Chosen by Country Classic Lucinda – October Edition – Bags 👜

🎃🍁 Happy Halloween! 🍁🎃

I am really excited for this blog as I am pretty much handbag obsessed. I know for many of you today will also be payday, and who doesn’t deserve a little treat then?! Well I’ve got you covered, from overnight bags to purses, have a look below at some of the products I am LOVING right now.

So which bag is right for you? Have a read to find out my reviews and thoughts on some recent bags and clutches. If you’re anything like me- you’ll want them all! But maybe there’s a stand out one for you!

Below are six different types of bags, I’ve shown styling them as well as given you the low down about what I think of them, and what they are perfect for.

Happy reading… 👜

Grays Barrington Leather Holdall

If you’re a regular to the blog, you’ll know that I think Grays bags stand out for their incredible quality, and I love their subtle Equestrian detailing. The Barrington Leather Holdall is no exception to this, I am absolutely obsessed with this bag. If you follow my instagram, you will have probably already seen it appear several times now.

I travel a lot with work and believe that investing in a good quality overnight bag is key. The beautiful detail of the croc leather, alongside the durability and quality of the Barrington make it a must have for anyone on the road a lot.

The outside…

Designed in full leather, the Barrington Holdall is now available in a tan Croc. It features a double ended zip closure, with three buckle fastenings. There is also a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap. The two handles also close together with a press stud, making this really easy to carry around.

There is the subtle equestrian theming to this bag with the snaffle bit to the centre of the holdall. If you are horse mad like me, it is these little details that make all the difference.

If tan croc isn’t quite your thing, there are several other leather finishes available online in this same style holdall.

The inside…

This bag has the one large compartment area, for all of your items, there are then several pockets inside for your extra little bits. There is a zip shut pocket and two inner compartments. These are really useful when travelling as you always end up needing something to be easy to reach, or wanting to keep things separate.

Size…

50cm x 22cm x 30cm

I have found this the perfect bag for me if I am staying away for up to 2-3 days. I am a massive over-packer so I do often take an unnecessary amount of clothes with me. I generally pack so all of my cosmetics and toiletries are on one side and all of the clothing is on the other. Because I stay away so often my toiletries bag is also massive, so if you packed more strategically you could probably fit a lot more in than I do currently.

The bag isn’t bulky, which is really nice. Again, with me staying away so much I do need a bag that I can easily lug around with me – and this does the trick.

This bag is also suitable for hand luggage, so perfect for any type of holiday!

Where can I find it – Barrington Leather Holdall

Perfect for: each and every overnight stay!

Final thoughts: I LOVE THIS BAG! I can really appreciate a good overnight bag with staying away so much with work, and I have always believed in investing in a good quality leather bag that will last, and is durable and strong enough. The subtle equestrian theming of this bag makes it a must have for me – I can’t fault it!

Fairfax and Favor Mini Windsor

I am a sucker for all things Fairfax and Favor. If you follow my Instagram and blog regularly, you will know that I own an unhealthy amount of their boots, shoes, bags and accessories.

Featuring as part of the brand new Grey Collection, this little bag is sure to be on your wish list. The Mini Windsor is an exact replica of the incredibly popular and best selling Windsor handbag.

I’ve fallen in love with this bag so much so that I’ve just wanted to pair it with absolutely everything. Despite me thinking that grey wouldn’t go with as much (I am typically a tan or navy girl), I couldn’t have been more wrong!

The outside…

The exterior features front and back suede panels, with full grain leather sides. The bag closes with a leather flap that comes over the top of the opening and closes with a magnet stud.

The tassel on the front of this bag is interchangeable, meaning you can colour co-ordinate with your outfit, or your boot tassels. There is now a separate listing for the Mini Windsor interchangeable tassels on the F&F website.

There is a detachable leather shoulder strap with the bag meaning you can choose to carry this, or go ‘hands free’ – making it perfect for days out. The strap is adjustable in length with a buckle. The attachments for the strap are concealed inside the bag, so if you take the strap off, the D-ring loops are hidden within the inside of the bag.

The base of the bag is full grain leather, and features four brass studs. This is important for keeping the base of your bag in good condition.

The bag featured in this blog is the Grey colour, but the Mini Windsor also comes in several other colour ways- Oxblood, Tan, Navy and Coral, one for every wardrobe!

Fairfax and Favor do recommend spraying the suede at least once a month with a suede proofer, this will keep your bag in the best shape for all of your adventures!

The inside…

The inside of the Mini Windsor is fully suede lined. The bag opens up into one main compartment space, and then there is a zip pocket at the back of the bag – perfect for popping your smaller items in. I really liked that this bag was just one main compartment, the bag itself isn’t huge so there isn’t a real need for endless inside compartments.

Size…

Measurements: 19cm x 21cm x 10cm

This bag is the cutest little size, but surprisingly you can fit an awful lot in it. I am notorious for taking an unnecessary amount out with me, but this bag does fit in plenty, without the bulk of a normal sized handbag.

How to style…

I’ve had great fun styling this bag as it actually goes with EVERYTHING! I wasn’t sure about styling grey, but every single outfit I’ve paired it with, it matches perfectly. I have realised from styling this bag that I own very little grey clothing, which is initially what I thought I would want to pair this with. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong as the bag styles really nicely with bright colours and more subtle tones equally well.

The bag styles really well with completely different colour combinations. Above you can see that I’ve paired a skirt with a variety of different looks and the Mini Windsor adds a great addition and feature. The bag could be dressed up or down. It looks great with a silk scarf and tweed skirt, but also styles perfectly with a winter gilet and trousers.

Where can I find it – Mini Windsor

Perfect for: days out.

Final thoughts: This bag is absolutely adorable and the grey does go with everything. Featuring a shoulder strap as well as the handles, this makes for the perfect day bag. This is a must have item in my opinion!

Henrietta Spencer Windsor bag

You might have noticed this bag creeping up on my Instagram recently. Based in Suffolk, the Henrietta Spencer bag range are all handmade and feature full grain leather detailing. Basket bags have really made a come back and the Henrietta Spencer range make a real statement. Having fallen in love with the full range, the Windsor bag is the latest addition to my ever expanding collection.

The outside…

Based on the original basket bag shape, the Windsor is handmade and features leather shoulder straps. The bag fastens with a leather loop through closure. This is really helpful as it keeps the bag together and you can pull this as tightly or loosely as you desire.

The bag is so beautiful, with natural colour tones and a real summer feel (even in winter weather!). There is also the leather Henrietta Spencer branded tag on the shoulder strap.

The inside…

This bag is one large open compartment. For the adventures I’ve taken this bag on already, I’ve found the big, open compartment to be really useful and I like how much I’m able to fit in the bag. If I’ve had lots of smaller items with me I’ve just popped those into a separate purse within the bag to keep them together.

Size…

45cm x 26cm

This bag is a larger style and is perfect for me as I generally carry way too many things around in my handbag with me. The bag fits nicely on your shoulders due to the shoulder strap so it doesn’t feel bulky, despite being a really great larger size.

How to style…

There isn’t anything this bag doesn’t go with. The neutral colours make styling easy, and it could be dressed up or down. I’ve taken this bag on several days out now, from city visits to days out, and I love how easy it is to throw everything into, and how the natural colouring is able to go with everything.

I’ve featured this bag with a couple of dresses above. The first outfit is slightly more formal and the third is a great summer outfit. The middle shows you just how versatile the bag is as I’ve paired it with a jumper and thick fur scarf, and it still looks great.

This bag is your mr reliable and you can pretty much count on it for any adventure, from beach visits, picnics, city breaks and point to points.

Where can I find it – no Windsor Bag

Perfect for: beaches, holidays and picnics.

Final thoughts: I am a huge fan of this basket bag and love its summer feel all year round. The Windsor bag currently features in the Henrietta Spencer sale online, a perfect opportunity to pick up this bag at a discounted price!

Hicks and Brown Chelsworth Clutch

I’ve had my eye on this beautiful clutch for a while now. The quality of the Hicks and Brown items are second to none and I already own some of their clutch bags and accessories. If you follow my blog and Instagram regularly, you’ll have seen them feature previously and you’ll know how much I love the design, attention to detail and quality of their range of products.

The Chelsworth Clutch is a really classy looking bag and the classic colour-ways available mean there isn’t an outfit or occasion you won’t be able to pair one with. This bag will definitely take you from day to night.

The outside…

I went for the gorgeous maroon colour for this clutch. I love this rich colour and it matches a lot of accessories that I already own.

The clutch is a suede outer with a velvet banding across the front, and featuring the Hicks and Brown branding in the centre of this. The bag has beautiful gold detailing set against the maroon.

There is a wrist strap on this bag meaning you don’t have to physically carry it around in your hand all day. That’s really important to me if I’m out and about- particularly somewhere like the races, where I don’t want to have to hold something all day.

If maroon isn’t your colour, this beautiful clutch also comes in Navy and Olive Green.

The inside…

The clutch bag is one compartment inside, and is fully lined in a rich blue colour.

Size…

21.5cm x 14.5cm

This is a smaller clutch than many I own, and we all know how much I tend to carry around with me. However, I tried and tested this at the races and I can confirm I can absolutely fit everything I needed in there. I tend to ditch my usual every day purse when it comes to clutch bags and use a flat coin purse instead, this helps to keep anything purse related together, without taking up too much space when using a smaller bag.

How to style…

I have been so excited to style this clutch as it is beautifully classy and has a luxurious look to it. I own a few different accessories in this colour that I was excited to try the bag out with, but I also wanted to try styling it in different ways to see how easily I could dress it up or down.

I’ve style the Chelmsworth Clutch in a couple of different ways above. It pairs beautifully with simple colours such as the white dress, adding its own colour pop to an outfit. Equally, when paired with similar coloured accessories, the maroon can create a whole new look to an outfit, complimenting the overall appearance.

I wore this bag to Cheltenham Races for the November meet so you will have seen it feature in the previous blog and on my instagram page. The bag suited the races perfectly and really completed my look.

Where can I find it – Chelsworth Clutch

Perfect for: evenings out and the races.

Final thoughts: This bag is absolutely beautiful and the quality, feel and look of this clutch bag make it really stand out. I think this clutch is going to live on my arm during the racing season and Christmas parties.

City Cows Small Hide Purse

I use this type of purse a lot at the races to keep inside my clutch bag. I will end up with money everywhere if I don’t have somewhere to contain it, so this is perfect for popping inside one of your smaller bags without the bulk of your usual every day purse.

City Cows purses are handmade in the UK using high quality hides. The uniqueness of these hides means no two purses are the same. Each product on their website has its picture taken individually, meaning you purchase the exact item that you see.

The outside…

High quality cow hide is used to create these unique purses. The hair on hide purses are all unique, and no two are alike. The hide has been cut in order to best show off the unique markings. The purse is fastened by a high quality silver YKK zip, which is strong and durable. These purses overall feel thick and durable, and of a really high quality.

I absolutely love hair on hide products but these purses really stood out to me. The fact that they have been handmade in such a careful way to best show off the markings, and that each purse is so different, I absolutely love them.

The inside…

The purse is just one compartment inside. It is lined with black cotton making it easy to store your items inside.

Size…

Approximately 10cm x 14cm

This purse is a great size, it is small enough to fit inside a clutch bag easily, or it is just big enough to be noticed if you want to use the purse alone. There is enough space in here to fit notes, coins, keys and even make up if desired.

These purses are such a cute size, they would make absolutely perfect stocking fillers in the run up to Christmas.

Where can I find it – Small Hide Purse

Perfect for: every day use and Christmas presents.

Final thoughts: I love hair on hide products and the quality and finish of these purses make them a must have. These purses are also ultra affordable, I couldn’t be without mine now!

Frank and Grace Sabina Clutch

I absolutely love this Frank and Grace clutch. It brings something completely different, and the different colour ways are fun and cater for all wardrobes. These clutch bags are all hand made in the UK.

The outside…

I chose the Honey Blonde clutch bag colour, which features a light brown tweed with a mustard and orange check through it. It then features the faux fur cream back. The wrist strap comes in the same tweed and can be removed if desired. The zip is a burnt orange and gold colour. The front of the clutch features the Frank and Grace branding. The front tweed of the bag is stiffened, meaning it keeps its shape however full or empty the bag is.

This clutch comes in a variety of different colours, black, houndstooth, leopard, Madagascar, navy and silver- so there will definitely be a colour for you!

The inside…

The bag when zipped open is one simple compartment. It is beautifully lined with a contractions nutmeg colour.

Size…

Approximately 16cm x 26cm

This clutch bag is a really great size. It has been on a few outings with me now and I have been able to fit everything I need with me, from a small hairbrush, purse and cosmetics as well as my phone and keys.

How to style…

The clutch bag is really easy to style. I went with the light tweed and whilst it compliments subtle coloured outfits well, it also stands alone with a bright coloured outfit too.

I also took this clutch bag to Cheltenham Races for The Showcase earlier this month. Despite the horrific rain, this bag kept all of my items safe, and the faux fur backing withstood the rain tremendously. I love the look of this bag and it really is a great addition to finishing off your perfect outfit.

Where can I find it – Sabina Clutch

Perfect for: the races and days out.

Final thoughts: This clutch bag is fun and different, and the multiple colourways mean there is definitely one for all types of wardrobe. Having tested this out on a couple of outings now, I am loving the light colour-way, decent size, and it’s ability to pair well with all outfit types.

I hope you’ve loved this little review of some of my favourite items currently. Keep an eye out on my Instagram (@countryclassiclucinda) to see me styling all of the items more.

There are lots of exciting blogs to come, if Racing is your thing, then keep an eye out for the Cheltenham Racecourse November meet posts coming up, if not, there are plenty more fashion and lifestyle blogs scheduled, all will be revealed very soon!

That’s all for now.

Lots of Love, Lucinda xo