I’ve been seeing these Staud Tommy Bag dupes *everywhere*. Like, EVERYWHERE. It’s probably because the real deal is, let’s be real, kinda pricey. I mean, that whole “hand-beaded New York City skyline” thing? Adorable, yes, but also, like, ouch, my wallet. And honestly, who *really* has time to pre-order anything these days? I’m lucky if I remember to buy milk.
So, naturally, the internet provides. You can find versions that are… shall we say… “inspired by” the Staud Tommy Bag. The question is, are they worth it?
Okay, lemme just say, I’m not advocating for buying fake stuff, necessarily. Like, supporting artists and designers is important, and if you can swing the real thing, totally go for it! But sometimes, you just wanna rock a cute beaded bag without, like, selling a kidney. I get it.
I saw one that was supposed to be a dupe of the NYC skyline one. It was, um… ambitious. The Statue of Liberty looked a little… squished? And the beading? Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly “intricate limited edition hand-beaded design.” More like… “enthusiastically glued-on plastic beads.” But hey, from a distance, it kinda looked the part. Sorta. Maybe.
The real Staud bags are supposed to be made of leather, suede, sometimes even linen or raffia. These replicas, though? Forget about it. We’re talking about the finest (read: cheapest) vegan leather-esque material you can imagine. It’s probably got that new car smell, but like, the kind of new car smell you get in a rental that’s been sitting in the sun for three days.
But here’s the thing: Sometimes, a girl just wants a cute bag. And if that bag kinda looks like a Staud, and doesn’t cost a month’s rent, I’m not gonna judge. (Unless, of course, the Statue of Liberty is *really* messed up. Then, I might judge a little.)
