Minimalist WIP | A Reflection, a Lesson & Choosing a Handbag

Fashion is something I have always struggled with. It is not a second nature to me as it is to other girls. Since young, I have no control over what I wore and carried - my mother was the boss of that. Most of us, well at least the millennials, have possibly endured an awkward childhood due to poor fashion choices our parents made. I sure know mine just did not care much about fashion (laughs).

Anyways, I have never been keen on fashion either - until I have moved to NYC. It started to faze me. Now that I think back, was it because of societal unspoken rules or my own fabrication of such conditions for acceptance? That is something I have not found the answer to yet.  One thing I know is that we must keep moving, somehow, somewhere.

Now, back to the point of this post, handbags. I used to own a lot of handbags. For one person, I owned more than 20 bags and I am in my 20s. The catalyst for this problem was , as you have guessed, fashion. I was swept by the idea that I needed to keep up with trends. I had so many different types, ranging from shoulder bags, crossbody, backpacks (my favourite), fanny pack, totes, and even a luxury handbag. What was I thinking? Now, I honestly think I was sick back then, keeping all those handbags just in case I would need it one day. Why? It was simply because MAYBE one day I will use it for that one special occasion. Reality is: I do not go out often enough or have special events happening left and right - so why should I collect all these things? These bags/handbags collected dust in my tiny little close in my old room and took a lot of space (they were all shoved into two big boxes).

Once I’ve realized that I have a problem, it was time to fix it. The last two years, I have dedicated myself to reduce my handbag collection. I turned to eBay to sell some and turned to friends to donate others to. It worked out - and as of last month, I have significantly reduced the bags from that monstrous collection. I realized that most of those bags do not suit me and I know I will never reach out for them any time soon.

Now, I can proudly say that I am owner of collection of three bags/handbags. I am very content! And I use all three for their chosen intentions. My focus is much clearer now that I don’t have so much stuff cluttering my space as well as my mind.

There are a series of criteria that I created to narrow down on what I think is my ideal type or types of handbag. To many, this may seem silly: why do we need to be so strict with choosing a mere handbag? The answer is simply because I do not want to make the same mistakes again and accumulate handbag after handbag. It will become a cluttering monster pile again.

Self discipline is important, because you are setting standards to mold yourself - that is to say you are taking control on how you want to shape yourself as a person. And self-discipline, I believe, is key to building a self that you chose based on your principles and morals - your beliefs.  

One thing I chose for myself is to shift away from fast-fashion consumerism. It is not easy to do as I have been following fast-fashion for all these years until recently. However, we must start somewhere, it is not too late if you are willing. Well, let’s start with choosing a handbag after the cleanse (declutter).

Steps to Choosing a Handbag for Everyday Use:

1. What kind is your favorite handbag?
1. E.g. shoulder bag, crossbody bag, hobo, backpack, clutch, etc.
2. What size? (consider your lifestyle and think of how much you normally need to carry around with you)
1. E.g small, medium, large
3. What silhouette do you fancy?
1. E.g. structured, hobo, etc.
4. What kind of surface material do you prefer?
1. E.g. fabric, leather, canvas, PVC, etc.
5. Preference in terms of product sourcing ethics
1. E.g. real leather or PU leather
6. What is your price point?

Using the questionnaire above helped me narrow down the kind of bag(s) I can comfortably carry around most occassion. With it I was able to decide to have one main bag, which is a mini backpack, for everyday use (great for running errands, work, shopping, and casual outings with friends); one medium-large backpack or bookbag for grocery shopping, outdoor-sport occasions; and one crossbody for those rare formal events. So far these three types of bags work for me because they serve the purpose I have chosen for their existence in my collection. I have been rotating between them depending on what the occasions call for - though the one I use heavily is my mini backpack.

Well, if you have made it this far into this piece, thank you for your time!