The Essential Dispensable Handbag: Aldo Frattapolesine
I LOVE my luxury handbags. Investing in high-end bags is smart. They look better. They're higher quality, retain their value, and usually age better. Not to sound like a snob, but almost all low-end bags look... not so good.
So it may be a surprise to hear that I have always had one lower-end bag in my closet. This essential bag is perfect when it's rainy, snowy, or when I don't want people seeing me with a luxury bag (like when I'm making a large purchase that requires some haggling). Here is my current dispensable but essential handbag, the Frattapolesine from Aldo.
This bag is what I consider to be a fashion unicorn; it is shockingly nice for the price. Very rarely will you find an item this pretty and fashion-forward at this price point. The form is very structured and retains its shape even when empty.
I like how the material of the bag is not a faux leather. Faux leather is seldom done well, and usually ends up looking cheap. The material is a very sturdy and scratch-resistant canvas. It looks similar to Prada's Saffiano leather with the sturdiness of Louis Vuitton's Epi canvas.
Aldo did this bag in several different finishes and colors including faux leather, and smooth exterior. The one that I recommend is the hard synthetic cross-hatch finish. The black and oxblood colors come in this great material.
The bag dimensions and shape are nearly the same as the classic Louis Vuitton Alma bag, except with longer handles.
It is a really amazing bag for its price, but it is still very different from my designer bags. The inside lining is sloppy, stitch count is low, and the hardware is light. These shortcomings are easy to overlook given the cost and sturdiness of the bag. The lock keeps unclasping itself too. 😛
As with all fashion unicorns, this bag sold out very quickly. 🙁 Link is here.
But, there are 2 similar bags available. First is the Aldo Nerine bag (here). This bag looks to be of a similar material that my Frattapolesine bag is in. Second is the Aldo Valerafratta bag (here). The styling on this bag is very similar. Both bags are also about a couple inches bigger.
While searching for links, I noticed that Asos sold out some of Aldo's bags for higher than retail. While Aldo's Valerafratta bag sold for more than 50% above retail at Asos, the same bag is still available at the lower retail price at Aldo. Interesting. 😛
