The purse is the ultimate status symbol.And without the proper one, well, you might have to hire a PR woman.
“A good purse is a fashion statement,” says a clerk at Macy’s.
But what’s the right statement? Well, the answer’s not so simple. While one purse may be the “it” bag in Brookfield – where Prada and Coach bags are de rigueur – it would be totally wrong for Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, where you want something recycled from Salvation Army or Value Village and customized with patches, a screen print, beadwork or buttons.
So what’s hot in your neighborhood? We turned to those style-conscious connoisseurs, the city’s best hairstylists, and asked what their customers from each part of town are carrying:
Elm Grove & River Hills:Louis Vuitton and Prada.
New Berlin:Knockoffs that look expensive but aren’t.
Shorewood:If you’re a 30-plus professional, a Matt & Nat bag from Canada’s most stylish city, Montreal, is the ultimate. Tough, sturdy and vegetarian – in some models, sized for your laptop.
Whitefish Bay:Tory Burch and Goyard.
Downtown/East Side:The Tano bag: classy, practical and understated.
Marquette Law School:It may be the Chicago style (a lot of MU students come from Northern Illinois) that makes a lightweight, durable Longchamp bag the winner.
UWM:North Face backpacks
Delafield:Anywhere near Bristlecone Pines, there’s only one “right” bag: a Gucci.
Bay View:Young, hip and artsy grunge, from polished Mary Frances cute to recycled, embellished jean bags.
West Allis:XOXO and Stone Mountain.
Fox Point:Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Muskego and Mukwonago:High school girls sport Chanel bags with the trademark interlocking “CC” – or maybe it’s a knockoff. Look at mom’s bag for a clue.
Pewaukee:Vera Bradley in the cute flowery tote and duffle country-look models; ditto Kate Spade’s plaid and flowered models.
Third Ward:Hobo
LaCage cloak room: D&G: Dolce & Gabbana.
Lake Country:A Brighton or Chanel clutch dropped into a practical Lands’ End tote.
