Being a bag junkie, even the subject itself sets my heart a-flutter. The love of bags was born when my mum gave me my very first leather handbag when I was 12 (a green and brown Bonia. In hindsight, it looked a bit “auntie”, but then again, it was my first leather piece, and I loved every bit of it). And my first Coach a few years later. The rest, as they say, is history.

Here, my dear friend, LeGeeque, talks about her love of bags, and the ones that capture her heart. Enjoy!

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Makeup, the latest application servers, a new open source operating system, Metro trains running on time are some of the things that send my heart fluttering with excitement. Of late, however, nothing seem to be catching much of my attention. But, like everything else which comes and goes in your life, this one love of my life has consistently been there. Like a faithful old friend whom you’ve known all your life. You might not tell each other when you last went to the loo but you know she’s there and you can pick up the missing pieces the next time you meet.

My friends, I’m talking about bags. Yep, designer bags. Luxury bags. Call ém what you want, they never fail to excite me with each new seasonal releases.

But with so many bags out there, what do you buy? Which ones do you get? And what do you do when you get calls from MiuMiu, Dior and then Marc Jacobs all within the same day telling you the new collection’s in and it’s to-die-for and you simply MUST pay a visit to David Jones?

You do what I do. You make a list of the most classic bags and you bloody well stick with it (unless you’re one of those with unlimited funds and can buy whatever your heart desires). Oh, and then, you block all those calls from David Jones. 🙂

So, in no particular order, the following list sets my heart a-pitter-patter.

1. Speedy by Louis Vuitton

You’ll have to admit that the Speedy is one of the most recognisable shapes from the LV range. If you’re not a fan of the monogram, fear not, the Speedy comes in a multitude of sizes and leather and/or canvas. It ranges from the tiniest Speedy 25 to the humongous Speedy 40.

Geekchic says: A bag, like a good pair of shoes, can make or break your outfit. Imagine you’re all dressed in grey and black for a cold wintry day. A splash of bright red hung off the crook of your arm instantly updates your outfit and changes your entire look.

2. Alma by Louis Vuitton

You cannot be a bag lover and not contemplate on the Alma. The shape is very distinctively-LV and for those who are wary of yet another hand-held bag, fear not. A strap is sold separately if you wish to have this slung on your shoulders.

Geekchic says: Have it without the shoulder strap. I’ve seen women hang this off their shoulders and it’s not the right shape to act as a satchel. Hand-carry or off the crook of your arm, it’s classy without being show-offy. Again, this comes in a multitude of materials. Canvas, patent leather, epi leather, you’re spoilt for choice.

3. The classic flap by Chanel

The ubiquitous quilting. The double interlocking C. The chain strap with a strip of leather locked in. Wear the strap long. Wear the strap short. Wear it with your skinny jeans, ankle boots and a simple tee. Wear it with your favourite LBD. That’s right, no bagaholic can say her bag collection is complete without this.

Geekchic says: Getting the Classic Flap is a momentous occassion in any bagaholic’s journey. If you’re getting your very first Classic Flap, get it in a staple colour. I’m thinking of a black caviar (pebbled calf leather) with gold hardware. Then, as you build your collection, you can get the seasonal releases in different colours and skins. Chanel did a lovely navy blue in the past season in both the lambskin as well caviar. From observation, Chanel sometimes does re-release the colours in future seasons so, if you didn’t manage to get the mandarin orange one you’ve been hankering after, fear not, good things come to those who wait.

When Karl Lagerfield entered Chanel, he brought back the 2.55 alongside the Chanel Classic Flap (for more information on the difference between these 2 bags, please head on to the The Purse Blog). This is another one to add to your collection but my personal take on this is, do the classic flap then the 2.55.

4. Lady Dior by Dior

The Lady Dior was first designed for Princess Diana, Lady Diana. The original one designed for her was medium in size in black lambskin and silver palladium hardware. This also comes with a detachable shoulder strap. The one in medium hangs off my 5’3″ frame very comfortably. The one in large can be slung across the body. As with the Chanel bags, this also has seasonal releases. The most recent one I’ve seen comes in Amethyst and there are only 5 available in Australia. 2 in Melbourne, 2 in Sydney and 1 in Gold Coast. If you hurry, there’s one last one available in David Jones.

With the Lady Dior, it also comes in both regular lambskin and patent leather. The patent leather feels much lighter than the lambskin even though staff at Dior in David Jones said I was the first one to ever say that. Like the Chanel Classic Flap too, you can dress it up (carrying it without the strap) or dress it down (slung off the shoulder). I like to wear a strand of pearls with a v-neck sweater, skinny jeans and ballet flats to pull off a preppy yet casual look. On a night out for dinner and drinks with my favourite people, I hand carry this with my LBD.

I’ll bring you my next lot of Geekchic’s must-have classic bags in my next post. Stay tuned!