Handbags

I'm not really a purse person... I don't carry one, and I'm not a handbag lover. But, I do have a weakness for tote bags, and I feel like since I was in school I've looked for the perfect bag to carry all the paraphernalia I like to have with me when I'm out in the world.

Once out in the working world I carried a MEC courier bag, along with pretty much everyone else I knew. (I had a red ribbon on the zip of mine after an incident when I accidentally took a housemate's bag to work with me). They still carry them, and along with basic black I see there is a navy version too, now.

For many years I carried laptop bags that came with whatever computer I was assigned for work - boring and somewhat functional, but I always ended up having to carry my lunch separately, since a bag for a laptop never seems to have enough leftover width for plastic containers of food.

Currently I carry a roomy zip-top tote bag that carries lots of stuff, but is impossible to find things in. I've said for a while that I will never buy another black wallet, but what I really want is a bag with a bright, light-coloured lining so that I can see inside.

Mostly I'm telling you this because I wanted to post a link to the Butler Bag, and be able to find it again when I want it... could this be the answer to my problems? A big (9.5" tall by 16.5" long) bag with 3" compartments in the bottom? Quite possibly!

I'm not likely to find out, because this bag costs $225, and I don't think I could justify that to myself. Even their nylon totes (shown at right), which are more my style, are $85, but it doesn't look like I'd be able to put the straps over my shoulder, which is a necessity. At only 12.5" by 13", it's considerably less wide than my current tote bag.

Speaking of my current tote, I took a look to see what's currently in mine. Wallet, planner (a 9" by 7" by 1" binder), a knitting project on the go, a half-inch stack of tests to mark, a paperback library book, a drawstring bag with office supplies (post-its, paper clips, pencil sharpener), my reading glasses, one of those fold-up shopping bags, and a handful of pens and pencils. Realistically, then, since I don't carry a cellphone, PDA, or makeup, the little compartments aren't the most useful for me... however, perhaps I can start looking at knitting bags!