This Neely & Chloe Bag Is a Compliments Magnet
I am very loyal to my handbags. As long as it checks off all of my requisite boxes (the design is simple and pretty, it goes with everything I wear, it can be worn to the office and on weekends, and it withstands subway rides and playground trips with the kids alike), I’ll take it pretty much everywhere and use it until it shows a lot of wear—then, it’s on to the next. (Let me put it this way: If I were a celebrity, I’d definitely be a frequent subject of those tabloid columns titled: “She really loves her… [Tk Fashion Item.]”) However, I’m not particularly precious with my bags: I like them pretty, yes, but I prioritize usefulness over them looking pristine. I don’t meticulously stores handbags in their respective dustbags, neatly organized on closet shelves waiting for the perfect outfit or moment. And I never have been.
There’s photographic evidence of my fealty to certain bags, from the Dooney & Burke satchel that I received some years ago early on in my fashion career to the worn-to-bits Alexander Wang Rockie my former colleagues gave me when I left that job. (Aaaaaand, it’s still in my closet—holy shi*t, that studded thing is heavy, but love it I did and I can’t get rid of it.) So actually, I should say I’m loyal to my “handbag,” in singular terms—because I have been carrying the same one literally everywhere for months. Let me tell you about my most recent, long-running—affair: It’s with a Neely & Chloe handbag that, despite bearing some scratches from countless playground trips, subway transfers, and other casualties of living in New York, it still gets me compliments pretty much every time I wear it.
The No. 7 Lady Bag comes to work with me every day, sharing my shoulder with the black Mansur Gavriel tote (gotta have that for my laptop). It’s been to the beach and withstood the ravages of sand. It’s traveled to countless cities (most recently: Paris, Stockholm, Milan), because it fits perfectly under an airplane seat. As of this writing, I’m going on twelve months strong with this bag—and I must say, it still looks good. So good, in fact, that it got me compliments from a prominent fashion editor with expensive taste. (He stopped to tell me it’s “so chic” and ask where I got it; “Isn’t it?” I replied, “It’s from Neely & Chloe, and it is $168.”) The only notice of wear is in the hardware, which has gotten a little discolored over the past year, but still, not noticeably.
The brand was founded last September by Neely and Chloe Burch—and yes, there’s a connection to that Burch. “Everything we made is meant to be fixed—it should last you forever,” Neely told Vogue at the time of the launch. “None of these silhouettes will be gone in six months. That’s not the way we dress; that’s not the way we buy.” The No. 7 Lady Bag is fashioned out of a very lightweight saffiano leather, but it still fits my wallet, phone, keys, Tic Tacs, and other ephemera. There’s even a pocket inside that perfectly holds my Metro Card, and another for my office security badge.
Though the thoughtful and clean design is what really got me hooked to this Neely & Chloe style, I love the fact that the bag is made by two smart young women, who happen to be sisters. Fashion needs more female designers, and this bag means I can literally wear that sentiment.
Now, before I keep signing this bag’s praises, I must break this to you—my exact, beloved style is sold out on Neely & Chloe’s website. But fear not, this post isn’t meant simply as a handbag brag: A mini version of the Lady Bag is still available on the brand’s website. What’s more, we’re told the regular-sized version will be back in stock soon… as soon as right after Labor Day weekend. Remember: All you need is one… and then, wear it to death.
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