I come from a yuppie upper-middle class community in upstate New York,
home to the (somewhat) well-known Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets. As
a result, it's not unusual to see genuine Dooney and Burke, Coach,
Juicy Couture and Luis Vuitton handbags all around the high-school,
which generally range in price (for a new bag) from $50 to several
thousands of dollars. Just about an hour south is New York City, home
to even more ridiculously priced handbags. So before anyone complains
about Ecoist's prices, keep in mind that there is indeed a huge demand
for luxury handbags in the world.
Ecoist bags are definitely expensive, with a $28 coin pouch as the
cheapest item. But one look at these meticulously woven bags will
justify the price: Ecoist bags really are ART. Right now I own a
Dooney and Burke bag, which could probably be described as a brand
with prices falling somewhere around the Coach line- they are
beautiful, sturdy bags, somewhat overpriced, and often very
sophisticated. I love my Dooney very much and have gotten compliments
on it, but I'd hesitate to call it "art."
Ecoist bags are, first and foremost, dazzling to look at. Each is
one-of-a-kind. The color schemes are well-chosen, and they're
metallic, which is very much the style now (according to the yuppies
in Orange County, New York). They come in solid colors, repeating
stripe patterns, and fairly random prints- so there's bound to be one
that will match most of your outfits.
But like all good art, there's a story behind it- Ecoist bags are made
from recycled candy wrappers, which would normally be considered tacky
but here's where the price factors in: the wrappers are woven VERY
tightly and skillfully into a nearly indestructible diamond pattern.
The result is an extremely durable, water-resistant bag.
I reviewed a small clutch bag with a rainbow pattern centered around
red. The bag lived up to its expectation of being durable- you can
pack this bag to the breaking point and it won't burst or undo the
zipper. Nothing leaked inside when this bag was taken out in the rain
(a common occurence in upstate New York), although I don't recommend
submerging it... although you probably could, and the bag wouldn't be
ruined. I bent the bag's sides several times to undo the weave, but it
held without loosening or changing shape.
One thing that initially annoyed me was the lack of a lining, which
tends to prolongue a bag's life. But the shiny wrapper material
actually works well without a lining, even better, since the wrappers
are resistant to being marked by pens and pencils.
So really, the only negative factor is the price, which is going to
turn a lot of people off (not that I can blame them). But if you're
thinking of investing in one nice, luxury bag, as a lot of people do,
for special occasions of otherwise, browse the Ecoist site first.
Their bags are as stylish and durable (probably more so) than anything
you'll find at Coach or Dooney and Bourke (and this is coming from a
HUGE Dooney and Bourke fan). Ecoist bags are nonleather, a boon to
vegetarians, and they are just so DIFFERENT. Nobody will have them,
nor will everybody own fakes (as often happens with Louis Vuitton).
Trust me... people will notice them :)
As for what bag I recommend, I particularly like the clutch bags- they
come with a jelly hand-band, and are the perfect size for going out
(big enough to hold the essentials- money, phone, keys- but not big
enough to be annoying). They are also far less expensive than the
basket tote bags. When you're not using the clutch bags as a handbag,
they double as a good pencil case or storage for anything else.
And by the way... when you buy a bag, the ecoist people plant a tree.
So if you want to buy one, or even if you don't, visit Ecoist.com and
be dazzled! I know I was.
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