Educating My Husband on the Finer Points of Handbag/Wallet Coordination.
October 24, 2007 by Teri Cosenzi
Filed under Lets Go Shopping
Am I the only one who insists that her wallet match her handbag? I mean, they can at least coordinate. But clashing is a no-no. I had to spend a few minutes educating my very thoughtful and generous husband as to why I now need yet another handbag and wallet.
You see, hubby thought he was being extra nice. He had a long day where he had to drive by my favorite outlet center. As we have been looking for something special from The Bombay Company (can you believe they are closing???), he decided to stop in. Needless to say the outlet store had already closed, but he happened to notice this bag that I have been drooling over in the window of Dooney & Bourke. Just look at this fabulous Giraffe print:
Guess what? He bought it for me! For no real reason, just knowing that I was having an awful day and as it was right there staring at him, he snatched it right up. It is gorgeous!
Being such an even more thoughtful honey, he stopped into the Coach outlet too, just to see what they had. He said that he remembered me complaining that the wallet I was currently using was simply too small, and thought he would get a jump on Holiday shopping and save it. But he caved and thought he had the pattern right, so he picked up this fabulous oversized wallet for me too.
This is one of Coach’s Signature Bleecker Signature Checkbook Wallet. Gorgeous! And I love it. But… The print does not exactly match the print of my current Coach bag and I told him that I would now have to have one of the Bleecker bags, in the Khaki/Coal Black color pattern. I was not being ungrateful, and he could not understand. He thought it coordinated fine and was so thrilled at his generosity (as was I), so he suggested that I use the Coach wallet with the Giraffe bag.
Oh my! I had to gently tell him that it wasn’t going to happen. While I thought I could pull off a plain dark brown leather wallet with it, even though I was really longing for a matching Giraffe print to use with the Giraffe bag, using the Coach wallet with the Dooney & Bourke bag was a HUGE no-no.
After a few minutes of explaining and actually demonstrating, he understood. He hesitated for a bit, but then handed me his Am Ex and told me to order the Giraffe print wallet - but that I would need to wait on the Coach bag. I wasn’t complaining!
I thanked him over and over, but really felt bad about the whole situation - just a bit. He didn’t need to buy me either item, and these are not just $29 bags from Macy’s. But seriously, I could not bring myself to using both prints at the same time!
At least he understands now! And I can look forward to Christmas knowing what I should be getting! 
That is such a cute story. Your husband sounds like a very nice guy! I have one like him also they can be so great!
They sure can, can’t they?
By the time he got home last night he had forgotten all about it, but was happy to see me taking my new Giraffe Bag out for a spin - though he laughed when I told him I “borrowed” one of his brown leather credit card cases to slip in my license and credit card in.
My new wallet should be here tomorrow! So excited!!!
I had never heard of matching your wallet to your bag, but, now that I think of it, it would result in more bags and wallets so … clearly a good thing!
Your husband is such a sweetie - and a sweetie with good taste (even better)!
Cheers!
first off, i’m shocked that Bombay is closing too. wth?
anyhooo, nice new bag hun and i’m glad you’re getting a new wallet as well..hehehe. interesting how that all worked out ;). WOMEN! ..lol.
Almost Vegetarian - Ooh - I always have to be coordinated - even my fingernails and toenails have to match in color. I even used to want my lipstick to match my nails, but this was when I had no kiddos and could change my polish every day!
I have a friend that has worn the same lipstick and toe/finger nail polish for YEARS now, but it looks so beautiful on her, I could not imagine her trying anything else (though she is a natural beauty who only wears mascara and lipstick, but I got her to try a golden shimmer powder when we went to a fancy dinner once).
Dexie: Bombay closing, I KNOW!!! There is one right in my town next to my bank, and I went in a few weeks ago to admire there new Christmas things, then a few days later, they had a 40% off everything sale as the store was closing. I thought it might have just been this store. When I inquired, I was told that they co filed Chapter 11 an they were closing down. What a shame!!!
I was shocked too. There is one in Carolina Outlets. I saw some guys with flyers on the highway with “Bombay closing, everything must go” sign last Sunday on our way home from Church. Oh well.
ummm…I cannot do the matching wallet and bag thing unless I can find a matching planner binder as well (and hopefully makeup case).
I hear you, Ellen. I rarely carry makeup with me (I know, being a beauty blogger - who would have though!), usually just a lip gloss or two. And my planner is on my desk, my BlackBerry is in my bag, and I have three cases for that: black, tan, and white, all in leather. I just switch that up to coordinate it with the color, at least!
I’m also a “handbag-wallet-coordinates” kind of gal. Recently bought myself a fab new bag, without the wallet and it’s *killing* me! And that’s a great D & B that your husband bought you!
Love the bag, love the site. I referenced you and the bag in my blog today.