flora margaret

photos:
1. my $6 vintage purse
2. TheVintageMistress (item sold), http://www.etsy.com
3. AbslewtlyVintage, http://www.etsy.com
4. ChicVintageWear, http://www.etsy.com

It is getting close to time to replace my lovely red handbag. I use this bag every day, and it shows. I have already glued one rip in the backside, and now it has sprouted another at the bottom. Sigh. I love this bag. I makes me happy to look at it.

I bought this bag at an antique mall for $6 in Appleton, WI when I was visiting my dear friend Cathy. (Who later sent me an amazing vintage navy bag, which is smaller and I use for dress up. What a wonderful surprise to receive in the mail!).

I receive compliments on my red bag wherever I go, and often hear stories about other vintage handbags. One sales woman told me she had inherited her mother’s vintage handbags and found in each one a color-coordinated switchblade. She knew her mother lived in a very bad area and had to walk to and from work each day, but she never knew about the switchblades. She said it was very hard to image her proper mother, who dressed to the nines, carrying a switchblade. It was not so surprising that they were color-coordinated.

That story made me grateful for much more than just a pretty handbag!