Related Recs

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Finding bags that will hopefully last

Lately I have been on the lookout for a quality black leather shoulder bag to use everyday, in the $200 - $500 range. Sadly, i feel like finding a good quality bag in this age is daunting. Last year I went into a Gucci store because I wanted to buy a used Jackie and see the different sizes. After holding the bag in my hand, and feeling it, i was instantly disappointed. I have been trying to understand what I want out of my bags, and I realized from feeling the saffiano of the Jackie that I like supple, smooth leather, possibly lightly protected and embossed. Sadly that stuff is prone to scratching, but I think I am willing to take the risk. I have a vintage Coach Ergo with many scratches, but it’s the bag I use the most because of the simple look, the many pockets, and the large strap to easily have around my shoulder. Anyways I’m still on the search, but I am getting tired of seeing the same brands over and over again, and seeing more experimental construction that I’m not into. I just want a simple, classic bag. But this morning I found a Japanese brand called Etiam and saved this one in my bookmarks to look at later 💼

@chiawase_

Jan 6, 2025

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musings on bags

Saw this question pop up in the morning and have spent the rest of the day thinking about bags. Turns out I’m harboring a lot of opinions on them. Like flora I agree that you need one in each size (s/m/l). Additionally as a person who treats my clothes and accessories like trash it’s imperative I have a bag that isn’t precious but looks chic. Which is why I always go with a medium sized leather bucket bag in a fun or neutral color. I go through one every 5 years. In college I had my mom’s 70s Dooney and Bourke, when I moved to New York I treated myself to a Creatures of Comfort (RIP) and recently I scored an OAD bag (also maybe RIP?) off The Real Real. Bucket bags fit everything, but don’t look like you’re schlepping your whole life in there. I also like going bagless and using just a Petit Pli mini pocket that I wear around my neck. There’s enough room to tuck a card and a key in too. On the XL size I love my Baggu cloud bag. It’s the absolute goat for travel because it also is collapsable!

@tateako

Mar 8, 2024

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vintage coach ergo

my first real big girl bag… i bought her off of ebay and she is such a gorgeous shape, just the right size for the essentials and a little more!!! can def slide a book in there for on the go reading and fits beneath the arm perfectly <3 but! if i am being real… the true key to comfort and versatility is having a staple bag of each size (s, m, l, plus a collapsible tote if needed) to assist you in life… typically i am much more casually dressed so a leather purse feels too much at times… i then turn to my baboon to the moon crescent crossbody… so many pockets! for nights out, i have my baggu shoulder bag, i find that its the perfect size for the essentials and once again fits nice and slug under the arm… ta da! *** not my photo but this is the exact model :p

@flora

Mar 6, 2024

Top Recs from @salad_valet

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Breaking free from spotify

i canceled my Spotify account over the summer and have spent the last few months rebuilding my digital music library on a refurbished iPod Touch. reading critiques of the app (and it’s enshittification), i realized i wasn’t even sure of my own musical tastes and preferences. i had stopped picking for myself, stopped seeking out new music, ceasing to know how to choose what i wanted or articulate what i like. breaking free from the algorithm has been such a joy! i’m borrowing gobs of music from the library, rebuilding my old playlists, and consuming more music than i have in years. and better yet, my data isn’t being tracked by Spotify and i own what’s in my personal library. further, my receptors are more open when i’m out in the world exposed to music, searching for recommendations in an organic way.

@salad_valet

Jan 16, 2025

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The anti-capitalist nature of pi.fyi

i’ve been trying to articulate why i enjoy this space so much. yes, the UX is reminiscent of Tumblr and the early days of the internet. and there’s genuine sincerity and vulnerability on here that makes it feel really cozy and real, which i haven’t felt online in at least a decade. but i think what’s undergirding my love of this space is how anti-capitalist it feels. most of the recs everyone shares are vibe-checks, quality of life shifts, meditations and offers, music and movies, just plain good art. i don’t feel compelled to buy anything when i come here. i feel excited and pumped to be a cheerleader, find connection, find common ground. and FWIW the recs i’ve shared that have gotten the most traction are my suggestions for leading a less capitalistic / consumerist life (quitting Amazon, getting off of Spotify, building community to take care of you and your things). all of this is to say, i love it here and i love you guys.

@salad_valet

Feb 7, 2025

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Quitting amazon

hear me out—this one might feel impossible, but i quit purchasing items on Amazon in 2018 and cancelled my GoodReads account shortly after. i did some serious reflection and realized i’d become super reliant upon, and frankly, quite used to the instant gratification of purchasing something and knowing i’d have it within a day. that’s not normal. the labor practices, economics, and environmental impacts of getting what you want from the internet delivered quickly and right to your door are skewed. i was filling a void in myself with mindless purchases. i’m aware that they service a huge swath of the internet (Amazon Web Services), own Whole Foods and Abe Books, and will likely take over more businesses we like and rely on. weaning off and avoiding entirely is very very hard, but it can also be a measured decision. that said, i know that it is a privilege to abstain from Amazon. i am able bodied, i don’t have kids, i have access to a car, i live in an urban environment with access to a lot of stuff at my fingertips. but making the choice to break out of the Amazon loop has ultimately been better for my pocketbook and better for my relationship to these mega-tech-companies that have their fingers in everything. in contrast, i’m becoming more interested in alternate economies, like bartering and sharing. i love the idea of having commonly shared tools and items (tool libraries are very cool). we don’t need to own it all, we have each other. interested in exploring more? the zine pictured below is a great start, and summarizes a much larger book by the same author on how to resist the leviathan that is Amazon.

@salad_valet

Jan 22, 2025