Cheryl Shops

Website of the week
I am having a bit of trouble finding a fall/winter bag this year. I mentioned a gorgeous Marc by Marc Jacobs bag that I saw at Bloomingdale's, but it's green and velvet, and I'd really prefer something in leather and a more neutral color (my winter coat is bright red--Marc by Marc Jacobs, of course). I thought I might be getting a real Marc Jacobs bag for 80% off wholesale, but MK's contact at the warehouse just got fired. Oops. I bought a camel velvet bag at the Gap (for $18!) to tide me over, but I'd like something roomier and more durable. So, in my search, I came across Thickskin, a line of handmade leather bags. Thickskin is not cheap, but it's not Hermes, either--prices range from $198 for a business-card holder to $975 for an overnight bag; most purses are in the $400-$500 range. There are three lines for women--Vision, Rockstar, and Classic--and one for men. I love the oversized, Italian-made hardware on the Rockstar bag; the 3-way can be worn as a belt bag, shoulder bag, or clutch; the metallic trim on the All-nighter 2 puts a modern spin on a retro look; I want the portfolio for my clips (it's way cooler than the generic plastic portfolio from Staples that I use now); and I wish I could afford this messenger bag to replace MW's gross canvas backpack. My favorite bag, though, is the VIP bag: It's roomy (11"x9"x5"), comes in neutral colors (black and brown), is made of leather, and it has cool oversized brass buckles. Yes, it's $495, but that's half the price of a Marc Jacobs Stella bag (at retail), so that sounds like a bargain to me.