In The Bag

Full disclosure, I’m a bag hoarder. I attribute this to being Chinese, but who knows. Have you ever seen, in Chinatown, the way that my people reuse, rejigger, repurpose and utilize bags of all kinds in amazing ways? Suitcases, check. Bike mittens, check. I have an armoire dedicated to purses both cheap and obscenely overpriced, weekenders, boat totes, crossbodies, minis, and backpacks. I poured over pictures of plastic shopping bags, in mourning, when they were banned in New York (Thank You for Shopping With Us!) and my pantry is packed with paper shopping bags of all sizes and shapes. From tiny Robin’s egg blue Tiffany bags to oversized luxury haulers meant to hold the tallest boots, I save them like precious but useful souvenirs, with attention to selecting just the right one for any number of purposes. Ok, some I just save. But one day...I’ll need them!

From canvas totes for everyday to jeweled clutches for the most special occasions, bags hold our valuables. Our money and our kids’ snacks. The keys to our homes, our most personal jotted notes. They are security blankets, tools and repositories. Our bags send messages to other people by broadcasting values in the same way our clothes do – graphic messages, brands names and overall style that speaks to our sensibilities and the things we care about – these are carried and worn on our shoulders as we head out into the world. So choose wisely and choose broadly. Our most useful friends are so much more than material…