Mama's Got a New Bag

When I was in London, I popped into the Topshop at Oxford and happened across a whole display of these gorgeous, handmade leather bags from Etui.  I couldn't find much on the internet about Etui, but the tag on my bag says they make 'Vintage Inspired Leather Bags'.  They had a toooon of bags at Topshop, little pouches, wallets, big totes, and I grabbed this medium-sized clutch/shoulder bag.


It was 56 pounds, so around $80? It's a thick burgundy-red leather with crocodile stamping.  It has a nice sheen to it and a bit of a vintage finish--it looks a bit lived in, which I really like.  It's about 12"x4" and an envelope style, so the top flap folds over and closes at that magnetic snap you can see in the first picture.  The shoulder chain (which is pretty long, it hits me at the hip) snaps on at those little rivets you can see on the left, so it's removable if I want to wear it as a clutch.  The inside of the bag is a plain black nylon-ish fabric, with a small zipped side pocket (the zipper pull is a little heart--too adorable).

I've always been wary of these little shoulder bags because I tend to carry a ton of stuff around with me.  But on the other hand, my shoulder is always killing me because of that, so downsizing is definitely a positive for my back.  I can fit a surprisingly amount of stuff in this bag though: my phone, sunglasses, keys, touch-up makeup (powder, brush, lip balm, lipstick/gloss, eyeliner), credit cards/cash/license, etc.  


Overall I totally love this.  I've never really had a bag in a color before, so that's fun for me.  It's a vampy sort of color, so it's fun but not so bright that I can't wear it with a lot of clothes.  I love the texture of the crocodile stamping and how it makes my bag feel more upscale, and the size is perfect for me.  I have no complaints!  So if you're ever in London (or on eBay), definitely look into Etui's bags.