There are just a few days left of 2020, thankfully. This year I made the decision to write Men’s Fashion articles, focusing solely on bags. I started after buying the chocolate Piel Leather foldover tote last December, coming full circle this December 2020. The articles never caught on, like anything else I’ve tried to garner interest the past 10 years or so, but again, they just weren’t enough. I thought about discontinuing but I want to finish the last six or seven articles for the year. So here goes.
I am interested in large bags and totes, thinking I’d be traveling the area with a bag full of necessities but Covid 19 hit and there went that plan. I decided to go ahead and buy what I liked this year so I’ll be prepared in future years. Overall, I like bags that are 12-20 inches wide, 12-16 inches tall and 4-6 inches deep. Last month I bought two such bags, one from Floto Piazza in Italy and one from Antonio Valeria in India. The Floto Piazza bag, unfortunately, was not built to promised standards, shorting the size, so it was returned. Unfortunate because the tote was a beautiful deep moss green.
The Antonio Valeria tote was the promised size, 16x12x6, as seen in the foreground in the picture. It is large enough for a full day out in the city, travelling via bus, train or ferry. It can hold all my daily items (seen in previous articles) plus a day’s lunch, snacks and beverages, ereader, computer (plus cords). It is wide, so I will have to be careful on public transit to not hit anyone with it or get in anyone’s way. I love the color, their wording is “Crazy Horse Green”, whereas I call it a warm sage, perfect for the introduction to January!
The bag has pockets inside for phone, wallet, even pens or pencils, it is fully lined inside, giving a much more expensive look and feel. The only drawback is the magnetic closure, so you will have to keep your arm on your shoulder with the 10 inch drop or fold the top over to carry like a football. The leather is nice and stiff so it will hold it’s shape, unless you fold it over consistently. My arms are slender so I can carry on my shoulder. I bought it for January’s color so I may have to slip my arm inside the straps and carry under my arm.
The taller bag in the background is the second Antonio Valeria tote I bought. They are both $79 currently on Amazon. I paid full price for the first bag and $45 on a seconds price on Amazon for the second tote bag. I know the quality of Antonio Valeria bags, with the sale price, I snatched it up. Normally I do not like tall bags but the quality tipped the scales for me. It is 12.5×14.5×4.5. Not as big but still big enough to carry you through a full day around without missing a beat. One plus about a verticle bag, it will be easier to carry on public transit without being in the way.
I’ve read Amazon reviews on the Antonio Valeria bag that say the lining unravels, so beware of carrying too-heavy items, over-stuffing, throwing it in your car, bashing against walls/chairs/people. Take care of your bags and they will last a lifetime!
Until next article.
Brick ONeil 