What I toted to school
Let me start this off by saying it’s officially embarrassing toting around a pristine Birkin. This applies to any occasion. It either needs to be gnawed by your dog, abused by time or for those who just got them last week, hit with a bat and frying pan and walk all over it. That’s the only way to do Birkin.
This goes for LV bags as well. This is where physical abuse is actually a good thing. Birkins make excellent school bags. Although you might lose an arm carrying it around school, because it’s either so heavy (it’s like a solid cement block when filled with school stuff) or the school bully maiming you (Birkin style) because you look like a c-u-next-Tuesday carrying it around the school hall.
A more appealing and less desperate option is the paper-thin Celine color block totes. These are light and can be filled with a laptop, iPad and a change of clothes for an after school rendezvous. I tell you, these girls truly last and like any bag of note, they look better worn out. Same for the Balenciaga never-say-die large Motorcycle bag, in neutral colors (the pastel colored ones are kind of cheesy). It’s actually my favorite bag of all time.
In college, I used a black Hermes Kelly for school. Everyone asked me why I was using my mother’s bag. I didn’t know if I was ahead of my time or sadly behind the times. It was not really all that useful. I told myself that was what the back of my car was for, dumping my books in it. I alternated it with a beaten up LV Monogram Grand Noe bag. Originally designed to carry champagne around, it was excellent for everything academic in my life. When it comes to the Grand or Petit Noe bags, please stick to the Monogram ones. Nothing is more aging than the Epi leather variety. Even if beaten up, it still doesn’t cut it. Take it from the nerd who used a Kelly for school.
The Goyard Saint Louis tote is also a great investment. Come summer, it makes a hardy beach bag as well. If you really want to do something more discreet you can check out the Celestina Lopez (I know I’m biased, it’s named after my cousin Gina) bag. It has compartments for phones, electronic devices and notebooks and is probably the perfect bag for any Type A Heather in school.
Now there’s the issue of your back. Now you may have a MacBook Air in lieu of Trapper Keepers and a Kindle or iPad for books, you may enjoy these totes. For this next option I would consider my position in the school social pecking order. If you’re old school (no pun intended) and harbor a mass of books, it may take more than pilates to soothe that battered back of yours (remember it’s the bags that should be battered and not any part of your body). If you’re bully-proof enough, you may want to consider a trolley. I remember in my time, I had classmates whose bodyguards carried their bags. Super die. This is when the trolley doesn’t sound too dire an option.
A trolley is never deplorable if it’s Valextra. The less details in a trolley, the more chic it is. The Valextra Havana Trolley is everything you will ever want while you roll through school. It’s the Rolls Royce of mini trolleys. Your back and shoulders will thank you.
If you’re still confused about this bag business you may check www.baghag.com. It’s a blog by Ingrid Go and seriously, this chick has a PhD on bags. She’ll put any of you to shame.
The season of no more teachers and no more books may have passed, but with these designer bags you may get some dirty looks.
