Super cute too).
Mid-upstate NY. In the 2y I’ve lived here, I can pretty much recall all of the designer bags I’ve seen. A Prade re-edition. A Loewe puzzle. A couple LV neverfulls. A LV Artsy. A Chanel Deauville. That’s it. That’s every bag in the entire region that doesn’t belong to me. 🤷♀️😂
Hermes, Chanel, LV, Celine (Especially Ava) and a couple of weeks ago I saw 4 Goyards in a tiny cafe and there were around 15 customers.
Mostly Chanel. I live and attend church in an old money area. Just yesterday during Palm Sunday service, I saw 4 Hermes bags-Birkin, Constance, Bolide, and Evelyn. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a green ostrich Birkin. But, Chanel still seems to be the most plentiful.
I live nextdoor to Pebble Beach, you don’t ever see old money with big names. It’s quiet fashion and quieter money here.
I agree newer money is flashier for sure, but I know some old money that wear CHANEL and Hermes. However, no label flashing all over all the time. Older money bought for quality, not to impress(well some may have, but none I know)
What bags do you see there?
Santa Barbara- a little bit of everything. There’s a Coach store in downtown, otherwise not much shopping here anymore. I occasionally see LV and kate spade.
I live in SB too! I feel like the bag I see most frequently is oddly the Hermès Evelyne. But it really isn’t a handbag town unless you go to Montecito. I wear a mix of Saint Laurent, Chloe, Bottega and Loewe and the bag that gets the most comments/ recognized is my mini Jodie.
In metro Atlanta, lots of LV, Gucci and YSLs
In my area there’s. Lot of Telfar, Gucci, LV, Saint Laurent and some Chanel. Nothing too exciting.
NJ…top of the state…LV…a good variety not just the neverfull. Some Gucci & Hermès.
In the SF Bay Area town where I currently live, it’s the Goyard tote bag. I am in Florida this week and I have seen more Chanel Boy bags and YSL Loulou bags here this week in the wild than I have ever seen anywhere.
In Milan, Italy, I see a lot of Gucci and Prada bags (duh!). YSL is popular too. Sometimes I see Chanel and Dior (lady Dior). On Via della Spiaga, Hermes dominates.
Down at the bottom of the world in NZ we have some Gucci, LV, Prada and some Chanel, bottega and Ferragamo. Not much else as we have a very small selection of luxury boutique and no department stores stocking luxury brands. We also have tons of non luxury bags too. I adore people watching. I love seeing different styles and colours and the wild and wonderful world of peoples presentations of their personalities. Never gets old.
Lot of Coach bags in my area. Followed by LV. A few Chanel, but I think that is mostly people who left NYC and moved to our region. I would say most are generic brands
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Thank you for writing this; made me nostalgic! Before 9-11, I would go to the West Palm Beach, FL, airport, for no other reason than to people watch. Now living in Greensboro, NC. Don’t see a lot of high end Purses. Mostly LV, when I do.
I live in Chapel Hill, NC and the the only designer bags I ever see are LVs (mostly Neverfulls) but the reason is because LV is the only high end designer store anywhere in the state, I believe. (It’s in Charlotte). Saks in Raleigh gets some YSL, Ferragamo and Valentino but not a huge selection. Occasionally they’ll have pop-up shops within the store.
While working in Flatiron Section of NYC – always tons of Bottega Bags, Goyard Totes, & Lulu Lemon Belt Bags lol
I live north of Denver, Co and I would say I see a lot of LV. I spend a lot of time in Las Vegas and SF and I would say LV, Gucci, Hermes and Goyard (Goyard/LV in SF and more Gucci/Hermes in LV).
I second that! I’m in North Denver and we see a lot of LV. Mostly the speedy or vintage models.
I see a lot of Louis Vuitton, Gucci and YSL around my area of Nassau County, New York.
In Nashville, far too too much LV and some Gucci, every now and then some YSL or a Chanel.
I live in Boston, and tbh, this is not a good city to spot bags. The weather is not super conducive, but I’ll spot one-offs occasionally! (And I take my Hermes out rain or shine.) I’ve spotted a YSL Nicki and Gucci camera bags on Newbury street, a Chanel 19 in Newton Highlands, a few Goyard totes in Cambridge, and a couple Neverfulls out in Natick + Chestnut Hill area. The re-sale shops typically only have vintage Gucci or LV though.
Recently spent time in NY and west village/downtown nearly everyone under 30 had a Lululemon belt bag (super hand to be honest).
In London there’s a lot of Chanel classic flaps.
I live in Beverly Hills and it’s an excellent spot for bag watching. You see all the big luxury names and all the latest releases when walking around. Many of them are overseas visitors here to shop or window-shop. Locals don’t stroll around Rodeo very much, there’s more of that over at the Grove, or Saks and Neiman. At Erewhon you only see designer bags, fun distraction while getting groceries. Thinking about it, what you don’t really see is LV.
Berlin, Germany – the bag I spotted the most was the APC Demi Lune, followed by a lot of (probably fake) LV Neverfulls. Occasionally other high-end designers, quite a few Celine Trios, but the bag that seemed most out of place here was the Givenchy Antigona – whoever knows this city knows this is not its vibes!
Ugh, see?!!? 🙄💅
tHiS iS why I nEvEr wEaR lOuIs VuItToN, bEcAuSe I tHiNk tHeY aRe aLl fAAAAAKEEEE wAnNa bEs!! 🤮
Anyone who dosen’t wear the *right luxury bag* in *my* city, can’t sit and eat lunch with us!!! 👸🙅♀️
/s
In Madrid, Spain is Zadig&Voltair for the teenagers, Loewe for mid age women and Chanel/Hermes older women. Lots of LV mainly the Neverfull, Alma and Speedy
I live in San Diego and always check out the bags people are wearing. The most common are LV, Gucci, and YSL, but I’ve also spotted some Chanel’s, Givenchy Antigona, a couple of Goyards, a Dior saddle, and today it was a Polène Numero Un, which looked so good I may have to get one!
Small town Pa lots of Michael Kors, COACH, some LV totes(very few)then there is me lol CHANEL, Fendi, Gucci. I would imagine folks around here think they are fake as no one in their right mind spends this much on a handbag, but I do. I love them. I do have MK and COACH as well. They just don’t compare after having higher end bags tho.
Swansea, Wales, UK – Louis Vuitton (specifically the Neverfull and Speedy). Im a Mulberry girl myself!
I spot LV very often here in Houston, Texas. After that i see Coach and MK 🙂