The Perfect Red Purse

As many people know I have been searching for the Perfect Red Purse. This search has been going on for years. Once, in Madison, I saw It at one of those purse kiosks in the mall. It had that vintage-style metal clasp/frame, it had a lot of structure, it was a shoulder bag. And it was thirty-some dollars. Doesn't seem that bad, but I had just graduated and was looking for a job. I couldn't justify thirty-some dollars when I didn't have a permanent job or income.

I always figured I'd regret not buying it. I did--until last summer.

While in Marshall Field's/Macy's on the Miracle Mile in Chicago, I saw it: the Perfect Red Purse. It was red. It was rectangular. It was structured. It had shoulder straps. It was everything I wanted. It was over $100. Ouch. I went up a floor or two and saw another one, a less expensive one that had the same lines. I kept going because I was shopping for pants. When I left the store I took the elevator down so that I wouldn't stop and buy the knock-off.

Fast forward six months. I am in Memphis with friends, and I find what I think is the Perfect Red Purse at Macy's. I even blogged about it. It was rectangular. It was structured. It was a shoulder bag. It was under $100. I figured it was the knock off that I saw at Marshall Field's/Macy's. On the way out of the mall I saw the original Perfect Red Purse. I began to wonder if I had made a mistake. I decided I had not.

Three weeks later the Knock-off Perfect Red Purse began to fall apart. The straps began to tear. Then they began to split. Then the interior pocket ripped. Then the front straps began to tear. Eventually, I took it back to get get store credit. I figured I would put that towards the Real Perfect Red Purse--until I realized, with the help of ME, that I saw the Perfect Red Purse at Dillards not Macy's. D'oh. So now I have a Macy's giftcard. And that's fine but I am still a little bitter at Macy's for changing all the Marshall Field's in the world to Macy's.

(Oh, and the Knock-off was made by Alfani. Never buy a purse by Alfani. They may have clean, sleek lines and look really cool, but the quality is absolute crap.)

What to do? After realizing my Perfect Red Purse might be discontinued, I bought it. It was on sale, on closeout and clearance all over the Web. It was still expensive, but it was disappearing. I sucked it up, and ordered it.

So, in a few days, my four/five-year search will finally be over. I will have my Hobo International Lola (Milano Collection) purse in Rouge.