If You’re Going To Splurge On A Designer Bag, This Should Be It

Unless you are really rolling in it, making a decision to spend hundreds of dollars — or even thousands — on a single item of clothing doesn't usually come from a place of I thought it was cute. There are a lot of things to consider: It needs to be roomy, but not unwieldy; pretty, but not flimsy; iconic, but not cliche; and plain, but not boring (you did spend a ton of money on it, after all — you want people to notice the thing!). Out of all the different kinds of bags out there, there's one that ticks all the boxes: the chain bag.

Most major labels have their own versions. The body of the bag is typically medium-sized — more than enough to hold all your essentials, but not so big that you'd use it as your work bag. Chain bags are also a more traditional style, so you can get away a wilder print, a more off-kilter shape, or a trendy color and have good faith that your bag will feel cool to you for a long time.

To help convince you of a chain bag's great cost-per-wear arithmetic, here are some women (with five very different outfits), who've made the chain bag work.