Louis Vuitton Speedy bags are like the Air Jordans of the handbag world.

They’re an iconic bag that you

A.) currently own or have owned

B.) know someone who owns the bag and always carries it around

C.) don’t understand the hype

Or

D.) secretly want

I fall into the the b category.

I’ve see plenty of woman around my town carrying the bag, which always makes me do a double take and wonder if their bags are even real.

No offensive to my fellow Ohioans, but the Buckeye state isn’t known for high-end luxury fashion. Plus, there are some pretty good knock-offs out there.

If you’re planning on hoping on the bandwagon and maxing out your credit card to get a Speedy, I think you should think again.

I’m not saying the Speedy is a bad bag.

I just don’t like it because it’s slouchy and I prefer my bags to be structured.

Luckily, I have been able to get my hands on a few bags that mimic the Speedy’s Boston Bag shape.

A Boston Bag is just a cool term for a handbag with short handles that resembles a duffle or overnight bag.

Like all bags, this style is not for everyone.

So, here are 10 Boston Bags that you can try before dropping at least $1,000 for a Speedy.

1. MCM Boston Essential Monogrammed Small Leather Satchel

MCM seems to be a pretty underrated brand.

Besides some of the crazy rich and super cool Asian students that dress liked HypeBeats and HypeBaes at my college and my former coworker, I have not seen a lot of people carrying MCM bags.

Even when I lived in NYC for the summer, one of the fashion capitals of the world, I hardly saw anyone rocking MCM.

However, in the past few years, I’ve seen pictures of quite a few musicians, especially rappers carrying MCM bags.

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If you’re into streetwear, I think MCM would be a good brand to check out. I also think if you tend to go for more edgier brands like Alexander McQueen or Balenciaga, then you’ll like MCM.

I really like the sea foam blue color and how the bag is in embossed leather instead of canvas, which makes the bag look more expensive than it really is.

Unfortunately, the bag is pretty pricey and is $750 on Bloomningdale’s website.

The good news is that you can find different variations of the Boston Bag that are slightly cheaper on MCM’s website.

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2. Fossil Rachel Satchel

The Rachel Satchel by Fossil is perfect for vegans or people who just don’t like to wear leather.

The bag is made up of PVC leather with vegan leather trim.

I’m surprised by how similar the size of the bag is compared to the Speedy Bandouliére 25.

The Rachel is only a few centimeters longer and taller than the Speedy, and the Speedy is a little bit deeper than the Rachel.

But the Rachel makes up for its width with a a nice back pocket that you can throw your phone and keys in.

Now, on to the zippers of the bags.

The zipper on the Rachel goes completely down to the bag while the zipper on the Speedy is in the middle.

I think the Rachel’s zipper is more functional and allows you to access your items easier, especially if you’re running late and in a hurry. But at the same time, the Speedy’s zipper being in the middle allows it to be more secure .

The Rachel comes in different fun patterns and there is also the option to get it in solid vegan leather.

You can also get the bag monogrammed for free.

The  Rachel is a nice and roomy bag for work.

You can just throw all of your essentials in your bag and go and not have to baby it.

The Rachel is also nice for travel because it’s low key and you don’t have to worry about someone robbing you for your Louis.

3. Coach Outlet Rowan Satchel

The Coach Rowan Satchel is another affordable bag you can check out.

It’s fairly new and came out in, I want to say early 2019.

I was pretty disappointed when I found out the Rowan was replacing my favorite outlet bag, the Mini Bennett Satchel.

I tried to move on with my life, I really did.

I even bought a Rowan, but I decided to sell it on Poshmark because I didn’t carry it a lot.

It didn’t give me that “I’m a rich girl in the early 2000s” feel l have when I carry my Bennett by the top handles and add a puff ball bag charm to it.

But, just because the bag didn’t work out for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

In fact, the bag has a lot of nice features.

For starters, unlike the Speedy, the Rowan has feet at the bottom.

So, if you’re one of those people who (shudders) sets their bags on the floor, the bottom of the bag won’t get dirty.

The Rowan also has a very thick and comfortable crossbody strap and a front pocket.

It comes in both signature and crossgrain leather.

There’s also a micro version of the bag, which is similar to the Nano Speedy.

4.  Coach Barrel Bag

If you’re bougie and refuse to shop at Coach Outlet, you can try the Barrel Bag from Coach’s retail division.

I have to be honest.

The bag’s shape reminds me of an American Apparel gym bag, but i will give Coach its props for classing it up a bit and having a turn lock pocket on the front.

I can also appreciate the contrast stitching on the leather handles and crossbody strap.

It really elevates the bag and makes it stand out.

If you’re a fan of Coach and are in love with their Tabby bags, then I think you’ll like the Barrel Bag.

The Tabby and Barrel Bag both give off a 1970s retro vibe.

5. Rebecca Minkoff Pippa Duffle

When I was in high school and college, I thought I was the baddest with my Rebecca Minkoff collection.

You couldn’t tell me that I wasn’t a trendsetter because while everyone wore Kate Spade, Coach and Tory Burch, I was rocking Rebecca Minkoff with my moto jackets and Doc Martens.

What I loved about Rebecca Minkoff was how her bags were edgy, but didn’t come across as trying too hard.

Plus, the only girls I saw that carried Rebecca Minkoff were on Youtube, which is how I discovered the brand.

It wasn’t until Rebecca Minkoff spoke at Her Conference in NYC (fun fact, I actually met Rebecca Minkoff in the bathroom during Her Conference. She’s super tall in heels like 6 ft) that more girls started to get into Rebecca Minkoff.

It’s been about five years since I bought a Rebecca Minkoff but looking at her website today, Rebecca is still a bad ass designer.

Like what other designer do you know have created a suede Boston bag?

Rebecca Minkoff is a good contemporary designer to start your handbag collection with.

Most of her bags are under $350 and you can sign up as a member on her website and receive coupons. You can also check out discount stores like Nordstrom Rack, Saks off Fifth and TJ Max for her out of season bags.

6. Michael Kors Bedford Satchel

I have never owned a Michael Kor’s purse and will probably never will.

No offense to anyone who is a big MK fan, but the bags just don’t do it for me.

There is nothing about their handbags that scream luxury or contemporary fashion.

They remind me of the Nine West and Liz Claiborne bags you find at Kohls and JcPenney.

Plus, MK is such an oversaturated brand that you can get at lot of discount stores: TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack and even Sam’s Club (The day I buy a handbag at the same place I buy my groceries will be the day that I start wearing Crocs).

I think what really annoys me about MK is not just that a lot of people wear his bags, but there really is nothing iconic about the brand.

Brands that are in the same price range as MK have been able to build a reputation and be known for something.

For example, Coach is known for its high quality leathers with their classic bags such as the Willis and Court bag.

Kate Spade is known for its feminine and playful bags (think Betsey Johnson, but less gaudy) and its spade logo.

Even Rebecca Minkoff, whose bags are also sold at discount stores and have only been around since 2005 has been able to market herself with her Morning After Bag Collection and Love Collection, which has affordable dupes to the Chanel Boy Flap.

Besides it’s popularity, what else is MK known for?

Slapping MK repeatedly on their generic bags?

Ok, now that my rant is over, back to the Bedford Satchel.

Let me say something positive before the keyboard warriors come for my neck.

I like the nude pink color and the racing stripe.

The Bedford looks like it would be a pretty roomy bag that could go from a small carry on to an everyday bag.

It also comes in brown if you’re worried about getting the nude pink and cream getting dirty.

If you like tiny bags, Michael Kor’s website has the Bedford in a mini version that comes in both canvas logo and pebbled leather.

7. Dooney and Burke Florentine Satchel

Dooney and Burke is another brand that I wouldn’t wear.

Don’t get me wrong, Dooney is a good quality American brand, but most of their styles are a bit too mature for me.

My mother carries nothing but Dooney bags.

Plus, when was the last time you saw a teenage girl wearing a Dooney and Burke purse or begging her parents to buy her one?

The only type of teenage girl I can see carrying Dooney and Burke is a preppy girl who is either from the South or New England, comes from old money, wears Sperrys and lives for Lily Pulitzer dresses and boating during the summer.

Even on Youtube, most of the women who are doing Dooney hauls and reviews are at least 40+.

I’m not trying to throw shade or be disrespectful towards them. In fact, I admire them for dressing their age because it’s pretty pathetic to see grown women still dressing like they’re teenagers.

In Ohio, it’s pretty common to see women over 35 wear head to toe blinged out outfits (I’m not joking, they even wear the matching slides and baseball hats) from Victoria’s Secret PINK.

Whenever I see this it makes me think, are they going through a midlife crisis ? Are they trying to be thrifty and wear their teenage daughters’ old clothes, or do they think all that bedezzaled athletic leisure because them fashion plates and will help them stunt on their PTO friends?

Whatever the reason may be, they just look ridiculous.

Anyways, I think Dooney does do a good job to appealing to their younger audience with the Florentine Satchel.

The Florentine is less serious and more exciting than Dooney’s other bags.

I love the details of the bag including the red zipper lining and the tassels that you can use to cinch in the bag.

The Florentine is a good option if you want a bag that is more slouchy but still has feet at the bottom and maintains its cylinder shape.

8. Aldo Spadelaan

A few months ago, I finally got rid of my Aldo bag from high school.

For a synthetic bag, it held up really well.

I had the bag for about six years and the only signs of wear and tear was from the interior lining.

It had a few stains from when I forgot to put the cap back on my pink lipstick. There was also a tear at the bottom of the lining but otherwise, the bag looked brand new.

It’s been years since I bought an Aldo bag.

I’ll admit I have become somewhat of a label whore.

I think Aldo is great if you’re looking for trendy bags to wear for a season because their bags are super affordable with almost all of them being under $100.

Aldo bags are also good for teenagers because they tend to switch up their style a lot

I should know.

From 13-15 years old, I was a a wannabe scene kid who wore studded belts, Converse and Hot Topic t-shirts (Nightmare Before Christmas, band tees, Invader Zim and Skelanimals).

When I was 16-20 years old, I was a moody hipster who begged her mother for overpriced dresses and shirts from Urban Outfitters and Easy Jeans from American Apparel. I thought I was serving quirky girl, vintage hipster looks with my Alexa Chung inspired bangs, collection of cardigans and Oxford shoes that I wore every single week during my senior year.

Now, I would describe my personal style as being feminine and laid back.

I tend to look for pieces that flatter my thick thighs and wide hips, rather than follow what everyone else is wearing.

One thing that has really helped me to look and feel my best was when I stopped trying to imitate people and decided to choose clothes that I like and make me feel beautiful and confident.

So, now that the heart-to-heart is over, let’s get back to the bag.

The neon yellow screams summer, and and I think it would look cute paired with some bike shorts, an oversized t-shirt and sunglasses.

Plus, you can’t beat the price.

It’s only 27 bucks.

9. Kate Spade Taffie Small Satchel

Kate Spade was the first designer bag that I ever had.

I remember going to the mall in Pittsburgh when I was 18 or 19 around Christmas time and getting some last minute gifts.

It was when my mom and I were looking for my father to take us home, that the Kate Spade window display caught my attention.

I felt so fancy back then, shopping at a store with colorful and elegantly dressed mannequins and a gold chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

It was the taupe and pink colorblock Hayden Satchel that caught my eye.

I picked it up and showed my mother.

She looked at the bag and in her usual, bored monotone voice she has whenever we go shopping she nodded and said “that’s cute.”

Then she followed up with her usual question “how much is it?”

I looked down at the price tag and gulped.

“Only 300 hundred dollars,” I said, trying not to make it a big deal.

“No,” my mom firmly said. “That’s way too much for a purse.”

“But they do student discounts,” I pleaded.

My mom rolled her eyes and turned away from me.

I walked over to the overly friendly sales girl, clutching the beautiful bag and asked her, how much was the student discount.

I think it was 15% or 20% but either way my mom wasn’t going to let me get the bag. Even when I offered to pay for it myself, she said “No, I’m not letting you waste YOUR money on a three hundred dollar bag.”

How can one adult tell another adult how to spend HER own money?

It’s not like I owed my mom $300. Plus, when I was a kid my father always used to take the money I received from birthdays and Christmases.

So, really buying that bag would mean that I would actually be able to enjoy my money for the first time in my life.

I worked hard around the house and in school. I did whatever chores my mom asked me to and I got good grades.

I was determined to get that bag because I knew I deserved it.

Once, we got home from the mall I ended up ordering the bag online.

I guess my mom forgot that I had a laptop and debit card.

When the bag finally arrived my mother was trying to be all Nancy Drew and pester me about what I ordered.

She was super annoyed when I finally gave in and showed her the bag.

I ignored her huffing and puffing and complaining and telling me that for that much money I spent on a bag, I better take care of it.

Which is a pretty stupid thing to say when I always take care of my things.

Are the four American girl dolls i have neatly stored on my closet shelve not enough evidence?

I guess not.

I’ve ended up wearing that bag for years and every time I wore it, I received complaints.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

I’ve recently parted ways with the bag because there was some color transfer from my jeans, and I wasn’t reaching for it as much I did before.

I miss the playfulness and super girly essence of the old Kate Spade.

Ever since Kate Spade has passed, Creative Director Nicola Glass has stepped away from the kitschy style and gave the brand a grown up make over.

The Taffie comes in two sizes- medium and small.

The neutral color options allow the bag to be more versatile.

10. Madewell The Prague Satchel

I have never purchased a bag from Madewell before, but I’ve heard that they have a good reputation for their sturdy and affordable bags.

Most of their bags are very simple, which is great if you’re a minimalist.

The Prague Satchel is made of Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather, which is cow hide tanned into leather.

It’s called ‘vegetable’ because of the natural materials used in the tanning process like tree bark.

As a result, the bag already has a nice patina.

The Prague Satchel is like a beautiful and simple leather canvas where you can add as much detail as you want to personalize the bag.

You can switch out the strap for one of Madewell’s funky straps, tie a scarf around a handle, get it customized with a hot stamp or do all of the above.

The creative and fashionable possibilities are pretty endless with the Prague Satchel.