Chic and Functional – The Vintage Leather Satchel Bag
The vintage leather satchel: designer and high-street versions, how to wear one across the body, and why the style has lasted since the 16th century.
Over the last few years leather satchels have become popular with hipsters, vintage lovers and everyday people alike, and with all ages. Even men are catching on and carrying a satchel every day.
It doesn’t matter if you are 15 or 45. A satchel has a solid shape that is practical, sexy and hard-wearing. These bags get better as they age, so vintage ones are especially wanted. Depending on the satchel, it can be casual, trendy or smart. It works for business or shopping, play or work.
Designer leather satchels
Coach, Juicy Couture, Prada, Diesel, Chanel and Marc Jacobs all have satchels among their accessories each year. They come in leather, lambskin, and even canvas with leather trim.
The high-fashion labels are usually more structured, made for business and glamour. You will find large satchels in high-quality leather at Chanel and Prada, but the price is much higher. A sturdy bag will last a lifetime if it is well cared for.
A designer bag will usually start at $400 and go up into the thousands. The quality is worth the price, but you may end up lusting instead of owning.
High-street fashion satchels
The real fun in satchels is the variety of colours, sizes and patterns. Plenty of companies with no big name sell satchels with pops of neon, floral prints and special patterns. These are seen as trendy and short-lived, so they don’t usually cost as much.
Street-style dressers will usually carry an off-brand satchel with a perfectly matched outfit. The true hipsters don’t look for big labels. They look for small and fairly unusual ones.
Wearing a leather satchel
The beauty of these 16th-century bags is that they go with everything. Wear one with jeans and a T-shirt, or with a little black dress. They work for men and women, teenagers, twenty-somethings and older. A satchel can make any outfit stand out.
They are made to be worn across the body, so they take no effort. Hands-free bags are the best for travelling or shopping.
The right size makes the difference between frumpy and chic. A bag that is too small on a larger frame will look silly, so proportion and balance are the key.
The strap is usually adjustable, so you can carry it short or let it hang to the hip. With so many sizes, there is one for everybody.
Will the satchel ever be out of fashion?
Probably not. It was created in the 16th century and has been in use ever since.
