Tano

As college football season grows nearer, I can’t help but have my eye caught by anything with a red-and-black color combination that would look good with my University of Georgia game day attire. Functionality and a reasonable price are a must for bags that are going to be taken tailgating, put on stadium floors, and thrown over the backs of bar stools afterward, and the simple, inexpensive Tano Up To There Hobo fits the bill perfectly.

And I imagine that it’d be a great bag even if your school colors aren’t red and black. One of my main problems with Tano as a brand has always been that their leather seemed to always be shiny and thin-looking whenever I saw one of their bags, but this one escapes that problem entirely. The leather looks soft and reasonably thick, which are requirements for me in an everyday bag, and probably mean that the bag will be more durable than some of their other options. When you combine that with the color scheme, I’m having trouble saying no. Buy through Luna Boston for $205.

Despite the fact that I, at times, appear to be completely incapable of editing my own work (and that appearance would be correct, but editing your own work is completely disorienting and weird), I’m actually a pretty decent amateur copy editor. I’ve never been employed in the profession full-time, but I took a couple of mind-numbing classes on it in college and once you’ve done that, you can’t help but silently and automatically edit everything you read for the rest of your life. Restaurant menus, advertising, street signs, anything. And now, that includes bag names.

The Tano Secret Diservice Hobo’s name is giving me fits. I know it’s not just Neiman Marcus that spelled it wrong – it’s spelled the same way on a number of other websites. And maybe they’re trying to make a funny play on words by using the prefix ‘di,’ meaning ‘two’ instead of ‘dis,’ which implies negation. But…what’s the joke? That it has two handles? Two handles isn’t exactly a revolutionary bag concept. Other than that, I like the bag – it avoids the super-shiny leather that a lot of people dislike in Tano’s bags, and the braided handles add a nice accent to the simple design. It would be a nice everyday bag for someone that likes clean lines and neutral colors. If only I could get over the unfortunate error in its name. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $330.

In previous posts about Tano, some questions were raised about the quality of construction and leather used in the bags. In the broad scheme of designer bags, though, they’re pretty inexpensive, which begs the question: what’s price does a brand have to hit before people look the other way on quality? If we’re being honest with ourselves, most people only use their bags for a season or two anyway. Something bigger or better comes along eventually, and our old favorite gets stuffed back into the dustbag, perhaps never to be seen again.

So to some consumers, certainly, sacrificing the level of quality control that would make the bag last for years in order to save a few hundred bucks might be well worth it. After all, who needs to pay for a bag that will last for a decade when you know you only want to carry it for six months? I think that’s the line that Tano tries to toe, and if their growth as a brand is any indication, they’re doing a good job. The Tano Woven-Handle Hobo is a good example. It’s on trend, made of relatively nice leather, and in a cute color. It’s not intended to be carried forever, and it’s priced accordingly. It’s high end enough to command more money than your average bag, but not so expensive that it makes you feel bad for buying other things too. It may not be your cup of tea, but it’s a combination that will work for a lot of people. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $275.

Are you familiar with Tano bags? I know many of you probably are, but I’m betting that a bunch of you might not be. Their popularity has grown quickly and steadily on the Forum, and they seem to be garnering a lot of attention from retail locations as well. They were recently added to Bergdorf Goodman’s website, and today I saw the Tano Fabulousness Tote.

As everyone here knows, I’m no fan of brown, but does this not look EXACTLY like wonderful and delicious milk chocolate? And I’m definitely a fan of chocolate (my mom taught me well). I like the shape and it looks like it would be functional, but what really has me drooling is the amazing shade of brown – if more brown bags were like this one, I might not hate on them so hard all over this website. One thing that worries me about the brand in general, though, is the leather. When I’ve seen Tano bags in person, the leather has always seemed like the kind I normally don’t like – thin and shiny. Am I missing something? Did I just not see good examples? If anyone that has one of this brand’s bags could enlighten me in the comments, I’d appreciate it. Buy through Bergdorf for $250.

I am thrilled for a few reasons. First of all, the eBoutique Luna Boston not only carries so many of our Savvy brands, but also carries so many styles of these brands. Next, the online store also carries Tano handbags! I have found myself recently paying more an more attention to Tano bags. Megs covered the Tano Three Fer Small Messenger Bag a little while back and although I liked it, I don’t think I would have gone out of my way to buy it. However, the Tano Carte Blanche Shoulder Bag is a different story. This is a bag I can definitely see myself carrying.

If you are like me, it was a combination of the color and shape that made me yearn for a second look. The emerald velvet-leather and brushed bronze hardware go great together. And although the shape has a classic feel, it is definitely boasts an edgy side. The other plus, would without a doubt have to be the bright orange nylon lining. I absolutely love opening a handbag only to realize what I would like to call a welcomed surprise. When a handbag has great lining, to me it shows that the handbag was well thought out from start to finish, from outside to inside. Oh ya, one more thing, the price – it is oh so reasonable. Buy through Luna Boston for $185.

Tano bags have made their name known for quite some time, though they flew under the radar over at Purse Blog. Never fear, now that Purse Blog Savvy is here we can talk about this brand much more. There are a few things I did not realize about Tano bags, number one being that the price is incredibly friendly to our pocket books. I can understand the allure of a bag that looks good and costs much less than it looks like it would. Did that make sense? It has been a long weekend!

I always opt for a larger bag, but the Tano Three Fer Small Messenger Bag is great for the gal on the go. The bag can be worn as a shoulder bag or a messenger bag and prides itself in featuring many pockets. There are five colors of Italian leather options; blueberry, midnight black, grape, pomegranate, and truffle. The interior is lined with orange vinyl and sports a zip closure pocket and a slit pocket. The outside is the most functional part of the bag, offering an exterior slit pocket and three pockets with a zip closure. Dimensions are 10″w x 9″h x 2″d. This is really my first introduction to Tano. Sure I knew the brand, but I did not ‘know’ the brand. I am sure to be seeing much more of Tano now for PB Savvy! Buy through Luna Boston for $185.