You can blame Gaelikaa it is all her fault. She wrote about a broken zip on her handbag. NO! She did not sent it to me for repair, and I no longer do zips, so thank you very much…. Don’t send them here! 😉

Gaelikaa mentioned something about going shopping for a new one. I would have gone with her so that together we might enjoy a girlie giggle as we browsed and made our purchases.

Now I want a new handbag!

No I don’t.

YES I DO!

Actually I seldom carry one these days, but I do love them….and… Shoes!

BIG SIGH!

This getting old lark means that some of the shoes I like are but a memory now. The cheek of someone, telling me that I should be wearing laced or buckled shoes. Next they will be putting me back in stays! I suppose I should be thankful it is not a straight jacket they suggest. George, hide that last bit from Elly in case she gets ideas!

It made me think of all the handbags that are in my cupboard. I am trying to remember when I last purchased one….. Quite a few years ago, I think. I was in Belfast. Wandering, window shopping and browsing! It was a bright autumn morning and I was enjoying the sunshine warming my bones, and that was part of the reason I spent so long looking in the window of a leather goods shop. Handbags; it was mainly handbags on display. One section was of up to the minute high fashion – sure to be out of date and abandoned the very next week. Then there were bags covered with beads or feathers, “Sure I could make them!” I thought, but I could see why they were asking such a price. Proper beading takes time…. and plenty of it. It is a very precise art.

Next I noticed a display with bags, in the shape of gift bags covered in fabrics and the greatest excuse for fabric roses you ever saw. Now if Elly had come home from Primary school and said she made them I would have been proud and delighted to display the finished product up on the shelf with the Irish cottage ( I’ll show you that another day! 😉 ). The roses were very badly made and the bag itself was poorly finished. The price ticket said:- £50. ❗ I didn’t believe it was possible so I went inside for further inspection. Who in their right mind would give £50 for such a poor specimen? I did like the simple shape and took a closer look at how it was put together. Once satisfied, I set it back carefully on the shelf and continued my browsing.

There were several leather bags in what I would call classical designs. In fact there were a few I would put to very good use. They too, had a price ticket of £50, good value for real leather I thought. That day I had not set out to look for handbags, so I dragged myself away from temptation.

At this stage I was the only customer and there were two sales assistants, one of whom was on the phone. As I drew close to the door, the assistant replaced the telephone and shouted to the other girl “Everything 50% off!” I stopped in my tracks, with my mind working forty to the dozen. I lifted a bag and pretended to be very interested as I listened to the exchange between the sales ladies. Sure enough word had come down from on high that all goods were to be marked down to half price, effective immediately. So as they busied themselves with writing labels and attaching them to the products, I worked my way back to the classic leather bags. Fifty pounds was actually a good price for a leather handbag… but for two, it was not to be missed.

You guessed it. I bought two handbags, different styles, but in different colours. One was black and the other was navy. I was working back then so a handbag was a necessity for a girl who was away from home all day.

Clockwise from Left:  The black bag with a shoulder strap and the navy double handled one behind it, are both mentioned above.  A handmade patchwork evening bag (more tomorrow), Large tan holdall/handbag.*  Dark Green Tula Leather shoulder bag.**  Black brocade clutch evening bag.  Brown Samsonite Bum-Bag, this gets plenty of use nowadays since it holds the camera, phone keys etc, leaving both my hands free.  Navy clutch bag. and finally in the centre  A Mock Animal Skin Bag with gold trim***

*Large tan holdall/handbag (goes well with my riding boots.  Sigh!  Will ever get my feet into them again?).

**Dark Green Tula Leather shoulder bag (has matching shoes)

***A Mock Animal Skin Bag with gold trim (has matching shoes)

Well that is my stash of bags!  Not bad since most of them are ten or more years old.  I wonder which has my tuppence in it?