Can We Talk About This Betsey Johnson Dreidel Purse?

By now, we all know that Hanukkah is a relatively minor Jewish holiday that only gets the fanfare it does because of its vicinity to Christmas on the calendar. Yet, this hasn’t stopped companies from trying to capitalize on the season by centering a portion of their holiday collections to the small but mighty Festival of Lights. Most of this stuff is very ugly. Potato patties and dripping wax don’t necessarily lend themselves to chic designs. But what about the dreidel, you ask?

I present to you the Betsey Johnson “Mazel Crossbody” bag. Sold by Macy’s for $88 (cause there are eight nights of Hanukkah, maybe?), this “fun and glittery design is sure to spark a conversation.” Which, like, yes.

Mainly, “What on earth are you carrying?”

Which is not to say this is an ugly bag. I’m actually having a really hard time deciding whether it’s good kitschy or bad kitschy, just like I can’t decide whether eating latkes for dinner gives me a good tummy ache or a bad one. I guess what I’m saying is that I would just like to take a moment and process this bag with all of you.

First off, let’s talk about size. While the main image makes the purse look quite large, it’s actually a “mini sized bag.” Here’s what it would look like on a 5’9″ grey silhouette:

betsey johnson dreidel bag on model

If it’s so small, what can you actually fit inside? The Macy’s website is here to say you can fit an iPhone8 or smaller (sorry, tech enthusiasts!) as well as car keys, a thin wallet, and lipstick. See here:

betsey johnson dreidel bag what fits inside

Other details worth noting are this fabulous Jewish star zipper charm:

betsey johnson dreidel purse

As well as the interior fabric, which appears to be sofa-like faux leather:

betsey johnson dreidel purse inside

So now that we have all the facts, it’s time to tackle the hard-hitting questions: Is this cute? Should we be excited about its existence? Repulsed? Is this a major brand trying to capitalize on Hanukkah or just Betsey Johnson being Betsey Johnson? Why has nobody reviewed it on the Macy’s website yet? Does anybody actually own this? Should anyone actually own this? Should own this?!?!?

These are all my questions, and I’m still searching for answers. In the meantime, you can enter to win the purse here. Happy Hanukkah!

Read More