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Once Upon a Handbag

I just saw one of the most moving films I've seen in a long time, Once, about two musicians who happen to meet on a dreary Dublin street late one night and...well, you'll have to watch it to find out the rest. But at one point one of them ends up rolling her vacuum behind her through the city.

What does this have to do with handbags? It's exactly how I feel whenever I carry a purse. For me, it's either my trusty backpack (even weight on shoulders, lots of pockets, leaves me hands-free) or coat pocket (anyone's will do, as long as we're out together).

OK, OK, or it's my grandmother-in-law's hand-me-down vintage art deco evening purse. It's the exception because it's utterly unique and beautiful in its own right. Many of the bags we selected for today's tip are one-of-a-kind and made to last too, so whether you're a full-time bag lady or not, you can enjoy their quirky ways for many moons.

-Jenifer Morgan...off to sneak my wallet into my husband's murse...
Posted by: tmeronek on 07/31/2007
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Patricia  on July 31, 2007 at 07:24 AM 1
Another fantastic green handbag site is eco-handbags.ca. they have some of the most unexpected materials in their bags and the bags are very stylish! Check it out!
Bibi  on July 31, 2007 at 07:29 AM 2
I'm in love with the recycled innertube bags-- durable, waterproof, and incredibly cool-feeling (careful, the bigger bags can be heavy). Try English Retreads for some freaky good fashion.
Renee  on July 31, 2007 at 08:20 AM 3
You can't forget ecoist. They make handbags (and other cool stuff) out of unusable candy wrappers and other food labels. Makes for a unique pattern! The handcrafted purses create jobs for artisans in Mexico and Peru, and ecoist plants a tree for each bag sold.
Becky  on July 31, 2007 at 08:26 AM 4
Why not go with inexpensive and mainstream fashion? Go to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Easter Seals thrift store. Not only can you find great bargains but you're supporting worthwhile organizations at the same time!
Raven  on July 31, 2007 at 09:14 AM 5
I always thought these handbags that you can knit out of recycled plastic grocery bags were cool: http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/round%20plastic%20bag%20tote.html (Not that Biters would necessarily have plastic grocery bags hanging around, but maybe you know someone who does...:-) ) There are other patterns out there as well, do a search for recycled plastic bag purses. Wish I knew how to knit!
Ann  on July 31, 2007 at 10:12 AM 6
MY GOSH. I know very few people who can afford a handbag under any name that costs $250 or even $72. Recycling means many things, and I don't think that expending lots of money is one of them. Great ideas at used clothing stores, making bags out of plastic bags, unraveling and reknitting or crocheting bags with the yarn, settling on one handbag for day and one for "going out", maintaining each so that they last for a long time...All of this is practical and doable...
Healing Frog  on July 31, 2007 at 11:53 AM 7
Totally unaffordable bags!
Alice  on July 31, 2007 at 12:56 PM 8
I will make a general sort of comment here: for the most part the Biter tips are really good and I find them useful... but once in a while they present something so ridiculous (like the $450 handbag) that their credibility really suffers [at least with me]. On the other hand, if we can get the yuppies and posers to start recycling, maybe "things" will finally begin to change. If we can recycle all the plastic other potential floaters, maybe the results will end up on the arms of socialites rather than beached on Midway Island killing seabirds, dolphins and monk seals. THAT should be our real, communal goal. :o)
Gloria  on July 31, 2007 at 02:23 PM 9
Love the Goodwill & thrift store suggestions! Also the recycling of $1.00 jeans to make purses, backpacks etc.Recycling at it's best!! Also consider garage & rummage sales. I got one of my cloth grocery bags(a really nice sturdy one)at a garage sale for $.25.I love this blog & my fellow bloggers!! I get such great frugal tips from this. Raven- you can sometimes learn to knit at your local library for free. That's how I learned years ago.Some yarn shops or craft stores(JoAnn,Michaels) offer classes but for a fee.They usually offer them in the winter months.
Wayne  on July 31, 2007 at 03:23 PM 10
Before you buy anything plastic, recycled or otherwise. Take a look at what it is doing to our planet through the negligence of our race. http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Ocean-Plastic-Landfill-Algalita1n... In the late 19th century, science set out to create an indestructible material. Plastic is the result. Long after the human race abandons this planet, plastic will remain.
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