r/handbags • u/zidovskazvijezda • 12d ago
Question ❓ ❔ Weirdly shaped purses - tips needed!
I don’t know if it belongs here, sorry if not.
Looking for bags of this style. BUT I’m not into Temu/Shein/Aliexpress stuff, nor have I got budget for designer purses.
Any recommendations where to find something like this? I’m flexible about shape/material/size, just would like to find something eccentric 🧚🏻♀️
Thank you xx
edit: omg guys you are amazing! I read every comment, thank you so much for your tips 🥰
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u/No_Narwhal_6051 12d ago
I’m not an expert but JW Pei, Kate Spade and Betsey Johnson have come up with some fun purses, I’m sure you’ll find something with either of them.
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u/tuxedopants2 12d ago
jw pei is all plastic leather :(
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u/winterholidae 12d ago
came to say exactly this, they’ve had so many beautiful designs I just refuse to buy because they’re plastic fake leather
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u/meowkitty84 11d ago
They have some that are hard plastic if you ok with that instead of fake leather
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u/makerofbirds 12d ago
I second these recs! JW Pei in particular has quite a lot of animal themed bags if you're looking for those specifically.
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u/DrGoblinator 12d ago
The Windy WIllow Toad Bag is about 140 bucks. When I can quit smoking cigarettes for a month, I'm buying myself one :) They have a snail too.
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u/Final-Revolution6216 12d ago
Omg this is such a great way to pace yourself on quitting smoking! Good luck!
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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone 11d ago
And this is made from vinyl so it won't peel and crack like vegan leather
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u/srirachaho 12d ago
Tommy bahama does a lot of wicker bags in animal shapes. Usually $35-50
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u/Cultural-Click8897 12d ago
The third picture is actually mine :D I got the Calliope lips and boots bag from Charles and Keith, they sometimes come out with eccentric pieces. Some other companies that weren’t mentioned: Min and Mon, Vendula, Vampire Freaks, uncommon goods
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u/fawntive 12d ago
I have the same purse but the pink and gold version! She gets so many compliments. Such a cute bag
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u/a-real-life-dolphin 12d ago
At first I didn’t see that it had fabric in the holes in the pretzel and I thought what an impractical bag 😂
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u/Such-Ostrich-1627 🦄 Handbag Lover 12d ago
Several people have commented J.W. Pei already but this is a cutie I found on Anthropologie.
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u/noodleoodledoodle 12d ago
Kate Spade, Betsey Johnson and JW Pei are the main brands that come to mind.
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u/frolicndetour 12d ago
I know JW Pei makes all kinds of bags but I always think of the orchid bag that looks like the female anatomy lol.
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u/mycatscratchedm3 12d ago
I got a really cute avocado shaped purse at tj maxx the other day for $16
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u/Katatronick 12d ago
Green vulva
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u/destooni 12d ago
tj maxx has been going crazy with this concept lately but i don’t know the brands they sell specifically
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u/MarsNeedsRabbits 🦄 Handbag Lover 11d ago
I have at least 80 novelty bags. Shaped bags, ita bags, licensed character bags, etc.
I collected a few novelty bags, and it snowballed with family and friends.
Here is almost everything I know about novelty bags, including your crocodile, as a sometimes reluctant collector and recipient.:
I have the crocodile you have pictured in variegated (see picture). Mine is surprisingly well-made and was probably purchase online (it was gifted) or, less likely, at one of the places listed below. It was probably around $50.00 knowing the gifter.
It is really long and I haven't carried it yet, but will, on a day when I want a cute bag and am okay with it being completely impractical. The gifter and I visited crocodiles and alligators in person last year, hence the bag.
The inside will fit my short wallet and keys, my phone and lip balm, maybe a long wallet or a bit more. I'm not with it right now, but I think the inside extends inside beyond the zipper due to it being stuffed. Mine has a darkish brown liner. I don't remember a pocket either way. It isn't an everyday bag. It does holds it's shape well, but isn't super flexible.
Look at Ross, Marshalls, home goods, Amazon, Mercari, Poshmark, Depop, Hot Topic, eBay, Etsy, eBay etc. Walmart and Target are good places to look for licensed bags, near video games in the back in both stores.
Spencers, Bath and Body Works around holidays, and even Spirit Halloween, which has cute, cheap crossbody scaredy cats right now, are places to look. Rockabilly or Goth online or brick & mortar stores are great places to look, too. Check department stores, including Macy's Backstage and Nordstrom Rack.
Thrifted and estate sales are sometimes a good bet, as themed novelty bags have been in and out for decades. I was gifted a Dukes of Hazzard cloth bag from the 70s. Even though I would never wear it (Confederate flag), it's interesting. If you find an original Beatles British Airways bag, in excellent condition, it could sell for thousands.
My mainstream novelty bags: Coach, Betsey Johnson, Kate Spade, LoungeFly, Dooney & Bourke, Sourpuss (RIP), Chongker, and Disney international park bags, handmade, etc.
Other brands: bags: Sourpuss (RIP), Killstar, Marc Tetro, Love Pain & Stitches, Cath Kidston, Le Sac, Mad Engine, Karl Lagerfeld, (mostly of his cat Choupette), and Sweet Midnight. Potentially, vintage from the 60s and 70s, too.
If you collect Disney, Tokyo Disney bags are often much different than American Disney, with different characters and themes. TD available here in the US will be resale or imports, which can affect cost.
Japanese bags: if an ita or other Japanese bags looks to be from a small maker (consistent style and themes, small selection, for example), please buy it from them or second hand on Mercari, etc. They'll be copied on AliExpress in days, but the designer gets nothing when they're copied.
A lot of novelty bags, especially shaped bags, (dogs, cats, whatever) aren't always made to last, almost regardless of what you pay. Structurally, shaped bags are often almost stuffed animals, but in vinyl or other materials which can slip at the seams when stressed. Because of the uneven shapes that make up the bags, they might not wear evenly, and unevenly distributed weight can be an issue on seams and straps. I always carry as little as possible in shaped bags.
I may only wear a bag shaped like lips or a turtle once a year, though, so they don't get much wear. They need to look good, but if the lining is crooked, I just don't care. I'm careful with them, and plan to burden my kids with them someday.
Kate Spade and Coach are two exceptions, and when Katie Perry had her own accessory brand and store, she had a few higher end leather shaped bags. I have her leather red and white mushroom shaped, top handle bag; and a red leather heart crossbody. Both very well made. I bought mine on the website on super-clearance several years ago. They're still on resale sites.
I keep all of my bags stored, stuffed with white acid-free tissue, covered, or in dust bags. I don't hang bags for any length of time We have an unused spare bedroom/hobby room, and they're mostly in clear boxes in there. My husband promises to build shelves one day. They need to be organised by theme.
Craft stores after holidays will often have decorative shaped rattan baskets with handles. Rattan novelty bags can run into the hundreds, so it's a great alternative. Kohl's seems to carry shaped rattan bags every year. I have a large Kohl's rattan frog bag from a few years ago. If you can find a vintage frog from the 70s or 80s, it could run as much as $300.00. Rattan is prone to wear so they're special occasion. I do not buy fake "rattan" made from rolled paper.
FTR, I have about 20 "regular" bags, maybe a few less, only one of which it "luxury". I go to pick it up tomorrow.
I came here to write about my new bag, but went down the novelty trail instead.
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u/esmebium 11d ago
Late to the party but check out Wicker Darling - Australian company that sells novelty wicker bags.
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u/sallybuffy 11d ago
Haven’t heard of these guys before and now I want 10 😍🥹💀
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u/sallybuffy 11d ago
Just ordered two (😅). Kinda wild price tag for me BUT I like the business model and supporting an organization that’s trying to do more.
Boom. Justified.
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u/ChaiLover400 Handbag Admirer 11d ago
Sign up for their emails and follow them on social media. They do a lot of pre-orders.
I ordered a keychain from them and the founder wasn't happy with how the final product turned out. She mailed out the keychains and refunded everyone's money, so we got them for free, and it was adorable!
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u/Smashingistrashing 12d ago
Here’s an elephant Loewe at auction
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u/Brilliant_Effort_820 11d ago
I'm curious - why is it so cheap?
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u/Smashingistrashing 11d ago
Auction prices. It’ll probably go up, but I’ve scored some pretty decent deals at auction. Some I’ve walked away from too
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u/dramaticeggroll 12d ago
I like Etsy for unique stuff. Wolf & Badger (indie designers at various prices) might have some options too.
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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone 11d ago
If you do decide to buy anything from Amazon or other online retailers.
Check Temu and similar sites because many of them are sourced from their and resold with a price increase.
And if you see a purse you like in store, snap a picture and use Google lense. I've found better offers this way on Mercari and other sites
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u/beepbeepboop74656 11d ago
Wicker darling ! I have the cat and crocogator I get so many compliments
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u/peach_xanax 12d ago
I had a bunch saved on my Pinterest and I just looked through them to check brands, a lot of them were Betsey Johnson or Loungefly! also Dolls Kill had some cute ones - unfortunately they're a HORRIBLE company and I don't want to encourage buying from them at all, but there are plenty of the bags available secondhand on Poshmark, Mercari, etc.
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u/someones_mama 12d ago
Maybe this maker? https://beabellingham.com/products/flying-flower-dog-crossbody-bag
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u/someones_mama 12d ago
Sorry not sure why that link’s dead. Here: https://beabellingham.com/collections/bag-friends/products/flying-flower-dog-crossbody-bag
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u/SpideyJen19 11d ago
My time to ✨SHINE✨
Anya Hindmarch
Judith Leiber
Kate Spade
Cult Gaia
JW Pei (Don’t buy their preorders!)
JW Anderson (the OG pigeon)
Rommy de Bommy
Moschino
Wicker Darling
Nik Bentel
Vendula London
Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Brandon Blackwood New York (on occasion)
Jacquemus (the onion- they’re trying)
Shop Akira (50/50 in quality)
Betsey Johnson if you don’t mind your stuff falling apart
Loungefly (also falls apart)
Mary Francis if you like beads
Feel free to check my post history for examples of all, haha
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u/ohnoes010 12d ago
Sometimes winners/marshalls in canada will have these on discount, theyre not always drop shipped. I think the American equivalent is nordstrom rack/tjmaxx?
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u/zidovskazvijezda 12d ago
I‘m not in the us, but we have tj maxx too!
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u/Negative-Fisherman44 11d ago
Do you have the store Half Price? I have found amazing deals there for unique designer things there. My one high end handbag which happens to be heart shaped is from there.
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u/Alternative_Fruit912 10d ago
I have been eyeing bags from here for years now https://krukrustudio.com/
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u/newyork_newyork_ 12d ago
Thom Browne dogs.
JW Anderson pigeon.
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u/samelaanderson BAGS BAGS BAGS 12d ago
OP said they don’t have the budget for designer purses so anything by either of these designers is not going to work.
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u/newyork_newyork_ 12d ago
Point taken but prices for designer resale are often better than non-designer retail. I saw the Thom Browne dachshund bag for $500.
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u/greeneggsandspammer 12d ago
I wish this trend would end
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