Coach has spent years coming back to the soft, structured shoulder bag that fills its archive, and the Coach Brooklyn bag is the version that stuck: a rounded, unfussy silhouette that reads as neither trend piece nor grandmother's purse. The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 26 is the size built for a phone, a wallet and keys and nothing else, while the Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28 adds just enough depth for a paperback or a light cardigan. Both share the same rounded hobo shape and one curved shoulder strap, so the decision is really about how much you carry, not how the bag looks.

The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 34 is the size where a laptop sleeve starts to fit, and it still sits close to the body. The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 39 is for someone who has stopped pretending they do not need to carry everything, a book, a lunch and a charger included.

I like how the Brooklyn keeps its easy shoulder curve while the surface shifts from beads and raffia to refined weave and soft leather. The last grid adds the colours I keep coming back to, like merlot, olive suede, clay suede and bright orange. I would choose the texture I want to carry first, then use the listed dimensions to decide whether 28 or 34 fits my day.

The Brooklyn earns its reputation because Coach did not chase a new hardware gimmick every season, it just kept refining a rounded shoulder bag that looks as good in five years as it does today. What it will not do is compete with a structured tote for pure capacity, even at the 39 size, because the curved shape sacrifices some corner space for that softer look.

If you are torn between two sizes, size up rather than down, because a bag you cannot quite fit your life into gets left in the closet, while a slightly roomier one still looks intentional half full. The smooth leather is easy to wipe down, but suede and raffia will not forgive rain, so keep those away from a downpour. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Coach Bag Dupe and A Black Coach Shoulder Bag.