14 Comments
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Cait's avatar

ALTICA on Etsy is a leather co-op from India that makes woven leather bags for less than half the price of the Dragon Diffusion. I have used my bag continuously as a work bag for about 2 years and it still looks great and hasn't lost any shape. I've been super impressed with the quality, and I like buying directly from the artisans when I can.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ALTICASTORE?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=904861281&from_page=listing

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Liz McKay's avatar

Wow great find! I’m gonna have to get one of these. ❣️

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Kt's avatar

Definitely a different vibe from the sambas but I just got a pair of basically new leopard apls on posh for $55 and they’re awesome. Might be worth keeping your eyes peeled. https://posh.mk/wJQgJISnZHb

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Kt's avatar

If you could do a little bag charm roundup? Seeing everyone Birkin-izing their bags and you seem like you would really have a handle on this topic. Pun intended.

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Liz McKay's avatar

YES! been working on it but I will speed up :) love the term Birkin-izing!

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Bella Gerard's avatar

When I discovered that the Loewe Medium Squeeze not only fit my laptop, but didn’t lose its shape and appear flat and rectangular as a result, I bought it same day. So good!

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Liz McKay's avatar

I love the squeeze and feel like it would be far more popular if people knew how much it holds!

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Pam B's avatar

Madewell is underrated for basic bags at a good price. So many different cross body styles and the Transport comes in multiple sizes.

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Liz McKay's avatar

agreed! I also love their tees.

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I could never understand the concept of the diaper bag! Did the same, just stuffed my own handbag with all the baby things…! One must stay aligned to their core values. 🤭

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Liz McKay's avatar

exactly! 😇 & why are they like $400 for ugly fake neoprene?!

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Sarah Shapiro's avatar

Love a big bag! I can't get the Miu Miu overstuffed runway moment out of my head. Made a messy life seem aspirational. Thanks for including my Matches breakdown - I know many are frustrated with dealing with returns, and so sad to see a beloved retailer likely come to this end.

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Liz McKay's avatar

So cute!!

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Mar 15, 2024
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Liz McKay's avatar

Agreed! I love their designs, I actually have heard they get a lot of requests to make a diaper bag. Storage could definitely be improved. That madewell one I linked has a nice exterior pocket, which is helpful but interior pockets are a necessity.

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