NYC fashion is based mostly around neutral colors, especially the color black. My friend and I once made the newbie mistake of arriving at a Fashion Week after party in red, and we stood out like a sore thumb among the varying shades and textures of black—black leathers, black feathers, black tethers, you name it. So sorry, party people.

I have conformed, and I’m now a fan of neutral colors. But the one thing I struggled with until the Spring of 2020 was finding a white bag that would fit the NYC wardrobe and that wouldn’t eventually turn into the color GRAY. That’s right—through no fault of my own, if you saw me lugging around a gray bag, that bag was actually supposed to be white. What happened? The city air happens.

Finally, here is a brand I can recommend with white bags that in fact do NOT turn gray and, if scuffed, can be easily cleaned with a brush of some wet wipes (although you may want to use leather-friendly wipes). I have Zac Posen’s swan-colored Eartha Top Handle Leather Crossbody Bag, and it has been perfect. I throw it in front of me if I’m running late to a Midtown dinner in less than fancy pants, and the host thinks “cool bag” and not “weird pants.” Finally, a win.

Zac Posen is a designer brand with more affordable prices, and the quality is on point. Though my specific bag may no longer be on the market, there are many other Zac Posen styles out there. No more white-turned-gray bags for me!