Alright, happy Monday, ladies! Truth be told, these pictures are hella old. Like mid-2018, I think? I kept meaning to do this post at the beginning of the school year, 2018 & 2019. But it turns out, when you work in the school system, the beginning of the school year is remarkably busy. Who’da thunk it? Anywho, I freaking miss blogging (I know I say that all the time, but it used to be something I thought about and did almost-daily) and being myself in this space, in particular. I feel like I’m always “on” these days (lets be real, I still am, I would not have said freaking IRL). Long story short, I don’t want to sit on these photos any longer so despite not knowing what is going to happen with the world and the school year being 3 months off, here’s the bag that got me through college!
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ECRU SILK TANK (SIMILAR) // AMERICAN EAGLE DENIM // KATE SPADE SUNNIES (SIMILAR) // LONGCHAMP BAG // ALELI JEWELS NECKLACE // REALTO SANDALS (SIMILAR) // SIMILAR LOVE BRACELET
THE LONGCHAMP LE PLIAGE
Maybe college has changed since I was there (good f-ing God, I’m saying that now), but thelarge Le Pliage was one of the most popular shoulder bags on campus. I definitely think it was out flanked by the classic backpack or a small crossbody, but I found both too cumbersome. A backpack often was a pain to swing on in a crowded auditorium (that was a thing once, remember?) and I hated lugging my binder or notebook around. I wanted my shit contained and I wanted to make a quick escape when class ended. The Le Pliage did the trick fabulously.
I love the leather straps and flap. It just looks so classy and clean, but the body of the bag is nylon which is actually amazing. You never know what kind of surface your bag is about to end up on, and this bad boy was just so easy to keep clean. TBH I think I wiped it down with Clorox wipes a few times, but really a rag damp with water works great. It is an expensive bag, so I was concerned about ruining it, but this thing was built for milage. My price per wear is down to well under a dollar and the straps still look great (the leather got more supple and soft with time). The corners of the nylon are starting to wear, but it’s almost undetectable and I packed this thing FULL quite a bit since I also used it for traveling.
I’m a little shocked the straps didn’t just snap off with how heavy I filled it sometimes. It’s amazing. The expandable weekender is on my wishlist for that reason. I also picked up a green version about a year after I got the black one. Green is one of those “sometimes” colors, black is always available. I switched between both fairly regularly.
AN INSERT IF YOU NEED IT
I went for years without getting an insert for this bag. It wasn’t really a big deal for me since I usually used a binder for my notes and stuff. I also had a pencil pouch and my wallet, water, and whatever else just tossed in. You can see in the picture above that square pocket. It’s easy to miss inside the bag, but that’s where I kept my ID and it was perfect.
After college, when I started subbing, I wanted to carry a little bit more and my lunch. The main difference was I was gone all day, versus in college when I’d pop home a couple times a day. SO I needed something to keep all the extra shit organized. Amazon is filled with felt inserts and I probably spent way too much time finding the “perfect” one.
I actually ended up ordering two. Sometimes I would use both, sometimes I would take one out and put my computer in. It just gave me more options. I like both a lot. One is a little more structured and stiff, the other is more flexible and kind of squishes up if it’s not full. I got both in a dark gray color, but there are lots of options for the flexible one (I got the “B” model).
MORE SCHOOL ESSENTIALS (THAT YOU MAY NOT THINK OF)
Snacks, man, for real. Before I get into the other essentials and helpful things, just make sure you’ve got some quick snacks that can be taken to go. I used to love Clif Bars and bananas. I mean, this is essential for anyone who is out an about all day. Being hangry is not the vibe we’re going for here.
BUT in terms of other essentials, there were a few things that I kept on me no matter what in college. One was a little Moleskine notebook. The small one actually fit perfectly in the one tiny pocket in this bag so it was great. I used it to jot down things to research later, ideas, grocery lists, or other small things when I didn’t want my phone out.
I also love a cute pencil pouch – so much better than losing your pencil at the bottom of your bag. Plus, if there’s a pen explosion, it’s contained.
I found college was the best for networking and meeting people. I suggest making some inexpensive business cards and keeping them in a cute card holder. It looks classy, the cards stay protected, and it’s way better than writing your info down when you’ve got another class to rush to. I found this, along with my ID and Moleskine, fit perfect in my baby pocket.
I’m going to say headphones, even though I think this is something everyone thinks of. But just in case, headphones are essential. Who knows what sounds you may need to block out on a whim? And sometimes you just need a good song to pump you up before going to that one class with the super cute baseball player.
What is your go-to bag? And what are your must have items to keep in it?
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