Purses: Believe it or Not, They're All About the Hardware

Purses: Believe it or Not, They're All About the Hardware


I got the scoop on what makes a good purse the other day. Apparently, a good purse is all about the hardware.

You may not trust me, but if you knew the source of my top-secret insider purse information, you would definitely change your mind. Let’s just say she knows clothes, she knows hair, she knows purses, and she knows architecture.

I’m kind of an ignoramus when it comes to purses—a bit of a geek actually—I carry them for two reasons: to have a place for my book(s) and to have a place for my phone. I’m less likely to carry a purse in the winter because big pockets can easily hide a cell phone.

So, back to the purses. 

According to my anonymous source, the hardware is the metal on the purse; this includes the clasps, the buckles, sometimes the straps, and any other designs on the purse. If you can’t afford (or have a strong aversion to) expensive, designer purses, take a look at the hardware on the nicer purses, purses and try to find a cheaper semi-knock-off purse to carry around.

Because for some reason I have yet to fathom, purses matter to some women for job interviews and things like that.

Women who eye purses like men eye boobs always notice this kind of sh*t and despite what you may think, the designer Coach bags are more popular in the burbs than in the big city. Again, according to my source, aka “The Purse Expert”,  there are tons of designers who make much cooler purses that won’t break the bank.

The leather (unless you are against the use of leather for clothes and/or bags) is also important. The softer the better. However, if you can’t afford the softest leather, my thinking is that it’s highly unlikely that some be-atch just waiting to judge you and your purse is going to touch your purse just to see if the leather is up to par. (At least I hope not. If you are in a bar, all bets are off on whether or not some strange chick will fondle your purse—there are a lot of weirdos out there.)

The size of the purse is up to you and what you need. Just remember a simple rule of thumb, the bigger the purse, the more shit you will pack around. It’s inevitable.

What do you think is the most important thing about a purse?