Finding a handbag I actually want to carry all season is no small feat. I am very much someone whose entire life lives in her bag: phone, keys, wallet, old receipts, punch cards for my neighborhood fro-yo shop and threading salon, three different pairs of sunglasses for absolutely no reason, etc. Once everything has found its home, switching bags becomes a whole production, so when I find one that works, I'm loyal.
So when I saw my coworker Ana Escalante carrying the Coach Chelsea bag, I immediately thought, Yep, that's the one. The brown shade is the ideal fall neutral; the kind that works with everything already in your closet and makes anything you own look that much more chic. It also comes in black and suede, but what sold me is how much mileage you can get out of it. It's polished enough for work, cool enough for cocktails downtown, and easy to dress up or down depending on what's on the calendar. In other words, exactly the kind of workhorse handbag that earns a permanent spot in my rotation. Keep scrolling to see how Ana styled hers two ways for fall.
"If I'm heading downtown, I'm looking to wear something comfortable, cute, and on-trend. Naturally, the only thing I've been wearing at the end of summer and the start of fall is drawstring barrel pants, so pairing a classic black pair with a colorful baby tee, a tassel necklace, oversize sunglasses, and my slouchy Coach Chelsea bag is a necessity. I don't have to think too much about it—the accessories, and by extension, the Chelsea bag, do all the heavy lifting." — Ana Escalante, editor
"When I want to look put-together while running errands around the city, meeting up with friends, and heading to the office, I'll throw on my usual versatile uniform: a white button-down shirt, a pair of straight-leg jeans, black ballet flats, and a workhorse leather bag. This combination is especially a winner during the transitional period between summer and winter, when I'm relying on classic autumnal pieces like cognac leather bags (case in point: my Coach Chelsea!), flat shoes, and thicker denim." — Escalante
