Years ago, brown was all I wore. Often head to toe. See: evidence.
But somewhere around 2020, I started favoring the stark contrast between black and white, and before too long, I had phased my beloved browns, cognacs, and tans out of my rotation.
Now I’m remembering just how soft and lovely brown is, especially with white. Still neutral, but warmer and more mellow.
And yes, there’s the little Merit bag again! It’s responsible for reigniting my love of all colors coffee, cinnamon, and caramel. (Umm, hello, now I need a caramel latte with cinnamon.)
My typical daily bag is a roomy canvas tote, but now that I’m carrying this little clutch more, here’s how I make a smooth transition between bags:
I’ve always kept my purse essentials in a little zippered pouch that slips into my canvas tote anyway, so I just switched from the zip pouch to the Merit bag. Yep! So the Merit bag lives in my tote most of the time, right next to my laptop and Hydroflask. That way, I never have to do a big switch. I just pull out the Merit bag when I need a cute little clutch and it’s already ready to go, full of my purse essentials.
Okay, let’s talk purse organization. What are your best hacks? Do you switch bags often or stick with one for the long haul? If you switch often, how do you streamline it? I’d love to hear!
Did you catch my 10-piece packing post earlier this week? It’s a fun one, full of packing tips. And if you’re feeling stagnant and uninspired with your closet, let’s Facetime! Together we’ll shop your closet and make new outfits — book your spot now.
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OUTFIT DETAILS
(If you see something you like, you can shop it and support my blog at the same time by using the affiliate links in this post)
Similar Cargo Pants: Aritzia New Supply Cargo Pants & Gap Cargo Pants
Roxy Gabbie Flip Flops | Similar: Madewell Gabi Thong Slide Sandal
Merit Makeup Bag (You can’t buy it directly, but it does come free with your first order)
JEWELRY
Madewell Sculptural Droplet Earring
Monica Vinader Heirloom Chain Bracelet
James Avery Chain and Heart Charm
Similar anklet: Madewell Micro Freshwater Pearl Anklet
Similar rings: Catbird Dome Ring (under $100) & Quince Pave Diamond Ring
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Loving this outfit! I just adore corduroy…I don’t need any new make up right now, so couldn’t justify the price for just the bags (which I really do want!!) and I was able to find both the corduroy version as well as the satin one on the secondhand market for a very affordable price. Excited to get them! Thank you for featuring them. I plan to try some Merit products once I run out of my usuals.
I would love to hear how people or you switch out bags and wallets! I struggle with that so much. I want to lighten things up in the summer with a smaller wallet etc but it gives me anxiety thinking about it and the change. Please do a piece on this.
I forgot that she asked us that question 🤣 for myself I basically do what she does. I’ve been doing it since the days before blogging because it’s also what my grandmother did and it just makes sense. I have a really nice wallet that is a larger one for carrying cash flat, as well as a leather zip top bag for other items like lip balm, mints, feminine hygiene products, pen, hand sanitizer etc. I also have a small RFID wallet for travel and whenever I need a smaller wallet in general for just cards and ID. I will also use this technique while traveling but use one of my crossbody wallet on chain bags as my long wallet put it in my personal item carryon (usually my Madewell Transport tote or my Lo and Sons Catalina bag depending on length of trip) instead of my leather daily wallet.
I am totally agreeing with you Dana F – I’m keen to hear more on this topic too! Thank you Caroline for asking ☺️ I do the same ‘smaller pouch into any larger bag’ thing, at first I started with a canvas tote in a large handbag to hold my books haha. Now I do a slim pencilcase with the essentials. And I’ve ended up making a few of those little essential pencilcase because sometimes I forget or don’t have the specific item I was wanting, so I have a few small pencil cases or items per bag now. I use so many different bags frequently even in one day: handbag, gym bag, day pack… I used to use the one bag strictly but now I find i enjoy a different bag for function or style, unless I’m in the mode to pare it all back, function rules all.
My biggest issue with using various bags is travel! I like to find a packable daypack and tote that generally will fit the style of where I’m going.