Okay so last Tuesday I finally got my hands on that Steven by Steve Madden bag everyone’s talking about – the kinda structured mini one with the weirdly cool chain strap? Looked awesome online, but man, getting it out of the box and holding it, I kinda froze. Like… now what? It sat lonely on my table for two whole days before I decided enough was enough, gotta make this thing work with stuff I already own.
The First Try Was… Meh
Grabbed my go-to comfy outfit: big ol’ chunky knit sweater, super faded mom jeans, and my beat-up white sneakers. Slung the bag on, checked the mirror, and yeah… nope. The bag just kinda disappeared against the bulky sweater. Felt messy, like I just threw on clothes. Even changed into black skinnies hoping that would help, nope. Still just… blah. The bag felt like an awkward afterthought. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.
Clean Lines For The Win
Scrapped the slouchy vibe completely. Dug out a simple black turtleneck tucked into these high-waisted dark wash straight leg jeans I barely wear. Found some classic black leather ankle boots with a small block heel – not fancy, just clean. Pulled my hair back into a tight ponytail to keep it simple. Put the bag on crossbody. Looked back at the mirror… and hey! That’s more like it! The sharp angles of the bag suddenly made sense against the clean top and jeans. Like they were talking to each other. Felt instantly more put-together, kinda chic even with super basic pieces. Major relief.
Adding a Little Something
Felt good, but a little… corporate? Wanted more me. Remembered this thin leopard print scarf shoved in my closet. Draped it loosely around my neck under the collar. Perfect! That tiny pop of pattern woke the whole outfit up without fighting the bag. Tried a dangly gold earring too. Didn’t wanna go crazy though – the bag itself is the statement, right?
Bonus Round: Dress Test
Got cocky. Thought, “What about a dress?” Picked a flowy floral midi dress I love… total disaster. Looked confused. Swapped it for a plain, fitted black mini dress – much sharper. Added the boots again and the bag? Surprisingly worked! More of a date night or brunch vibe than the jeans look, but definitely a winner.
What Actually Made It Click (For Me)
Okay, so here’s what I figured out messing around in my room for way too long:
- Simple tops: Seriously, black/white/grey tees, tanks, or knits tucked in. Let the bag do its thing.
- Fitted jeans or trousers: Bag has structure, your bottoms should kinda match that vibe. No super baggy stuff.
- Tiny details matter: A scarf, some minimalist jewelry, shoes – keep ’em sleek. Chunky sneakers fought it.
- Clean styling: Not tucked-in tee? Tuck it. Messy hair? Neaten it up a touch. Helps everything look deliberate.
So yeah, felt a bit dumb staring at a bag for days, but honestly? Worth it. Wore that black turtleneck and jeans combo with the scarf and boots out the next day. Got way more compliments than usual – people noticed the bag! Finally felt like I got my money’s worth. Just goes to show, sometimes you gotta literally try on everything to find the magic combo. Now it feels like “my” bag!
