One fine day (well, evening) I was out shopping with my friend Donna and we wound up poking around the makeup section at Nordstrom. As I waited for her to wrap up her dealings with the Clarins lady, I, who happened to be minding my own business, found myself unable to repel the magnet-like force that is the handbag department, conveniently located right next to cosmetics. As I helplessly strolled through the gauntlet of handbags, I would glance at each purse and think to myself: ‘Wow, too big… Ack!, too embellished… Ewww, too weird… Damn, too expensive!’ when I stopped cold, inexplicably falling in love at first site.

So... do you come here often?

I didn’t ask for it to happen. You know the feeling. You see it from across a crowded room, sitting alone, as if it were waiting for you. It’s the perfect shape, the perfect color, the perfect size. You edge closer, slowly, you reach out to touch… it feels like… buttah. You envision all the places you’ll go together… Dinners, Paris, traffic school, out shopping for more bags… as you casually glance from side to side and nonchalantly flip over the price tag. $198.00! Crap. It’s over before it’s begun.

But you know better, don’t you?

Back to me…

I had to have that bag.

Now I don’t typically go for the handbag that’s so large it would easily handle 2-3 severed heads and a lipstick. I like my bags normal sized (or smaller), and I like them out of my way, especially when I travel or want to use my hands for something other than lugging a mini suitcase full of other people’s heads. This lightweight Michael for Michael Kors Crossbody Messenger bag is the perfect smaller bag for such things. The construction is impeccable, the design is classic, the hardware is upscale, and the pebbled leather will wear well over the years to come. Adjustable straps convert from crossbody to shoulder bag. Many inner and outer compartments will hold a lot more than you’d expect. At 9″ square and 5″ thick, it’s the Snoopy’s doghouse of handbags.

So here’s the deal. Available in Vanilla – a color that works year round, you’ll find it at Macys.com on Sale for $102.99.

Want it even cheaper?

Apply this coupon code: AF864PA36QVto receive $20 off your order of $100 or more! This coupon expires Oct 14, 2009, so hurry up! If you think about it, your birthday actually happens multiple times a year if you count every time zone.

Coupon courtesy of mycoupons.com