Some purses are meant to blend in. Others have a little personality.
The ruffle purses at Elam & Co. definitely belong in the second group.
You know the kind we're talking about — floral prints, layers of gathered fabric, maybe a little eyelet lace or a bow that isn't the least bit interested in being subtle. These aren't bags trying to look like everything else on a department store shelf, and we think that's a good thing.
My wife Patricia makes the purses here at Elam & Co., our small husband-and-wife business in San Antonio, Texas. One thing I've learned watching her work is that a ruffle purse can look simple. After all, it's just a purse... with ruffles, right? That is, until you start paying attention to how many decisions go into it. The fabrics have to work together, the ruffles have to look right on the bag, and when it's all finished, it still has to function as an actual purse.
Because as pretty as a purse might be, it's not much use if you can't fit your wallet in it.
So if you're shopping for a handmade ruffle purse, here's what we'd suggest looking at before you buy.
Not All Ruffle Purses Are Created Equal
Search for a purse with ruffles and you'll find everything from a fairly ordinary shoulder bag with one little gathered accent to purses covered in layers of fabric, lace, and bows.
They're all ruffle purses. They just don't have much else in common.
Take two of Patricia's designs.
Our Brown Corduroy Floral Ruffle Shoulder Bag has an espresso-brown corduroy body with a contrasting yellow floral ruffle across the front. The ruffle gives it personality without taking over the whole bag.
Then there's our Vintage Rose Tiered Ruffle Purse. That one uses three rows of gathered floral fabric, eyelet lace, and decorative bows. Subtle isn't really what it's going for.
Neither approach is right or wrong. Some people like a little decoration. Others want the whole purse to be the decoration.
The point is to find the one that feels like you.
Floral Ruffle Purses: The Fabric Makes the Difference
Here's something worth noticing: when you change the fabric on a ruffle purse, you can change the entire personality of the bag without changing its basic shape.
A small floral print on a neutral background can look soft and understated. A bright watercolor floral with several gathered layers makes a completely different impression. Corduroy adds texture, while eyelet lace brings another kind of detail altogether.
Our Wildflower Ruffle Shoulder Bag is a good example. Patricia combined colorful floral ruffles with white eyelet lace against a cream-colored body. There's quite a bit going on, but the colors and layers work together as one design.
That's the part I think people sometimes overlook about handmade bags. The pattern isn't necessarily the whole story. It's how the different fabrics and details are brought together.
When you're comparing floral ruffle purses online, don't just look at the main print. Look at the ruffle fabric, the trim, the straps, and how the colors work together.
You might find that the bag you like best isn't the one with your favorite individual fabric. It's the one where all the pieces look right together.
Shoulder Bag or Crossbody? Check the Strap First
Now for the less glamorous part of buying a purse: how you're actually going to carry the thing.
A ruffled shoulder bag and a ruffle crossbody purse can have a similar appearance, but the way they fit and carry can be very different.
A shoulder bag hangs from one shoulder. A crossbody is intended to be worn diagonally across your body, usually with a longer strap. Some bags can work either way, depending on the strap and the person carrying them.
And that's where we'd encourage you not to trust a product name alone.
Look for the actual strap measurements. Is it adjustable? Is it a fixed length? Does the listing show how the bag hangs when carried?
One person's comfortable shoulder bag might be another person's awkward fit. There isn't a magic strap length that works for everybody.
If the measurements aren't listed, ask. We'd much rather answer a question before someone orders than have them discover afterward that a bag doesn't fit the way they expected.
How Much Can a Handmade Ruffle Purse Actually Hold?
This is the question that can get lost when everybody's admiring the lace.
What are you going to put in it?
If you're carrying a phone, keys, a small wallet, and a few other essentials, you may not need a particularly large purse.
If you're someone who carries a full-sized wallet, sunglasses, a cosmetic pouch, and half the contents of your kitchen junk drawer, that's a different conversation.
The important thing is to check the actual dimensions and opening of the bag. A purse can look surprisingly large in a close-up photograph and turn out to be smaller than you expected.
Also pay attention to whether it has interior pockets or a closure. Those details vary by design, and there's no reason to assume one ruffled purse has the same interior as another.
For example, our Brown Corduroy Floral Ruffle Shoulder Bag has a coordinating floral lining and interior slip pockets. That's worth knowing if you like having a particular place for your phone or keys.
Pretty matters. But getting your keys out without emptying the entire purse matters too.
What Makes a Handmade Ruffle Purse Different?
We're not going to tell you that a bag is automatically better just because somebody made it by hand. Plenty of commercially manufactured bags are well made, and we've never believed that putting the word handmade on something magically guarantees quality.
What matters is the work.
For Patricia, that means choosing fabrics, cutting and sewing the pieces, constructing the bag, and adding the details that give it its character. It's one person making a finished product, not an assembly line turning out thousands of identical handbags.
That also means designs can be quite different from one another. In fact, a lot of our bags are one-of-a-kind pieces.
Some of her purses have multiple layers of ruffles. Others use one gathered accent. Some lean heavily into florals and lace, while others have a simpler look.
If you want to understand what you're buying, take a close look at the photographs. Examine the visible seams, ruffles, strap attachments, and interior if it's shown.
And if you're curious about why one handmade bag costs more than another, we've written about that too in Why "Handmade" Doesn't Mean Cheap.
The short version? Fabric is only the beginning. The work that happens afterward matters just as much.
Can You Carry a Ruffle Purse Every Day?
Sure, if the particular bag suits the way you use it.
There's nothing about a ruffle that automatically makes a purse a special-occasion accessory. But if you're planning to carry it every day, think about the fabrics, decorative trim, size, and closure.
A purse with several layers of lace may require different care than a simpler fabric shoulder bag. And different materials don't necessarily have the same cleaning requirements.
We wouldn't recommend assuming a handmade purse can be tossed into the washing machine unless the maker specifically says so.
The same goes for carrying heavy items. Don't assume a purse is built to hold anything that happens to fit inside it.
Ask about the intended use of the design you're considering. A good buying decision starts with knowing what the bag actually is.
Three Ruffle Purses, Three Different Personalities
If you want to see how differently Patricia approaches the same idea, take a look at these three.
Wildflower Ruffle Shoulder Bag — Colorful floral ruffles and white eyelet lace give this purse a bright, romantic look.
Vintage Rose Tiered Ruffle Purse — Alternating rose prints, layered ruffles, lace, and decorative bows make this the more elaborate of the three.
Brown Corduroy Floral Ruffle Shoulder Bag — Brown corduroy, a yellow floral accent, matching straps, and interior pockets give this one a different sort of charm.
Same basic category. Three very different bags.
That's one of the things we enjoy about Patricia's work. She doesn't have to make every purse look like the last one.
A Few Questions About Ruffle Purses
Are ruffle purses only for dressy outfits?
Not at all. A floral ruffle purse can work with jeans, a casual dress, or just about anything else, depending on the design. Some have more decoration than others. It's a matter of what you enjoy wearing.
Is a tiered ruffle purse different from a regular ruffled shoulder bag?
A tiered ruffle purse has multiple overlapping rows of gathered fabric, creating a fuller appearance. A regular ruffled shoulder bag might have just one decorative ruffle. The number of ruffles doesn't tell you how large the bag is or what it can carry, though, so check the actual product details.
Can I request a different fabric?
That's something we're always happy to discuss. We've made custom pieces for customers who loved a particular design but wanted a different color or fabric combination. Availability and what's practical to make will determine what we can do, but you can start a conversation with us about a custom order.
A Purse Doesn't Have to Look Like Everybody Else's
I think that's what we like most about ruffle purses.
They're not trying to be invisible. Whether it's a little floral trim or three layers of lace and bows, they're meant to have some character.
And while Patricia enjoys making beautiful things, we also want the people who buy them to enjoy actually using them.
So find a design you love, check the details, make sure it'll carry what you need, and don't be afraid to choose a purse with a little personality.
Patricia certainly isn't afraid to make one.
Explore our handmade purses and bags at Elam & Co.
Because our pieces are made in small quantities, individual designs and availability may change.