Bags are like people.  The more you are with them, the more you get to know them. In this case, the more you use your bag, the more you know if it’s really the “it” bag  for you. Bags are like friends too. Of the countless bags in the market, you only buy a few.

Men do a variety of work, and bags are also created for different functions. There are  bags for school, work, travel, sports  or as fashion accessories. There are market and mall bags and let us not forget the lowly laundry bag.   These  bags are made of different materials from cotton fabric, plastic, leatherette and leather from all sorts of animal hides ranging from  cow to ostrich ; from snake to armadillos.

Bags like people, have their own  strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes you like a bag for its utility but you can’t bring it to the wedding party. There is a bag  that can double as a travel bag and a mall bag, but definitely not your bag for social gathering.  Some bags are so soft but could not stand on its own and would fall flat like a dead duck.   While some bags are sturdy and durable  yet they are like  cardboard boxes, where your things  juggle inside.  A big bag is definitely good, because it can carry your umbrella, your computer notebook, your water bottle, your two wallets, your cell phone and camera and still have enough space for your Kikay kit. But it’s quite heavy and hurts your shoulder.   A small bag is  charming but in the season for big bags, small bags – no matter how cute –  is out.

Even bags are not stranger to social status. There are rich people as there are high-end, designer bags. If my research serves me right, the most expensive bag is the “1001 Nights Diamond Purse” by the House of Mouawad which cost a whooping $3.8 million. Understandably, because  it is covered with diamonds, crafted by 10 artisans and took four months  to make.  On April 20, 2005, Doyle New York auctioned a black crocodile Hermes “Birkin” and was sold for $64,800. But why spend a fortune when it is not even a car or a house? According to Myke Castaneda, “it’s the status that comes along with it and the desire to separate yourself”. In other words – Pride. But who could undermine the usefulness and versatility of the ubiquitous  “sando bag”. It’s the lowliest of all bags, but has served the public well.  Is now slowly being eased out to give way to the more eco-friendly “supot”.

Of all the bags you have, I bet there is a bag that you love the most. It may not be an all-occasion bag; it may not even be pricey or attractive,  but it is a bag that you love and treasure because it has stood the test of time. This is akin to friends  who stay with us through thick and thin and make our life’s journey light and happy.   They should be  treasured  more than a hundred “Birkin” bags.