Vintage two-tone green and brown handbag

Sizing up a 31x27 cm handbag

The figure to work from is 31x27 cm, close to square. That proportion decides how things sit inside more than the raw volume does: a tablet or a folded newspaper goes in upright rather than lying flat, and a bottle stands instead of rolling into a corner. Height and width being this close together is worth picturing before the colour comes into it.

Rings, rivets and pale topstitching

The green is grained rather than smooth, and the camel flap is the only thing that interrupts it. That flap is cut to a saddle shape, with a shaped hem rather than a square one, and pale topstitching traces every edge of it. Two camel straps carry on past the flap and finish low on the body, each held by a riveted keeper. A studded camel tag sits at the left-hand ring, small enough to miss on a first look.

The way the handles attach deserves a second look: under a full load, metal rings beat flat stitched tabs, and a stitched tab is usually the first part to give on a bag carried every day. If the decision comes down to that kind of detail, the aisle where handle joins and fastenings can be compared is the quicker route through.

Short handles decide where a vintage handbag spends its day

Short handles sit in the palm or hook over the forearm, and nothing here reaches the shoulder. That suits a walk into town, a lunch, an afternoon of errands on foot. A full day of buses and trains asks something else, because the bag stays in the hand throughout. The folded top edge helps a little, keeping the outline low and wide rather than tall. When that is not workable, the shapes that leave both hands free answer a different question altogether.

Green as the one strong colour

A deep green bag is the loud thing in an outfit, which lets everything else stay quiet. The coat then decides most of it: grey wool and charcoal leave the green alone, beige warms it up, navy turns it almost formal. Black is the one that argues with it, because the green is left carrying the whole contrast by itself. One strong colour at a time is plenty, and this is the piece taking the job.