Until recently—and coinciding with the dawn of the midpriced handbag—I was much more of a shoe person. Designer handbags had always felt so far out of reach, and cheap bag styles didn't particularly appeal either. So I'd often buy vintage or secondhand bags, or be particularly picky about anything affordable.
However, one guiding rule always led me to something that looked chic and expensive, no matter the price tag or heritage… Tan handbags always look sophisticated, and the simpler, plainer styles will not only look classy, but they'll also be timeless, too—meaning you get more bang for whatever buck you've put down.
I've always found that tan and brown accessories work better with everything in my wardrobe: Black can be too harsh (especially during the summer months), white flits in and out of trashy territory, navy is hard to come by and other neutrals are only available as and when they're in fashion. So tan has always been there, a supportive friend in times of great outfit need.
Due to the trends aligning and the fashion gods or data crunchers perhaps seeing just how well women like me respond to tan bags when they're on the market, it's a category that has more options than ever before.