One thing for which the Bai are famous is their beautiful, brightly colored embroidery. This fact, coupled with my dire need for a new bag (as my purse had been stolen the previous week, but that's a different story) led me to the conclusion that a Bai embroidered handbag would be the perfect souvenir from Dali.
I bought the bag from a store with a yellow sign (couldn't read it) among the foreign tourist developments on Huguo Street, which means I probably could have gotten the bag elsewhere much cheaper. Oh well. Even if I could have gotten it cheaper, I still don't think 30 Yuan ($3.75 USD) is a bad price for a hand-embroidered bag, and the stores along Huguo street are really interesting. This one was filled to capacity with colorful embroidered clothes, ornaments, and accessories, and staffed by charming Bai women in full traditional costume.
The bag I chose was a simple black pouch, one side of which has vibrant decoration consisting of alternating stripes of brightly colored fabric swatches and embroidered patterns. The bag is attached to a very long shoulder straps from which it hangs below my hips.
I think my new bag was a good purchase, as I am always receiving compliments on it. It is simple enough to look appropriate with my western wardrobe and lifestyle, but still distinctive enough to make a good conversation piece.
That said, I actually had some problems with it initially. As the shoulder strap broke very soon after I purchased it and one of the seams came out within days. However, the woman at the store where I purchased the bag was very cooperative to fix both of these things as well as reinforce every seam in the bag at my request, and I have had no problems with it since.