Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Liza Corsillo
Earlier this summer, while indulging in a rare skinny cigarette outside my best friend Farah Atassi’s opening at Almine Rech gallery in Tribeca, a very stylish Frenchwoman asked me if the leather bag I was carrying was The Row. I paused for a moment, wondering if I should confirm or deny her assumption as she seemed impressed that I owned such a high-end handbag. Then, coming to my senses, I told her, “Actually, it’s Quince.” I had come from work that evening and was testing the Penelope Large Shoulder Bag as part of an ongoing search for a new, more sophisticated workbag to replace my beat-up Lands’ End tote. My fellow Strategist writer Martha Tuber gave the small version of the Penelope bag a solid review back in March, piquing my interest. I was just one week into testing and excited about the bag’s simple-but-not-at-all-boring one-strapped design, already loving it. The Row comparison was not a surprise — Tuber mentioned in her review that the soft shoulder bag is a very convincing dupe of The Row’s N/S Park Tote — but it did give me a little jolt of pleasure, reinforcing my excitement about the bag.
Like the N/S Park Tote, the Penelope bag is unlined with a soft suede interior and one buckle-free strap. It has minimal stitching or hardware, letting the pebbled full-grain Italian leather shine — though, in this case, the not-quite-matte finish kind of glows like well-hydrated skin. The only metal details are a small toggle closure at the inside lip of the bag and a clasp that lets you attach or detach the built-in zipper pouch. The opening of the bag is folded over with zero visible stitches, giving it a lovely rounded edge, and the strap is attached with a very simple rectangular tab on each side. The N/S Park Tote has an almost identical tab design, but it’s pointed rather than squared off. And while we can assume that the quality of leather used to make the Row bag in Italy is probably superior, the leather used to make the Penelope bag is supple and surprisingly expensive-looking, especially considering the bag’s under-$200 price tag.
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When I slung it over my shoulder for the first time, I was reminded of the perfect easy slouch that my mother’s ’90s Coach bucket bag always had as she went to and from work. The bag is casual in posture and almost languid, but the sheen of the leather and the minimal shape make a simple outfit of jeans and a T-shirt look intentional and office appropriate rather than dressed down. I have been carrying it for several months now, mostly as a work tote, and I love packing it with everything I will need each night before bed so I am ready to go the next morning. The soft suede interior is so nice that I take extra care to pack pencils and pens away in a pouch and make sure any makeup or snacks are similarly tidy to avoid spills. It can hold a laptop, large water bottle, large lined notebook, planner, pencil case, makeup bag, wallet, phone, and a sweater or cardigan.
Bird’s-eye view of the Penelope bag with my work essentials inside, including a laptop and charger, monthly planner, small notebook, pencil case, and wallet.
According to Tuber, the smaller Penelope bag can hold an Owala water bottle, wallet, makeup pouch, and a paperback book. Her laptop also fits, but it sticks out of the top of the bag a little bit, whereas my 13-inch MacBook Air has several inches of space between it and the top of the bag. It is deep and cavernous, but thanks to the light color of the suede inside, it’s not hard to find anything even when it’s packed full. And the included pouch is useful for keeping keys and my phone even more easily accessible. I actually prefer to unclip the pouch and let it sit at the bottom of the bag, using the leather strap and clasp that are attached to the bag’s interior as a key fob.
My only complaint is that it can feel heavy on my shoulder after a full day of carrying it around the city with a laptop inside. But when I mentioned this to Tuber, who has a deep knowledge of leather from her days as a shoe designer, she said she doesn’t necessarily think that a more expensive leather bag (even a $2,600 one from The Row) would be lighter. Of course, there are lots of affordable leather bags available from places like Madewell, J.Crew, Gap, and the like, but most of them are more expensive for similar quality. So at just $168, this bag is very hard to beat.
My trusty nylon LeSportSac backpack that’s great for work or diapers.
The gorgeous Lee bag from Lindquist in caramel brown.
A high-end woven tote owned by at least two Strategist staffers.
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