A Date with M Z . . .

Forgive me if I go overboard — but when you’re in love, you want everyone to know.  It’s true what they say . . .  It’s the little things in life that make you happy. 

For me, this story is about one of those things!

I’m in love, and I have a date . . . a date with M Z Wallace.

Never heard of my love, you say?  If that’s the case, you are definitely missing out. I’ve introduced lots of people to my darling M Z, and they’ve become just as dreamy eyed as I.

In fact, my cousin e-mailed me after her own encounter, waxing poetic about my love’s striking good looks and stellar features; and suggesting, ever so coyly, that we avail ourselves of my love’s place in the city for a love-fueled visit.

My response? The more the merrier! That’s a date I’ll gladly make!

That’s because the latest object of my affection isn’t a guy.  It’s the next best thing: A pocketbook!

But this isn’t just any pocketbook. It’s a pocketbook to end all pocketbooks! It’s a pocketbook that makes you stop searching for the perfect pocketbook! It’s a pocketbook that has it all – looks, style . . . and . . . and . . . and . . . pockets . . . lots and lots of pockets! It’s the real thing, the gold standard, the complete package. It’s a pocketbook that loves you back. It’s a pocketbook that makes you look . . . and be . . . your absolute best.

Actually, it’s not just a pocketbook. It’s a line of pocketbooks. Can life get any better than that? I get butterflies just thinking about it!

M Z Wallace is a company founded in 2000 by two fashionistas – Lucy Wallace Eustice, a former senior accessory editor of Harper’s Bazaar and accessory director of Elle; and Monica Zwirner, who “traveled the world, styling advertising campaigns and editorial” before her purse maven gig. Together, they created M Z Wallace.

All I can say is, I’m glad they did. Their website, MZWallace.com, quotes Lucy as saying, “Women are always searching for the perfect handbag.” Yes we are, Lucy! Yes we are! Thanks for noticing! “Our goal,” she continues, “is to design a handbag that is stylish, functional, lightweight, timeless, and affordable.” Did you say “functional,” Lucy? Now we’re talking. Forget the other stuff – well, maybe not stylish and affordable, oh, and lightweight and timeless. Really, it’s all music to my ears! M Z’s objective, says Lucy, is to “create an American classic.”

In my book, they have. M Z Wallace is as classic as baseball and homemade apple pie. Honestly, they’ve hit a home run!

I mean, I should know. I’ve spent years of my life searching for the perfect pocketbook, wandering in and out of stores in my pitiful quest. I’ve given a whole new meaning to the term “bag lady.” Surely you know what I mean.

Now, don’t’ get me wrong. There are plenty of pretty boy pocketbooks out there – but most of them are very, very vain (egotistical, really) – if you know what I mean. They look pretty, but what do they really give you?

I’ll tell you what they give you: No room, No shoulder strap, No way to keep yourself organized . . . just a deep, dark well that gobbles up your keys, lipstick, wallet, phone, pens and everything else you entrust for safekeeping. (And although they look good, don’t you look silly with half your arm crammed into that deep, dark hole as you search for your items?)

Not so with M Z Wallace. These bags are designed with you in mind. They seem to say, It’s all about you, Baby. It’s all about you. They’re downright thoughtful.

Let me tell you about My M Z Wallace bag. The bag has a name, and although M Z Wallace sounds like a guy’s name to me, the bags that comprise the line are definitely female. My girl’s name is Jane. She’s a sweetheart.

When I first met Jane, she was “hanging” out on a sales rack at Shoes & More, one of my favorite stores to wander into when I manage to escape (I mean leave!) the salon for a few minutes to walk the streets of Rye. She was marked an astonishing 50% off – and I couldn’t believe no one had snatched her up. Finding Jane was pure luck. It was meant to be.

You know what they say . . . When you’re not looking . . . .

Anyway, Jane was hanging on a little rack – all chic and sophisticated in her deep black nylon exterior and hot pink, satin interior. (Now, most people would LOVE the fact that her interior was hot pink, but I actually wondered whether hot pink was a little too “racy” for everyday use. Still, I couldn’t resist Jane’s multiple charms — pockets, pockets and more pockets! — so buy her I did! And now, of course, I love that sassy, hot pink color!)

She had a deep, long pocket running along her sleek backside — with a cute little mini-bag tucked inside (the website calls it a “detachable market purse,” but I call it “a perfect place for my make-up”) — and two pockets spanning the length of her front side. That would have sold me right there, but it got even better. She also had six interior pockets – described by the website as a “large zippered pocket,” four “tech pockets” (think Blackberry and iPhone) and one “metrocard/business card pocket.”

And the dream continues: She came with a “9.5 inch handle drop,” which is purse-speak for, The handle is long enough to hang from your shoulder – like, when your hands are full. Did you catch that? I said, The handle is long enough to hang from your shoulder! Now, shouldn’t that always be the case? (I mean, unless, of course, you’re attending some swanky event and carrying your lipstick and a car key in some fancy schmancy, envelope-sized clutch.)

To top it off, Jane had four little (Italian leather!) “button” feet to make sure her pretty little bottom stays nice and untouched, should her tush be placed on some dirty ‘ole floor.

And that hot pink interior? It’s more than a sexy little detail. It actually serves a purpose. Evidently, placing an eye-catching, contrasting color inside a purse helps the user find items more easily – everything stands out!

Jane’s nylon exterior also serves a purpose: It’s lightweight, making it easier on arms and shoulders. (Ever had a purse that weighs a ton BEFORE you put anything in it? Of course you have! I rest my case!) And although that nylon exterior might look delicate, it’s built for the elements – Teflon-coated for water (and snow!) repellency! Way to go G.I. Jane!

But I know what you’re thinking . . . Jane, Jane, Jane. Enough about Jane, you loony tune. What about me? Maybe I like a slightly different style, you’re thinking. Does she have any siblings?

Well, the answer to that is, Yes. Yes, she does. Siblings, cousins . . . perhaps even a daughter. There’s a whole family. They have names like Francis, Olivia, Kate, Paige, Bella, Bea, Grace . . . the list goes on. There’s even a Baby Jane (Yes. I know. It’s enough to make you swoon. She’s basically Jane – only smaller!)

They each offer a little kick of their own. They might be hip, like Francis (who I do believe my lovely cousin purchased and fell madly in love with); ladylike like Bea; or all “Hamptons here I come” like Ava.

But that’s not all. My Jane, the Jane I love so dearly, isn’t just a “black with a splash of hot pink” kind of girl. There’s more to her than that. She’s got a wardrobe that can take you places. Like the rest of her family, Jane is far from limited to any one color palette. She comes in other colors! Does it get any better than that?

I mean, I can switch purses to coordinate with my outfit with hardly a second thought. No last minute fumbling as I try to organize the contents of one purse into a completely different purse. No Sir-ee. A variety of Janes means my goods transfer seamlessly from one Jane to another with the greatest of ease. That makes an organized gal like me very, very happy. What can I say?

To sum it up, Jane is my dream come true. I love my first love Jane with her black and hot pink color palette; my chocolate brown Jane with her deep sea blue interior; and my latest find (another big sale snag – this time from the M Z Wallace website!), a “stone twill” Jane with a “black Capri” interior – perfect for the summer months (but honestly, the interior looks midnight blue to me!)

And . . . there are always new Janes to discover. If the M Z Wallace website is any indication, new colors come out all the time.

Jane. Jane. Jane. I’ll make a date to see you – and the rest of the M Z Wallace crew – any ‘ole time.

Copyright 2013-2020 Jonna Crispens.  All rights reserved.