As someone whose style borders between classic and statement-making, I have definitely found myself standing in front of the mirror in a very head-to-toe classic look, feeling not fully like myself, but also too comfortable to really throw in a wild, statement-making vintage piece. Think Levi's and a basic tee with some sneakers and simple gold jewelry. These tend to be days when I'm just feeling more casual- maybe we're going to an outdoor market or getting lunch at a brewery. And the thought of putting together a whole LOOK just feels tiresome, and, frankly, forced.

When I find myself in these moments, I lean into my Vintage Bag Theory. Similar to Allison Bornstein's Wrong Shoe Theory, which involves finishing your look with the most unexpected shoe style to add instant personality, my theory comes from the idea that adding a vintage bag to any outfit will immediately make your look more interesting and elevated. I've built my vintage bag collection over many years, and  it features some greats like 90s leather pieces, bold 60s top handle bags, sparkly cocktail clutches, vintage designer knock-offs, and, of course, some Jane Birkin-approved basket bags. 

The great thing about these bags is that they represent everything that I love about vintage, because they're either extremely well-made pieces with lots of character and detail, or they're just FUN. When paired with an outfit similar to my example above (jeans and a basic tee), I could really grab almost any bag and make the outfit immediately more interesting and unique to my personal style. I could fully lean into the classic look and grab a 90s brown leather Etienne Aigner bag OR I could add an unexpected twist to the classic look and pair it with a mod 60s bright red pleather top-handle bag to match the red lipstick that I don't go too many places without. 

An unexpected thing about having this eclectic bag collection over the years is that it has truly become a staple of my personal style. As a result of this, there haven't been too many instances in my life when I feel like I've had to go purchase a new bag to match an outfit for a specific occasion. I just know that I'll be able to make something work with what I have, and that has been a really liberating feeling.