Bags: the Affordable and the Exorbitant (nothing in between)

Chloe Paddington, the deadest of them all

The "it" bag is double-dead. Gone are the days of women fawning over the latest one to two-thousand dollar, hardware-laden, all-leather accessory. Women have since moved on to shoes, clothes, or jewelry and watches as investment pieces that would hopefully set them apart from the rest.

Peer into Jak and Jil's shoe porn, where footwear gets crazier and crazier. I admit it's beautiful and fresh now, but like it bags, what happens when the novelty of it shoes wanes?

I think the same goes for men, at least those who, a few years ago, jumped in the bandwagon of it bags and purchased the "man" versions for themselves. You're reading the blog of one of the biggest victims of this movement, having caved in to the briefcase version of the YSL Muse and the messenger version of the Balenciaga motorcycle bag. Since then, I've demoted myself to buying bags of the USD 0-300 range, amazed by their practicality and the presence of so many interesting choices out there. Let me share a few of my picks:

American Apparel duffle ($26)

Benjamin Bixby coach's attache ($148 at gilt.com)

Check out the "team autographs" on the back:

The one that got away # 1: Raf Simons for Eastpak duffle. I still want you.

The one that got away # 2: Jeremy Scott for Longchamp "Stomp" bag. Does anyone know who still stocks this?

Nom de Guerre helmet bag. An update on a military classic.

Y-3 messenger (from style-arena.jp). Close to perfection, in my opinion.

That, however, hasn't stopped me from lusting over expensive ones. Only now, they need to be ridiculously expensive and impractically unreachable to tickle my fancy.

Dries Van Noten hand-painted ostrich bag. My jaw dropped when I saw this on 00o00. It's a breathtaking piece.

Hermes 24/24 messenger. Ridiculously overpriced, it was love at first sight for me. One day, i say, one day!

Today's outfit: no bags involved. It's sweater weather in Manila!

red-framed specs from Hong Kong, Zara cashmere blend v-neck, Giordano Concepts shorts, NDC shoes